obovate-obtuse-pyriform, symmetrical; stem very thick, fleshy at
its juncture with the cavity; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, often
slightly wrinkled and drawn up in fleshy folds around the base of the
stem; calyx small, open; lobes short, obtuse; basin shallow, narrow,
obtuse, slightly wrinkled; skin thin, smooth; color pale yellow, more
or less overspread on the exposed cheek with a pinkish blush, with
stripes of carmine; dots numerous, small, greenish-russet, obscure;
flesh yellowish, firm, granular, crisp, somewhat tough, variable in
juiciness; quality poor. Core large, closed, axile, with clasping
core-lines; calyx-tube very long, narrow; seeds wide, short, plump,
obtuse.
[Illustration: EASTER BEURRÉ]
EASTER BEURRÉ
=1.= _Pom. Mag._ =2=:78, Pl. 1829. =2.= Lindley _Guide Orch. Gard._
397. 1831. =3.= Kenrick _Am. Orch._ 160. 1841. =4.= Downing _Fr. Trees
Am._ 425, fig. 196. 1845. =5.= _Gard. Chron._ 168, fig. 1845. =6.=
_Mag. Hort._ =16=:73. 1850. =7.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 157. 1854. =8.=
_Ibid._ 66. 1862. =9.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 751, fig. 1869. =10.=
Hogg _Fruit Man._ 572. 1884. =11.= Ont. Dept. Agr. _Fr. Ont._ 159,
figs. 1914.
_Bergamote de la Pentecôte._ =12.= _Ann. Pom. Belge_ =4=:41, Pl. 1856.
_Doyenné d'Hiver._ =13.= Mas _Le Verger_ =1=:43, fig. 28. 1866-73.
=14.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =2=:72, fig. 1869. =15.= _Guide Prat._ 61,
265. 1876.
_Beurré Rouppé._ =16.= Mas _Pom. Gen._ =4=:87, fig. 236. 1879.
_Winter Dechantsbirne._ =17.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 300. 1889. =18.=
Gaucher _Pom. Prak. Obst._ No. 71, Pl. 34. 1894.
The fruit-books of Europe have so much to say in praise of Easter
Beurré that the variety has been tried time and time again in America,
but nearly always with unfavorable results. The variety grows well
only in comparatively warm climates and on light, warm, limy soils, and
refuses to ripen its crop in any others. There are occasional places
in eastern America where Easter Beurré can be well grown, but for most
part it is at home only on the Pacific slope. The fruits are of first
rate excellence when at their best, and add much to the winter supply
of pears, the product of few other winter pears surpassing that of this
sort from January to March in regions where it does well. The pears are
excellent shippers, keep well in common or cold storage, so that where
the variety succeeds it is valuable for home, and distant and foreign
markets. The trees are in every way satisfactory except that they bloom
a little earlier than other sorts, and are somewhat more susceptible
to the scab fungus in both fruit and foliage than a commercial variety
should be. Although a little too susceptible to blight, the trees are
above the average in immunity, and are hardy, vigorous, and productive.
The variety is well worth planting in soils and climates where the crop
matures properly.
In the gardens of the Capucin Monastery at Louvain, Belgium, there
was, about 1823, an old pear tree known to the monks as the _Pastorale
de Louvain_, which attracted the attention of Van Mons. He propagated
the pear and in due course distributed it. By the year 1853, it was
to be found pretty generally in the gardens of Belgium under the name
of _Pastorale_. Since that time it has been very widely disseminated,
but unfortunately has received a confusing variety of names, Leroy
mentioning twenty-four and Mathieu fifty-five. The leading authorities,
however, of England and this country have uniformly adopted the name
Easter Beurré. It was received in the former country soon after its
first dissemination, and it was brought to this country not later than
1837. Since 1862, Easter Beurré has appeared in the list of pears
recommended for general cultivation by the American Pomological Society.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright-spreading, open-topped,
slow-growing, hardy; branches reddish-brown overspread with gray
scarf-skin, sprinkled with inconspicuous lenticels; branchlets
variable in length, with short internodes, greenish-brown mingled with
red, rough, glabrous, with small, round, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, very short, obtuse, free. Leaves 2-1/8 in. long,
1-1/8 in. wide, thin; apex abruptly pointed; margin finely serrate,
the teeth very short, tipped with red; petiole 2 in. long, slender.
Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free, singly on short
spurs; flowers 1-1/4 in. across, occasionally tinged with pink in the
bud, becoming white when open, well distributed, average 9 buds in a
cluster; pedicels 3/4 in. long, slender, pubescent.
Fruit in season late December to February; 3 in. long, 2-3/8 in. wide,
obovate-pyriform, with a short, thick neck; stem 3/4 in. long, thick,
woody; cavity acute, very deep, narrow, furrowed, uneven, compressed;
calyx open; lobes narrow, acute; basin deep, narrow, abrupt, furrowed
and wrinkled; skin thick, tough, roughened by the dots, the surface
uneven; color yellow, marked with many russet dots and with patches
and veinings of russet, often with a dull brownish-red blush; dots
numerous, small, very conspicuous, russet; flesh tinged with yellow,
granular near the center and toward the calyx, tender and melting,
juicy, buttery, sweet, with a rich, pleasant flavor, very aromatic;
quality very good. Core large, closed, axile, with meeting core-lines;
calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.
[Illustration: ELIZABETH]
ELIZABETH
=1.= _Mag. Hort._ =8=:57. 1842. =2.= _Ibid._ =13=:63, fig. 6. 1847.
=3.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =2=:126, fig. 1869. =4.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._
23. 1897.
_Manning's Elizabeth._ =5.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 385. 1845. =6.=
Hovey _Fr. Am._ =2=:41, Pl. 1851. =7.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 231. 1854.
=8.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 810, fig. 1869.
_Elizabeth de Manning._ =9.= Mas _Le Verger_ =2=:105, fig. 51.
1866-73. =10.= _Guide Prat._ 93, 269. 1876.
_Nina._ =11.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 623. 1884. =12.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._
258. 1889.
Elizabeth is among the best summer pears for eastern America, either
for home consumption or for the markets. The characters which commend
it are: handsome, well-flavored fruits; and vigorous, hardy, productive
trees, which are as resistant to blight as those of any other European
pear, and which come in bearing early and bear annually. Faults
are: the fruits are small, a fault that can be overcome somewhat by
thinning; they are a little coarse in texture of flesh, which is a
little too gritty; and the flavor, while good for an early pear, is not
as sweet and rich as might be desired. The trees are nearly flawless,
failing, if at all, in not attaining as great size as some other
inhabitants of pear orchards. The crop is often borne in clusters--a
defect by reason of which the fruits are so often small. But even with
these defects, we must end as we began with the statement that this is
one of the best summer pears.
In the year 1819, Van Mons established his famous nursery at Louvain,
Belgium, and in the years 1830 and 1831 he sent from there two
consignments of pear cions to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society,
both of which were unfortunately lost in turn on the way. Three years
later, Kenrick, Manning, and Dearborn, Massachusetts horticulturists,
requested him to forward another collection. In the successive springs
of 1835 and 1836, he sent two more collections which safely arrived
in due course, though a large proportion of the cions died. These
collections comprised originally about 150 named and 100 seedling
unnamed varieties, and Van Mons granted Manning permission to name
any of the latter that might prove worthy of cultivation. No. 154 of
these, Mr. Manning[28] named _Elizabeth_ (_Van Mons_). Later on it
was disseminated as _Manning's Elizabeth_, and soon after the name
was shortened to i. The variety was placed in the fruit-list of the
American Pomological Society in 1854.
Tree small, upright, dense-topped, hardy, very productive; trunk
slender; branches brownish-green, partly overspread with thin, gray
scarf-skin, marked by conspicuous, oval lenticels; branchlets slender,
long, reddish-brown mingled with green, new growth exceptionally red,
dull, smooth, glabrous except on the younger wood, with obscure,
raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, plump, free. Leaves 3 in. long,
1-1/2 in. wide, stiff; apex variable; margin almost entire; petiole
2 in. long, slender, reddish-green; stipules very small and slender
when present. Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free, singly
on short spurs; flowers early, showy, 1-5/8 in. across, in dense
clusters, average 8 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1 in. long, lightly
pubescent.
Fruit ripe in late August; small, 2-3/8 in. long, 2-1/2 in. wide,
obovate-obtuse-pyriform, symmetrical, uniform; stem 1 in. long,
thick, curved; cavity acuminate, shallow, narrow, symmetrical, often
lipped; calyx large, almost closed; lobes separated at the base,
short, narrow, acuminate; basin shallow, obtuse, gently furrowed and
wrinkled; skin tough, characteristically rough, glossy; color bright
yellow, with a lively, red cheek, mottled with brownish, minute
specks; dots numerous, very small, conspicuous, russet or brown;
flesh tinged with yellow, slightly granular under the skin, strongly
granular at the center, tender and melting, very juicy, sweet, vinous,
aromatic; quality very good. Core large, closed, with clasping
core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds wide, plump, acute.
[Illustration: FLEMISH BEAUTY]
FLEMISH BEAUTY
=1.= _Pom. Mag._ =3=:128, Pl. 1830. =2.= Lindley _Guide Orch. Gard._
373. 1831. =3.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 386, fig. 167. 1845. =4.=
_Proc. Nat. Con. Fr. Gr._ 51. 1848. =5.= Hovey _Fr. Am._ =1=:51, Pl.
1851. =6.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 760, fig. 1869. =7.= Hogg _Fruit
Man._ 578. 1884.
_Belle de Flanders._ =8.= _Kenrick Am. Orch._ 172. 1832.
_Fondante des Bois._ =9.= _Ann. Pom. Belge_ =6=:41, Pl. 1858. =10.=
_Pom. France_ =1=: No. 25, Pl. 25, 1863. =11.= Mas _Le Verger_ =3=:
Pt. 2, 55, fig. 124. 1866-73. =12.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =2=:166, fig.
1869. =13.= _Guide Prat._ 58, 272. 1876. =14.= _Soc. Nat. Hort. France
Pom._ 412, fig. 1904.
_Holzfarbige Butterbirne._ =15.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 235. 1889. =16.=
Gaucher _Pom. Prak. Obst._ No. 49, Pl. 38. 1894.
At one time Flemish Beauty was a leading commercial variety in the
pear regions of eastern America, but it has been supplanted by other
varieties because the toll of blighted trees is too great, and the
fruits are too often disfigured by the scab fungus. Perhaps the latter
is the greater fault as in some seasons no applications of spray give
the pears a clean cheek, and they are blackened, scabbed, cracked and
malformed with this fungus. Not infrequently the scab-infected foliage
drops before the crop matures. To offset these defects, the trees
have to their credit great vigor, unusual fruitfulness and as great
hardihood to cold as those of any other variety. The trees do not come
in bearing early, and are not suitable for dwarfing as they overgrow
the quince stock. The fruits are nearly perfect if scab-free and
properly matured. To make sure of perfect maturity, the pears must be
picked as soon as they attain full size and be permitted to ripen under
cover. So treated, a bright-cheeked Flemish Beauty is as handsome as
any pear, and is almost unapproachable in quality; the flavor is nicely
balanced between sweetness and sourness, very rich, and has a pleasing
muskiness. Blight and scab condemn tree and fruit for commercial
orchards, but a lover of good pears should combat these troubles for
the sake of the choice fruits.
The parent tree of this variety is said to have been a wilding found
in a wood near Alost, East Flanders, Belgium, about the beginning of
the nineteenth century. It was cultivated under the Flemish name of
_Bosc Peêr_ or _Pear of the Woods_. About 1810, the propagation of
the variety was taken up by Van Mons who introduced it a few years
later under the name _Fondante des Bois_ by which name it was known in
Europe for many years. Lindley, writing in 1831, described this variety
under the name _Flemish Beauty_, and it appeared then to be in pretty
general cultivation in England. Styling it _Barnard_, Hovey wrote, in
1851, that Flemish Beauty "had been known in Dorchester, Massachusetts,
for nearly twenty years," so that it is to be inferred that the variety
was introduced to this country prior to 1830 and possibly by some
one by the name of Barnard. The rapid distribution of this pear was
promoted by Van Mons who gave numerous grafts of it to his friends
and correspondents. The fact that the variety has over sixty synonyms
may be taken as some testimony to its popularity and excellence. At
the first meeting of the American Pomological Society held in 1848,
Flemish Beauty was placed in the list of pears recommended for general
cultivation, a place it has since retained.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, spreading, with drooping branches,
hardy, productive; trunk smooth; branches thick, shaggy, bright
reddish-brown, with dull gray scarf-skin, large lenticels; branchlets
thick, short, with short internodes, reddish-brown, smooth, glabrous,
with many large, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds large, long, obtuse, pointed, nearly free; leaf-scars
prominent. Leaves 3-1/2 in. long, 1-3/4 in. wide, oval, thick,
leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely serrate; petiole 2
in. long, usually slender. Flower-buds very large, long, conical
or pointed, very plump, free; flowers 1-1/4 in. across, in dense
clusters, usually 7 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1-1/4 in. long,
slender, slightly pubescent, light green.
Fruit ripe in late September and early October; large, nearly 2-3/4
in. long, 2-1/2 in. wide, uniform in size and shape, roundish or
obovate-obtuse-pyriform, symmetrical, with nearly equal sides; stem
1-1/8 in. long, thick; cavity acute, shallow to deep, narrow, slightly
russeted, a little furrowed; calyx open; lobes partly separated at
the base, short, obtuse; basin shallow, narrow, abrupt, symmetrical;
skin thick, tough, roughish, dull; color clear yellow, overspread
on the exposed cheek with a dotted and marbled red blush; dots
numerous, russet, small, conspicuous; flesh yellowish-white, firm,
becoming melting and tender, granular, juicy, sweet, aromatic, with
a slight musky flavor; quality very good. Core closed, with clasping
core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds rather long, plump,
acute.
FONDANTE DE NOËL
=1.= _Mag. Hort._ =21=:267, fig. 9. 1855. =2.= _Ann. Pom. Belge_
=7=:67, Pl. 1859. =3.= _Pom. France_ =1=: No. 14, Pl. 14. 1863. =4.=
Mas _Le Verger_ =1=:65, fig. 39. 1866-73. =5.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._
764. 1869. =6.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 580. 1884.
_Belle après Noël._ =7.= McIntosh _Bk. Gard._ =2=:459. 1855.
_Weihnachtsbirne._ =8.= Dochnahl _Führ. Obstkunde_ =2=:62. 1856. =9.=
Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 296. 1889.
_Belle de Noël._ =10.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =1=:209, fig. 1867.
It is doubtful whether this rather rare European pear can be purchased
from American nurserymen now, but possibly it may be had, and at least
it could be re-propagated from old trees. The fruit is distinguished by
its trim, top-shaped form and handsome coat, usually enlivened with a
dull color on the sunny side. The flesh, while gritty near the core,
is tender, juicy, buttery, very rich, sweet, and aromatic. It is just
the pear for those who prefer sweetness to vinousness or piquancy, and
who object to even a trace of astringency. The trees, while only medium
in size, are vigorous, hardy, healthy, and productive. If the variety
grows elsewhere as well as it does on the grounds of the New York
Agricultural Experiment Station it is too good to be lost. The fruits
are in season and at their best for Christmas.
This pear was raised from seed by Major Espéren, Mechlin, Belgium.
The tree fruited first in 1842 and was given the name _Fondante de
Noël_ to indicate the day on which it was tasted for the first time.
In 1862 a pear called _Souvenir d'Espéren_, attributed to seed grown
by Berckmans, a noted Belgian horticulturist living in the United
States, was put forth, but after examination there did not appear to
be any difference in either the fruit or the wood of this tree from
that of the variety grown by Major Espéren. Because the name _Souvenir
d'Espéren_ appears in connection with _Fondante de Noël_, the variety
has been confused with another pear which was raised by Major Espéren
and named _Souvenir d'Espéren_. The two, however, are entirely distinct
and the last-named sort has long been known and is still found growing
in certain pear orchards of the eastern United States.
Tree medium in size and vigor, upright, hardy, productive; trunk
thick, smooth; branches brownish-green, nearly covered with gray
scarf-skin; branchlets slender, with long internodes, smooth,
glabrous, marked with conspicuous, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds large, long, conical, plump, free. Leaves 3-1/2 in. long,
1-1/2 in. wide; apex taper-pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate;
petiole 2-7/8 in. long. Flower-buds large, long, plump, free, singly
on short spurs; flowers showy, 1-1/2 in. across, white often tinged
pink on the edges of the petals, average 9 buds in a cluster; pedicels
7/8 in. long.
Fruit matures December to January; large, 2-1/2 in. long, 2-3/4 in.
wide, roundish-turbinate, irregular; stem 3/4 in. long, thick, woody,
obliquely set; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, furrowed, often lipped;
calyx small, nearly closed; basin narrow, obtuse, furrowed; skin
roughened by russet dots and patches; color dull greenish-yellow, with
many dots, flecks and patches of russet, often with a faint trace of
brownish-red on the sunny side; dots numerous, small, russet, rather
conspicuous; flesh white, gritty only near the core, tender, buttery,
juicy, sweet, highly aromatic; quality good to very good; core large,
with meeting core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide; seeds large, long,
plump, acute.
[Illustration: FONTENAY]
FONTENAY
=1.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 38. 1883.
_Jalousie de Fontenay Vendée._ =2.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 396, fig.
173. 1845. =3.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 68. 1862.
_Belle de Esquermes._ =4.= _Mag. Hort._ =20=:135. 1854.
_Jalousie de Fontenay._ =5.= _Pom. France_ =1=: No. 44, Pl. 44. 1863.
=6.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 303. 1866. =7.= Mas _Le Verger_ =3=: Pt. 2,
157, fig. 175. 1866-73. =8.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =2=:295, fig. 1869.
=9.= _Guide Prat._ 64, 281. 1876.
_Birn von Fontenay._ =10.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 215. 1889. =11.= Lucas
_Tafelbirnen_ 87, fig. 1894.
The reader will discover no noteworthy characters in the description
of this pear; nor does the accompanying illustration make the variety
particularly alluring, although the color-plate scarcely does the
fruits justice in either size or color. The variety is to be found in
many old orchards in eastern America, but was long since relegated by
pear-growers to the limbo of nurserymen's catalogs. The only reason
for giving it a place in _The Pears of New York_ is that the variety
was once prominent, and references to it and comparisons with it are
so common in horticultural literature that pear-growers are certain to
want to know something about it. As the following description shows,
the variety is but mediocre in tree and fruit.
Early in the eighteenth century M. Lévêque, an architect, acquired
possession of an estate near Fontenay, France. A number of pear
seedlings were growing upon this property, one of which was so good as
to attract M. Lévêque's attention and he began propagating it in 1828.
Later he distributed cions of the variety to his friends under the name
_Poire de Fontenay_. Soon afterward the name was changed to _Jalousie
de Fontenay_, Leroy took the variety to the garden of the Horticultural
Society of Angers about 1835, from which place it was still more
widely disseminated. It soon found its way to America where it gained
early popularity. In 1862 the American Pomological Society listed this
variety in its fruit-catalog under the name _Jalousie de Fontenay_, but
shortened the name, in 1883, to _Fontenay_. In 1899, however, the name
disappeared from this catalog and has never been replaced.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, dense-topped, hardy; trunk
slender, smooth; branches slender, brown mingled with green, partly
covered with thin, gray scarf-skin; branchlets thick, long, with
short internodes, light brownish-green, faintly tinged with red,
dull, the new growth pubescent near the ends, smooth, with numerous,
conspicuous, small, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds very small, short, sharply pointed, free; leaf-scars with
large, prominent shoulders. Leaves 3 in. long, 1-1/2 in. wide, very
thick; apex taper-pointed; margin almost glandless, finely serrate;
petiole 2 in. long, variable in size, glabrous; stipules very slender,
tinged red. Flower-buds small, short, conical, free, singly on
very short spurs; flowers late, showy, 1-3/4 in. across, in dense
clusters, average 7 buds in a cluster; pedicels 5/8 in. long, lightly
pubescent.
Fruit matures in October; small, 2-5/8 in. long, 2 in. wide,
oblong-acute-pyriform, symmetrical, with equal sides; stem 3/4 in.
long, curved; cavity lacking, the flesh folded around the base of
the stem, often lipped; calyx partly open; lobes broad, acute; basin
shallow, narrow, obtuse, slightly wrinkled, symmetrical; skin thick,
tough, smooth; color dull yellowish-green, netted and patched with
russet, with a tinge of red on the exposed cheek; dots numerous,
small, russet, obscure; flesh strongly granular at the center,
tender and melting, very juicy, subacid; quality good. Core large,
closed, axile, with meeting core-lines; calyx-tube short, narrow,
funnel-shaped; carpels emarginate; seeds large, wide, long, plump,
acute.
FORELLE
=1.= _Trans. Lond. Hort. Soc._ =5=:408, Pl. XVII. 1824. =2.= _Pom.
Mag._ =3=:112, Pl. 1830. =3.= Lindley _Guide Orch. Gard._ 399, 1831.
=4.= Prince _Pom. Man._ =1=:130. 1831. =5.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._
389, fig. 169. 1845. =6.= _Mag. Hort._ =13=:339, fig. 27. 1847. =7.=
Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 765. 1869. =8.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =2=:183,
figs. 1869. =9.= Mas _Pom. Gen._ =1=:115, fig. 58. 1872.
_Forellenbirne._ =10.= Christ _Handb._ 514. 1817. =11.= Dochnahl
_Führ. Obstkunde_ =2=:12. 1856. =12.= Lauche _Deut. Pom._ =II=: No.
23, Pl. 23. 1882.
_Florelle._ =13.= Prince _Treat. Hort._ 13. 1828.
_Trout Pear._ =14.= _Gard. Chron._ 804, fig. 1846.
The pear fancier prizes Forelle for its singularly handsome and
distinctive fruits, which are also of very good quality. Forelle
pleases the eye as well as any pear for bright colors, and is
distinguished among fruits of its kind by its trout-like specklings
from which comes the name _Forelle_, the German name for trout. Looks
do not belie taste for the flesh is delicate and buttery, is highly
flavored, and satisfies those who regard high quality a prime requisite
in a pear. The trees are very satisfactory in warm soils and exposures,
but fail in heavy clays and cold climates. The variety is worth growing
for its beautiful and distinctive fruits.
Nothing is very certainly known of the origin of this pear, but it
seems highly probable that it had its birth in northern Saxony at
the beginning of the eighteenth century. From Germany it was taken
to Flanders, and from there introduced into England. In the latter
country, it was first fruited by Thomas Andrew Knight, President of
the Horticultural Society of London, who, in 1823, sent cions to the
Honorable John Lowell, President of the Massachusetts Horticultural
Society. Forelle became quite widely disseminated in the eastern
United States during the first half of the eighteenth century, and was
considered by many pomologists a pear of merit. At the present time,
however, the variety has almost disappeared from cultivation. Its place
has been filled by Vermont Beauty, a pear introduced from Vermont more
than forty years ago. It is not improbable that these two varieties are
identical. Vermont Beauty may be the old German pear renamed.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, very hardy and very
productive; branches few, dark brownish-red, sprinkled with numerous
lenticels; branchlets long, pubescent on the youngest shoots. Leaves
small, flat, roundish-ovate; flowers open early.
Fruit ripens November to December; medium in size, 3 in. long, 2 in.
wide, oblong-obovate-pyriform, with a neck variable in length; stem
1 in. long, slender; cavity shallow, oblique, narrow, often lipped;
calyx small, open; lobes broad; basin shallow, narrow, abrupt; skin
smooth; color yellow, more or less overlaid with red, deepening to
rich crimson next to the sun, profusely covered with grayish-russet
dots which are margined or rayed with crimson; dots numerous, large
and small, russet or grayish; flesh white, fine-grained, although
slightly granular at the center, melting, buttery, juicy, aromatic,
with a rich, vinous flavor; quality good. Core medium in size; seeds
nearly black, of medium size.
FOX
=1.= Budd-Hansen _Am. Hort. Man._ =2=:245. 1903. =2.= Ragan _Nom.
Pear, B. P. I. Bul._ =126=:123. 1908. _B. S. Fox._ =3.= Downing _Fr.
Trees Am._ 2nd App. 154. 1876. =4.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 42, fig.
1877. =5.= _Gard. Mon._ =22=:369. 1880. =6.= _Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt._
170. 1883.
Fox seems to have failed in the pear-growing regions of America,
in spite of its having several excellent characters in both fruit
and tree. The fruits are not quite attractive enough to sell on the
markets or to grace the table of the amateur, their rough, russet skins
detracting greatly from their appearance. When the skin is removed,
however, a better late fall pear cannot be found. The flesh is white,
fine in texture, very juicy, melting, and has a brisk, vinous flavor
and a pleasant aromatic smell and taste that at once place the quality
very high. The trees are but mediocre in the prime characters of a good
orchard plant, and condemn the variety for any purpose other than the
collector's plantation.
Fox is one of many seedlings originated by B. S. Fox,[29] San José,
California. Most of these seedlings were raised from seed of Belle
Lucrative and Fox is among this number. The exact date of origin
cannot be determined, but it is assumed to have been in the early
seventies. The variety is considered to be one of the best of Fox's
seedlings.
Tree medium in size and vigor, upright-spreading, round-topped,
moderately productive; trunk slender; branches stocky, smooth,
greenish-brown overspread with grayish scarf-skin; branchlets thick,
short, with short internodes, zigzag, glabrous, sprinkled with small,
raised lenticels. Leaf-buds long, obtuse, pointed, free. Leaves 2-1/8
in. long, 1-1/4 in. wide, thick; apex abruptly pointed; margin nearly
entire to finely serrate. Flower-buds conical, pointed, free; flowers
open early.
Fruit ripens October to November; large, 3-1/8 in. long, 2-1/8 in.
wide, oblong-obovate-pyriform; stem 1-1/2 in. long, very thick,
curved, obliquely set; cavity very shallow or lacking, the flesh
folded up around the base of the stem; calyx closed or slightly open,
variable in size; lobes much separated at the base, short, broad,
acute; basin shallow, narrow, very small, furrowed and compressed;
skin thick, granular, tough, roughened by the russet dots; color
russet-yellow, often with a russet-red blush on the side next to
the sun, almost entirely overspread with russet; dots numerous,
conspicuous, russet; flesh white, granular near the core, melting,
very juicy, sweet mingled with a brisk, vinous flavor, richly
aromatic; quality very good. Core large, closed; calyx-tube short,
wide; seeds wide, plump, acute.
[Illustration: FREDERICK CLAPP]
FREDERICK CLAPP
=1.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 2nd App. 148, fig. 1876. =2.= _Mass.
Hort. Soc. Rpt._ Pt. II, 94. 1876. =3.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 34. 1877.
=4.= Budd-Hansen _Am. Hort. Man._ =2=:245. 1903.
_Clapp No. 22._ =5.= _Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 90. 1872. =6.= _Ibid._
Pt. II, 153. 1874. =7.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 38, 66, 119. 1875.
Frederick Clapp has a place on the pear list, because it is one
of the few good varieties with acidulous fruits. The refreshing,
piquant flavor, the tender, melting, very juicy flesh, and the bright
lemon-yellow color with only a trace of red give sufficient charm
and character to the fruits to make the variety desirable in every
collection of good pears. The fruits come in season with those of
Beurré Superfin, and surpass them in quality at least. The trees are
vigorous and healthy and form open, shapely, wide-spreading heads
that commend them for orchard management. They grow with rapidity and
vigor, come in bearing early, and are unusually fruitful. The variety
is seldom planted in commercial orchards, but it has a welcome place in
every home orchard fortunate enough to have it.
This pear was raised about 1870 by Lemuel Clapp, Dorchester,
Massachusetts, brother of Frederick and Thaddeus Clapp, all of whom
were the producers of large numbers of pear seedlings, several of which
have been named. In all probability this variety is a cross between
Urbaniste and Beurré Superfin. At various exhibitions and meetings of
the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in the years 1872, 1874, 1875,
and 1876 it was shown and favorably reported on, and in 1875 received
high praise in a report of the Massachusetts State Fruit Committee
to the American Pomological Society. In 1877 the latter Society
added Frederick Clapp to its list of fruits recommended for general
cultivation.
Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, with open top, hardy; trunk
thick, shaggy; branches stocky, shaggy, zigzag, dull reddish-brown,
overspread with thick ash-gray scarf-skin, marked with many small
lenticels; branchlets thick, dull reddish-brown, tinged with green,
smooth except for the lenticels, glabrous, with many small, raised
lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, conical or pointed, plump, usually free.
Leaves 3 in. long, 1-3/4 in. wide, ovate, stiff; apex taper-pointed;
margin finely serrate, tipped with very fine, sharp-pointed,
reddish-brown glands; petiole 1-1/2 in. long, slender, glabrous.
Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free; flowers cup-shaped,
often with a disagreeable odor, 1 in. wide, averaging 9 buds in a
cluster; pedicels 1 in. long, thick, pubescent, pale green.
Fruit ripe in October; medium in size, more than 2 in. long, 2-3/8
in. wide, variable in size, roundish or obovate, irregular in shape;
stem 3/4 in. long, thick; cavity variable in outline and smoothness,
often with a fleshy fold drawn up around the base of the stem; calyx
open; lobes short, broad, obtuse; basin deep, wide, abrupt, usually
smooth, symmetrical; skin thin, tender, smooth; color lemon-yellow,
often marked with flecks and mottlings of russet; dots numerous,
small, russet, obscure; flesh with a very faint tinge of yellow,
fine, tender, melting, characteristically juicy, sweet, with a rich
sprightliness; quality very good. Core closed, axile, with clasping
core-lines; calyx-tube very short, wide, broadly conical; carpels
obovate; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.
[Illustration: GANSEL SECKEL]
GANSEL SECKEL
=1.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 502. 1857. =2.= _Ibid._ 770. 1869.
_Gansel-Seckle._ =3.= _Jour. Hort._ N. S. =20=:30, fig. 1871. =4.=
Hogg _Fruit Man._ 585. 1884. =5.= _Jour. Hort._ 3rd Ser. =23=:464.
1891. =6.= Bunyard _Handb. Hardy Fr._ 177. 1920.
There are no good reasons why this pear should be grown, it having
received much more attention than it deserves during the half century
it has been in America. Perhaps it suffices to say that the fruits and
trees are in no way equal, except in size of fruit, to those of Seckel,
with which variety it would compete, although the crop ripens a little
later. While the pears are larger than those of Seckel, the yield is
not as great as the trees do not bear as regularly, nor abundantly.
The fruits are not as well flavored, nor as attractively colored. The
variety is still offered by many nurserymen, most of whom, however,
condemn it with faint praise.
According to Bunyard, Gansel Seckel was raised from seed a century ago
by a Mr. Williams of Pitmaston, Worcester, England. It was obtained by
crossing Seckel with Gansel Bergamot, whence its name.
Tree medium in size and vigor, upright-spreading, variable in yield;
branches slender, zigzag, sprinkled with numerous lenticels; branchlets
thick, light reddish-brown mingled with green, smooth, glabrous, with
small, roundish, raised, conspicuous lenticels. Leaf-buds small,
short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 2-1/4 in. long, 1-1/2 in. wide; apex
taper-pointed; margin tipped with few reddish glands, coarsely serrate;
petiole 1-1/4 in. long. Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free;
flowers open early, 1-1/4 in. across; pedicels 1/2 in. long.
Fruit ripens in late October and November; small to medium, 2-1/2
in. long, 2-3/8 in. wide, irregular, oblate-pyriform; stem 3/4 in.
long, stout; cavity variable in width, shallow, irregular; calyx
small, closed; lobes erect, acute; basin variable in width, deep; skin
roughened with russet, uneven; color pale yellow, overspread with thin
cinnamon-russet, sometimes faintly blushed on the exposed cheek; dots
distinct, cinnamon-russet; flesh yellowish-white, coarse, melting,
buttery, juicy, highly aromatic, with a rich perfume, sweet, but
without the spicy flavor of the Seckel; quality very good.
GARBER
=1.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 48. 1891. =2.= Budd-Hansen _Am. Hort. Man._
=2=:247. 1903. =3.= _Chico Nur. Cat._ 12. 1904. =4.= _Cornell Sta.
Bul._ =332=:481. 1913.
_Garber's Hybrid._ =5.= Black _Cult. Peach and Pear_ 229, 242. 1886.
=6.= Harcourt _Fla. Fruits_ 255. 1886. =7.= Hood Cat. 25. 1905.
A few trivial differences separate Garber from Kieffer--the fruits of
both are poor. The pears ripen a week or two earlier than those of
Kieffer, are a little rounder, flatter at the ends, and some say are
a little better in quality--certainly they are no worse to eat out of
hand. The tree is hardy to heat and cold, and is much planted in the
southern states, and in the Mississippi Valley, North and South. The
variety might be sparingly planted in New York as an ornamental.
Garber is one of many seedlings of the Chinese Sand pear, raised by J.
B. Garber, Columbia, Pennsylvania, sometime previous to 1880. It is
supposed to be of hybrid origin. The variety was added to the American
Pomological Society's list of recommended fruits in 1891 where it has
since remained.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright-spreading, hardy, productive
with age; branches smooth, zigzag, reddish-brown partly covered
with grayish scarf-skin; branchlets thick, with long internodes,
smooth, glabrous, sprinkled with small, round, very conspicuous,
raised lenticels. Leaf-buds small, short, pointed and with curved
tips, appressed. Leaves 3-1/2 in. long, 2-1/4 in. wide, thick; apex
taper-pointed; margin with very minute and reddish tips, finely
serrate; petiole 2-1/4 in. long, thick. Flower-buds small, conical,
sharply pointed, free.
Fruit ripe September to October; large, usually roundish-oblong and
tapering toward both ends; stem 1 in. long, stout, obliquely set;
cavity small, narrow, often deep and furrowed; calyx variable in size,
partly open; lobes slender; basin broad, abrupt, deep, furrowed;
color pale yellow, often with a brownish-red blush on the exposed
cheek; dots small, numerous, russet; flesh white, granular, crisp but
tender, juicy, neither sweet nor sour but with a peculiar, pleasant
flavor; quality inferior.
[Illustration: GLOU MORCEAU]
GLOU MORCEAU
=1.= _Mag. Hort._ =21=:143. 1855. =2.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 503.
1857. =3.= _Ibid._ 773. 1869. =4.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 586. 1884. =5.=
_Jour. Hort._ 3rd Ser. =14=:203. 1887. =6.= Bunyard _Handb. Hardy Fr._
178. 1920.
_Gloux Morceau._ =7.= _Trans. Lond. Hort. Soc._ 2nd App. =5=:6. 1824.
=8.= Kenrick _Am. Orch._ 194. 1832.
_Hardenpont's Winter Butterbirne._ =9.= Liegel _Syst. Anleit._ 104.
1825. =10.= Dochnahl _Führ. Obstkunde_ =2=:99. 1856. =11.= Lauche
_Deut. Pom._ =II=: No. 11, Pl. 11. 1882. =12.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._
231. 1889.
_Glout Morceau._ =13.= Lindley _Guide Orch. Gard._ 400. 1831. =14.=
_Gard. Chron._ 716, fig. 1. 1844. =15.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 437,
fig. 201. 1845. =16.= Hovey _Fr. Am._ =1=:5, Pl. 1851. =17.= Elliott
_Fr. Book_ 325. 1854. =18.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 68. 1862.
_Beurré d'Hardenpont._ =19.= _Pom. France_ =1=: No. 12, Pl. 12. 1863.
=20.= Mas _Le Verger_ =1=:5, fig. i. 1866-73. =21.= _Guide Prat._ 60,
246. 1876. =22.= _Soc. Nat. Hort. France Pom._ 370, fig. 1904.
_Beurré d'Arenberg._ =23.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =1=:301, fig. 1867.
This old winter pear is nearly lost to cultivation, but is worth
growing because of the high quality of the fruit and because the
pear comes in season in early winter when there are few others. The
pears are not attractively colored, although in this character the
illustration does not do the fruit justice. The fruits are rich and
sugary without the least trace of acid, but when poorly grown are
often astringent. All agree that the quality is better in fruit from
dwarf trees in which form the variety grows very well; and that it is
better, also, when grown on heavy soils than on light ones. The fruits
keep and ship remarkably well. The trees are neither very large nor
vigorous, but are usually productive. The variety is in disrepute in
many localities because the crop does not always ripen well.
The Abbé of Mons, M. Hardenpont, a pioneer in pear-raising and a worthy
forerunner of Van Mons, raised this pear from seed about 1750 in his
garden at Mons, Belgium. The variety was introduced into France in
1806 by Louis Noisette, who had found it in the gardens of the Duc
d'Arenberg. In France it was known, therefore, as _Beurré d'Arenberg_,
and consequently became much confused with the true _Beurré d'Arenberg_
raised by Monseigneur Deschamps. In order to overcome this confusion
the name of the variety raised by M. Hardenpont was changed by a number
of prominent Frenchmen to Beurré d'Hardenpont, but the variety has
always been grown under both names in France. In 1820, M. Parmentier
of Enghien, Belgium, sent this pear to England under the name _Glou
Morceau_. (Glou, in the Walloon language, meaning _delicious_ or
_dainty_; morceau, French, _morsel_ or _bit_; hence, the translation
may be Delicious Morsel or Dainty Bit.) _Glou Morceau_ has long been
the popular name of the variety in England and America although, as
Bunyard says, "It is regrettable that the memory of the pioneer of
Pear raising, l'Abbé Hardenpont, is not commemorated in this fruit."
Glou Morceau was brought to America within a few years after its
introduction in England and rapidly found favor here as attested by
leading American pomologists. In 1862 the American Pomological Society
added the variety to its catalog-list of fruits under the name _Glou
Morceau_ as it has since remained.
Tree medium in size and vigor, spreading, dense-topped, rapid-growing,
productive; trunk stocky; branches thick, reddish-brown, nearly
covered with gray scarf-skin, marked with numerous large lenticels;
branchlets slender, short, light greenish-brown, overspread with gray
scarf-skin, smooth, glabrous, with numerous, small, conspicuous,
raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, very short, pointed, plump, appressed. Leaves 2-3/4
in. long, 1-3/4 in. wide, thick, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin
occasionally with very few, small glands, coarsely or finely serrate;
petiole 2 in. long, thick, glabrous, greenish. Flower-buds small,
short, conical, plump, free, singly on very short spurs; flowers late,
showy, 1-1/4 in. across, in dense clusters, 8 to 11 buds in a cluster;
pedicels 7/8 in. long, pubescent.
Fruit matures November to December; large, 3-1/8 in. long, 2-3/4 in.
wide, obovate-obtuse-pyriform, irregular, sides unequal, somewhat
ribbed; stem 7/8 in. long, thick and woody, curved; cavity deep,
narrow, russeted, deeply furrowed, compressed, lipped; _calyx_ open;
lobes long, narrow, acute; basin deep, smooth, broadly furrowed;
skin tender, very gritty, dull, roughened by russet; color pale
greenish-yellow, covered with large and small patches and mottlings of
light russet; dots numerous, small, conspicuous, light russet; flesh
tinged with yellow, fine-grained except near the core and under the
skin, tender, buttery, sweet, with a rich, pleasant, aromatic flavor,
astringent near the skin; quality good to very good. Core closed,
axile, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, broad, conical;
seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.
[Illustration: GUYOT]
GUYOT
=1.= Ragan _Nom. Pear_, _B. P. I. Bul._ =126=:139. 1908.
_Dr. Jules Guyot._ =2.= Lauche _Deut. Pom._ =II=: No. 71, Pl. 71.
1883. =3.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 562. 1884. =4.= _Ga. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 54.
1892. =5.= _Garden_ 52:248. 1897. =6.= _Deut. Obstsorten_ =5=: Pt. 5,
Pl. 1906. =7.= _Garden_ =73=:564, fig. 1909.
_Docteur Jules Guyot._ =8.= Lucas _Tafelbirnen_ 73, fig. 1894. =9.=
_Cat. Cong. Pom. France_ 234. 1906.
The fruits of Guyot bear strong resemblance to those of Bartlett, but
differ in being larger and rather more handsomely colored, ripen a
little earlier, have coarser flesh, and are very differently flavored.
The product can seldom compete with that of Bartlett, or even with
that of Clapp Favorite with which it ripens, because its season is
exceedingly transitory. Unless picked quite green and ripened indoors,
the pears rot at the center, and even when ripened under the best
conditions quickly become mealy and insipid. Taken at the proper
moment, the pears are better flavored than those of Bartlett, as they
are richer and have a more delicate taste and perfume than the musky
fruits of Bartlett. The trees are quite as satisfactory as those of
Bartlett, unless, possibly, they fall short somewhat in productiveness.
The variety is well worth planting in collections for its early,
handsome, well-flavored fruits.
Guyot was raised in the nurseries of the Baltet Brothers, Troyes,
France, about 1870. Within the next decade it was quite widely
distributed in France and England where it has since been esteemed as a
pear of the Bartlett type. It was first brought to America about 1885.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, hardy, productive, a regular
bearer; branches brownish, overlaid with thick scarf-skin, marked by
small, round, indistinct lenticels; branchlets slender, very long,
curved, with long internodes, reddish-brown mingled with green,
smooth, glabrous, sprinkled with raised, conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, very short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 2-7/8 in.
long, 1-3/4 in. wide; apex taper-pointed; margin glandular, variable
in serration; petiole 2 in. long, thick, reddish-green. Flower-buds
small, short, conical, plump, free, singly on very short spurs;
flowers open late, showy, 1-1/4 in. across, in dense clusters, from 5
to 8 buds in a cluster; pedicels 7/8 in. long, pubescent.
Fruit ripens in early September; large, 3-1/4 in. long, 2-5/8 in.
wide, oblong-obtuse-pyriform, irregular, with unequal sides; stem
1-1/4 in. long, thick, curved; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow,
slightly russeted, drawn up on one side of the stem in a prominent
lip; calyx large, open; lobes separated at the base, short, broad,
acute; basin shallow, narrow, obtuse, furrowed; skin very thin,
tender, roughish; color yellow, more or less mottled and with traces
of russet, with a red blush on the exposed cheek; dots numerous,
small, russet, conspicuous; flesh yellowish-white, granular, tender,
moderately juicy, sweet mingled with sprightliness, aromatic; quality
good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide,
conical; seeds large, long, plump, acute.
[Illustration: HOWELL]
HOWELL
=1.= _Mag. Hort._ =15=:69, fig. 12. 1849. =2.= Hovey _Fr. Am._ =2=:75,
Pl. 1851. =3.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 210. 1856. =4.= Downing _Fr. Trees
Am._ 510, fig. 1857. =5.= Hoffy _N. Am. Pom._ =1=: Pl. 1860. =6.=
_Pom. France_ 3: No. 105, Pl. 105. 1865.
_Howell's Seedling._ =7.= _Mag. Hort._ =14=:519. 1848.
Howell is everywhere condemned by faint praise. The variety is a little
too good to be discarded and not quite good enough to be generally
recommended. Its characters in tree and fruit are faulty by reason
of their mediocrity. After having said that the trees are not above
the average in vigor, healthfulness, hardiness, and fruitfulness, it
remains only to be said that their spreading tops make them desirable
orchard inhabitants and handsome dooryard ornamentals. The fruits
cannot be praised for attractive appearance or good quality, but they
are preëminently meritorious in that they are probably more often
uniform in appearance, quality, and freedom from the ravages of the
scab fungus than those of almost any other pear. These qualities make
Howell a most estimable variety for the home orchard where intensive
care cannot be given. The variety further commends itself to amateur
growers, because the trees bear early, annually, and abundantly. Howell
seems to be better suited to the middle western states than to the
eastern states.
In 1829 or 1830, Thomas Howell, New Haven, Connecticut, planted in his
garden seeds from a variety of pear known locally as the Jonah, a hard
and tough winter sort which seldom matures sufficiently to be regarded
as a dessert fruit. One of the trees resulting from these seeds came
into bearing in 1842 or 1843. Specimens were exhibited in Faneuil Hall
by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1848 and were considered
to be "of the first class and worthy of cultivation in every place
where the soil and climate are congenial." In 1856, the Howell pear was
recommended for general cultivation by the American Pomological Society.
Tree large, vigorous, spreading, open-topped; trunk thick; branches
stocky, reddish-brown, overspread with gray scarf-skin, with few
small lenticels; branchlets thick, short, dull reddish-brown, smooth,
glabrous, with a few large, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds large, long, conical, free. Leaves 2 in. long, 1-1/8 in.
wide, oval, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely serrate,
hairy, tipped with very minute glands; petiole 1-1/2 in. long.
Flower-buds large, long, conical, rather plump, free; flowers open
early, 1-3/8 in. across, in dense clusters, from 7 to 15 buds in a
cluster; pedicels 1-1/16 in. long, pubescent, greenish.
Fruit ripe in late September and October; medium in size, 2-3/8 in.
long, 2-1/4 in. wide, uniform in size and shape, round-obovate,
symmetrical; stem 1 in. long, thick, straight; cavity obtuse, very
shallow and narrow, often with almost no cavity, smooth, symmetrical;
calyx open, small; lobes separated at the base, short, narrow, obtuse;
basin obtuse, slightly furrowed, nearly symmetrical; skin smooth,
dull; color pale lemon-yellow, marked on the side exposed to the sun
with a trace of blush and with patches and tracings of russet; dots
many, small, russet, very conspicuous; flesh yellowish-white, firm but
tender, granular, melting, very juicy, sweet, with a rich, somewhat
brisk, almost vinous flavor, aromatic; quality very good. Core rather
large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide,
conical; seeds long, plump, acute, frequently abortive.
[Illustration: IDAHO]
IDAHO
=1.= _U. S. D. A. Rpt._ 572, Pl. II. 1888. =2.= _Can. Hort._ =12=:2,
fig. 1, Pl. 1889. =3.= Wickson _Cal. Fruits_ 341. 1889. =4.= Thomas
_Am. Fruit Cult._ 477, fig. 691. 1897. =5.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 36.
1899. =6.= _Rev. Hort._ 60. 1901. =7.= Budd-Hansen _Am. Hort. Man._
=2=:249. 1903.
There is much difference of opinion as to the value of Idaho in
America. Without question, the variety is of considerable worth in
parts of the Pacific Northwest, and especially in regions where
hardihood is a prime requisite. There, presumably, the fruits are
larger and better flavored than in the East. As the accompanying
plate shows, the pears are only medium in size on the grounds of this
Station, but they are attractive in color and of excellent taste. The
core is small, and the seeds are often abortive and sometimes wanting.
The flesh is tender, buttery and almost free from granulation, with
a rich, sweet, vinous flavor which make the rating for this fruit
"good to very good." In many regions the pears are large, rough, and
gross--sometimes a facsimile of Duchesse d'Angoulême. The trees are
dwarf and fruitful to a fault so that the pears often run small; they
are hardier than those of almost any other pear and bear annually. To
offset these good characters, however, the trees have the fatal fault
of blighting, so that the variety is of value only in regions where
blight is not an annual scourge of this fruit.
Idaho was raised from seed of an unknown variety about the year 1867
by a Mrs. Mulkey, Lewiston, Idaho, and, having been propagated by the
Idaho Pear Company, was first brought to public notice in the autumn
of 1886 by John H. Evans of Lewiston. In 1888 it was introduced to
Europe and was shown at the congress of fruit growers held at Geneva,
Switzerland, in 1899. Idaho is included in the American Pomological
Society's list of fruits recommended for general cultivation, having
been added to this list in 1899.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright-spreading, hardy, very
productive; trunk smooth; branches slender, smooth, reddish-brown
overspread with much gray scarf-skin, sprinkled with many small
lenticels; branchlets dull brownish-red, overlaid with scarf-skin,
smooth, glabrous, with small lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, conical, pointed, free; leaf-scars prominent.
Leaves 2-3/4 in. long, 1-4/5 in. wide, leathery; apex abruptly
pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; petiole 2 in. long.
Flower-buds short, conical, very plump, free, singly on short spurs;
flowers showy, 1-1/8 in. across, in dense racemes, average 8 buds in a
cluster; pedicels 1-1/8 in. long, pubescent.
Fruit matures in late September and October; medium in size, 2 in.
long, 2-1/8 in. wide, roundish, slightly pyriform, symmetrical; stem
1 in. long, thick, slightly curved; cavity acute, narrow, furrowed,
slightly lipped; calyx closed; lobes broad, acute; basin shallow,
obtuse, somewhat furrowed; skin thick and granular, tough, roughish;
color dull lemon-yellow, tinged with green, dotted and streaked with
russet, splashed with russet patches; dots numerous, small, russet,
conspicuous; flesh dull white, tinged with yellow, firm, tender,
buttery, juicy, sweet, rich, almost vinous; quality good to very
good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide,
conical; seeds wide, acute.
JARGONELLE
=1.= Knoop _Pomologie_ 101, fig. 1771. =2.= Coxe _Cult. Fr. Trees_
183, fig. 13. 1817. =3.= _Pom. Mag._ =3=:108, Pl. 1830. =4.= Lindley
_Guide Orch. Gard._ 341. 1831. =5.= _Mag. Hort._ =9=:363, fig. 30.
1843. =6.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 758. 1869.
_Gergonell._ =7.= Parkinson _Par. Ter._ 593. 1629.
_Épargne._ =8.= Duhamel _Trait. Arb. Fr._ =2=:133. Pl. VII. 1768. =9.=
Coxe _Cult. Fr. Trees_ 181, fig. 10. 1817. =10.= Prince _Pom. Man._
=1=:152. 1831. =11.= _Pom. France_ =2=: No. 85, Pl. 85. 1864. =12.=
Mas _Le Verger_ =2=:19, fig. 8. 1866-73. =13.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._
=2=:135, fig. 1869. =14.= _Guide Prat._ 62, 269. 1876.
_Sparbirne._ =15.= Dochnahl _Führ. Obstkunde_ =2=:131. 1856. =16.=
Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 286. 1889.
_Wälsche Birne._ =17.= Dochnahl _Führ. Obstkunde_ =2=:144. 1856.
At one time the best second early pear, Jargonelle is now little grown
in America, native varieties having crowded it out. The crop ripens
two or three weeks before that of Bartlett, so that the pears come
on the market with those of Bloodgood and Dearborn, which, for most
situations, are better sorts. The fruits are as attractive as any of
their season and are unique in shape and in having a long, curved stem.
The quality leaves much to be desired. The flesh is coarse, rather
gritty, and the flavor lacks the rich sugary taste on the one hand, or
the refreshing piquancy on the other hand, of good pears. The fruits
rot at the core and the season is short. The crop should be picked
early and ripened in the house. The trees are large, vigorous and
sometimes very productive, but are coarse, untidy bearers, especially
when young, and are often uncertain in bearing. After setting the
faults against the merits of this variety, one must conclude that is it
too worthy to discard, but hardly good enough for a recommendation for
other than the home orchard or in the plantings of collectors.
Jargonelle is a patriarch among pears, being one of the oldest of
all varieties. Its name appears to be derived from Jargon, anciently
Gergon, a corruption of Groecum; whence Merlet, writing in 1675, infers
that the Jargonelle was the _Pyrum Tarentinum_ of Cato and Columella,
the _Numidianum Groecum_ of Pliny, and the _Groeculum_ of Macrobius.
So far as we know the earliest mention of the Jargonelle in England
is by John Parkinson, who, writing in 1629, mentions sixty-five
varieties of pears, among them being the _Peare Gergonell_. Stephen
Switser, who wrote in 1731, also names it. The vitality of the English
Jargonelle is remarkable; the trees, it is said, often live for 200
years. In Scotland the variety is cultivated as far north as pears will
grow. William Coxe, Burlington, New Jersey, writing in 1817 of the
Jargonelle, said, "This pear has not been much cultivated in America,
and almost always under false names."
Tree large, vigorous, spreading, open-topped, rapid-growing, hardy,
very productive, long-lived; trunk shaggy; branches reddish-brown
overlaid with heavy gray scarf-skin, with large lenticels; branchlets
slender, short, reddish-brown overlaid with gray, new growth brownish,
dull, smooth, with numerous small, raised, very conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, plump, appressed or free. Leaves
3-1/4 in. long, 2 in. wide, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin
tipped with few small, black glands, finely serrate; petiole 3 in.
long, slender, tinged with red, glabrous; flower-buds small, very
short, conical, plump, singly on short spurs; flowers late, showy,
1-1/2 in. across, in dense clusters, from 8 to 14 buds in a cluster;
pedicels 1-3/8 in, long, pubescent.
Fruit ripe in late August; large, 3-3/8 in. long, 2-3/16 in. wide,
oblong-obovate-pyriform, with an acute neck; stem characteristically
long and curved, 1-5/8 in. long; cavity lacking, the flesh folding
up around the base of the stem, russeted, lipped; calyx open; lobes
separated at the base, long, broad, acute; basin very shallow and
narrow, obtuse, gently furrowed, compressed; skin smooth; color
yellow, with a bright blush laid thinly over the exposed cheek in
streaks and splashes; dots numerous, greenish-russet, very small,
obscure; flesh yellowish-white, granular under the skin, gritty at the
center, melting, very juicy, subacid, aromatic, vinous; quality very
good. Core large, open, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube long,
narrow, conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.
[Illustration: JARGONELLE]
JARGONELLE (FRENCH)
=1.= Duhamel _Trait. Arb. Fr._ =2=:123. 1768. =2.= Prince _Pom. Man._
=1=:154. 1831. =3.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 339. 1845. =4.= _Ibid._
767. 1869. =5.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =2=:303, fig. 1869. =6.= Mathieu
_Nom. Pom._ 237. 1889.
_Bellissime d'Été._ =7.= Duhamel _Trait. Arb. Fr._ =2=:203, Pl. XLII.
1768. =8.= Mas _Le Verger_ =2=:193, fig. 95. 1866-73. =9.= Leroy
_Dict. Pom._ =1=:216, fig. 1867. =10.= _Guide Prat._ 70, 235. 1876.
_Cuisse Madame._ =11.= Coxe _Cult. Fr. Trees_ 181, fig. 11. 1817.
_Red Muscadel._ =12.= Lindley _Guide Orch. Gard._ 346. 1831.
_Bassin._ =13.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 491. 1884.
_Schönste Sommerbirne._ =14.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 280. 1889.
This old sort, very different from Jargonelle, is worthy of description
only to distinguish it from the much better and older pear of the
same name. A generation ago this French Jargonelle was much grown in
America, but has given way to better sorts. The pears are handsome, but
are poor in quality and are edible only a day or two after maturity
as they quickly rot at the center and become dry and mealy toward the
periphery.
The name Jargonelle is used in France to denote a group of pears.
This fact accounts for the confusion which exists among the names and
synonyms of several varieties of this class. The French Jargonelle is
said to have originated in Anjou, a former province in France, where it
was much cultivated and highly esteemed toward the end of the fifteenth
century.
Tree large, vigorous, upright, the younger branches inclined to droop,
very productive; branches stocky, dark reddish-brown; branchlets often
curved and drooping, short, sprinkled with elongated, inconspicuous
lenticels. Leaf-buds large, conical, appressed. Leaves oval, enlarged
at the base; apex abruptly pointed; margin coarsely serrate; petiole
long, thick. Flower-buds large, long-conic; flowers medium in size.
Fruit ripens in August and September; medium to sometimes large, 3-1/2
in. long, 2-1/2 in. wide, obtuse-pyriform to oblong-pyriform; stem 1
in. long, slender, obliquely inserted; cavity obtuse, very shallow;
calyx small, open; lobes long, projecting; basin variable in depth,
small, irregular, furrowed; skin smooth, glossy; color lemon-yellow,
blushed with red on the sunny side, occasionally marbled with thin
orange-russet about the neck; dots light greenish or russet; flesh
white, coarse, juicy, sweet, aromatic; quality good. Core large; seeds
dark brown, small, narrow, long, often abortive.
[Illustration: JOSÉPHINE DE MALINES]
JOSÉPHINE DE MALINES
=1.= McIntosh _Bk. Gard._ =2=:461. 1855. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 68.
1862. =3.= _Pom. France_ =2=: No. 50, Pl. 50. 1864. =4.= _Jour. Hort._
N. S. =14=:67. 1868. =5.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 793, fig. 1869. =6.=
Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =2=:310, fig. 1869. =7.= _Guide Prat._ 61, 282.
1876. =8.= _Jour. Hort._ 3rd Ser. =5=:565, fig. 96. 1882. =9.= Hogg
_Fruit Man._ 599. 1884. =10.= Bunyard _Handb. Hardy Fr._ 182. 1920.
_Joséphine von Mecheln._ =11.= Dochnahl _Führ. Obstkunde_ =2=:93.
1856. =12.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 239. 1889. =13.= Gaucher _Pom. Prak.
Obst._ No. 50, Pl. 31. 1894.
_Malines._ =14.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 24. 1897.
This is another of the few good winter pears. The fruit-characters
are so distinctive and meritorious that the variety should be grown
in every home orchard, and it possesses much merit for commercial
plantations. The fruits have a marked peculiarity. Cut through the
shaded yellow-russet skin, flesh with a faint, rosy tint is displayed.
Several red or rosy-fleshed pears are grown in Europe, but this is
the only one described by American pomologists. The tree also, has a
marked peculiarity; it thrives amazingly well on the white-thorn as
well as on pear and quince stocks. But it is the quality of the fruits
that commends the variety most highly. The flesh is buttery, juicy,
sweet, and perfumed--pleasing in every character that gratifies the
palate. The season is exceedingly variable, and is given by different
pomologists from December to March and January to May. The fruits are
not very pleasing in appearance, but the accompanying illustration
scarcely does them justice in either size or color. In the orchard, the
trees are satisfactory, but the nurserymen find them rather difficult
to grow, this, no doubt, being the chief reason for the apparent
neglect of this splendid pear. The trees thrive in almost any soil or
situation suitable to pears, and are everywhere prodigiously fruitful,
hardy, and resistant to blight. The variety deserves wider recognition
than it now receives.
This pear originated about 1830 in the seed beds of Major Espéren,
the well-known pomologist of Mechlin (Malines), Belgium, who named it
Joséphine de Malines in honor of his wife. It was introduced in America
prior to 1850, and in 1862 was added to the fruit-list of the American
Pomological Society, a place it has since retained.
Tree large, vigorous, spreading, tall, dense-topped, rapid-growing,
hardy, very productive; trunk stocky; branches thick, shaggy,
reddish-brown overlaid with gray scarf-skin, marked with few
lenticels; branchlets thick, dull reddish-brown, smooth, glabrous,
with small, raised, inconspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds short, obtuse, plump, appressed. Leaves 2-1/4 in. long,
1-1/4 in. wide, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely serrate;
petiole 1-3/4 in. long. Flower-buds short, plump, free; flowers
early, 1-3/8 in. across, white, occasionally tinged with pink, well
distributed, average 7 buds in a cluster; pedicels 3/4 in. long,
slender, thinly pubescent.
Fruit ripe December to February; medium in size, 2-1/2 in. long, 2-3/8
in. wide, turbinate, inclined to truncate; stem long, very thick;
cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, slightly furrowed; calyx large, open;
lobes short, broad, obtuse; basin narrow, obtuse, smooth; skin thick,
tough, dull; color pale greenish-yellow, netted and patched more or
less with russet; dots numerous, small, brown or russet, conspicuous;
flesh light salmon, granular, melting, buttery, very juicy, sweet,
slightly aromatic; quality good. Core large, closed, axile, with
clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide; carpels pyriform; seeds
large, wide, long, plump, acuminate.
[Illustration: KIEFFER]
KIEFFER
=1.= _Gard. Mon._ =22=:49, fig. 1880. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 38.
1883. =3.= _Jour. Hort._ 3rd Ser. =12=:131. 1886. =4.= _Garden_
=68=:398. 1905. =5.= _Ibid._ =69=:68. 1906. =6.= _Cornell Sta. Bul._
=332=:483. 1913. =7.= _Country Gent._ =84=:26, fig. 1919.
_Kieffer's Hybrid._ =8.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 53. 1879.
_Keiffer._ =9.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 3rd App. 179. 1881. =10.=
Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 240. 1889. =11.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 178. 1909.
Although the most pretentious cheat in the orchard, Kieffer is grown
more commonly than any other pear in North America. Its popularity can
be accounted for only by accepting Barnum's dictum that "Americans
love to be fooled." Pears are grown to eat, but those of Kieffer
are fit to eat only in culinary preparations, dire necessity alone
compelling their consumption uncooked. Yet, pleased by a bright cheek
and a fair form, regardless of the potato-like flavor, people buy and
eat Kieffer pears and persist in doing so. There are several reasons
why Kieffer is popular. No pear has been advertised so widely and so
unqualifiedly, growers of trees often supplying virtues to the variety
which Nature denies it, because of all pears the trees of Kieffer are
most easily grown. Besides this virtue in the trees there are several
others that commend the variety more highly. Thus, of all pears grown
in America, the trees are uniformly the most vigorous, fruitful,
endure heat best, are least susceptible to blight, and withstand best
the ravages of San José scale. There are several faults, however; the
trees are tender to cold, in some soils refuse to set fruit, are often
self-sterile, and sometimes with the best of care bear only pears of
small size. Worthless for dessert, much can be said for the fruits of
Kieffer for culinary preparation. Cooking removes the disagreeable
natural taste of the raw pear, and leaves a good product. Canned,
the pears retain their shape, color, and flavor well; therefore, and
because white and inviting, canned Kieffers are preferred by commercial
canners. Use in the cannery is the true place for Kieffer pears in
regions where better sorts can be grown for dessert. Now that the
first flush of popularity is past, it would seem a wise precaution on
the part of pear-growers to grow this fruit chiefly for the cannery,
supplying the demands for dessert pears with worthier varieties,
although as long as consumers buy it to eat out of hand, growers cannot
be blamed for growing it in commercial orchards.
The seed parent of Kieffer was the Sand pear of China. Peter
Kieffer,[30] who lived at Roxborough, near Philadelphia, for many
years grew the Chinese Sand pear and sold the trees for ornamental
purposes. In his garden there were also trees of Bartlett. Among chance
seedlings, Mr. Kieffer observed one of peculiar growth which he saved.
This tree bore fruit first in 1863. Later, it was exhibited at the
Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and finally at the Centennial
Exposition where in 1876 it was named Kieffer. The variety was added to
the fruit-list of the American Pomological Society in 1883.
Tree of medium size, vigorous, upright, dense-topped, hardy, very
productive; branches slender, nearly smooth, reddish-brown, covered
with dull ash-gray scarf-skin, marked with few small lenticels;
branchlets medium to long, reddish-brown mingled with green, smooth,
slightly pubescent, with numerous, large, raised, very conspicuous
lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, obtuse, slightly pointed, appressed.
Leaves 3-1/4 in. long, 1-3/4 in. wide, oval, thick, leathery; apex
taper-pointed; margin often finely serrate; petiole 1-7/8 in. long.
Flower-buds conical to pointed, free; flowers open early, 1-5/8 in.
across, fairly well distributed, varying from 3 to 11 buds in a
cluster; pedicels 1-1/8 in. long, thick, very slightly pubescent,
green, rarely tinged red.
Fruit matures in late October and November; above medium to large,
2-3/4 in. long, 2-1/4 in. wide, oval, narrowing at both ends,
symmetrical, uniform; stem 1 in. long, thick; cavity very small,
smooth; calyx open; lobes separated at the base, short, narrow, acute;
basin shallow, narrow, obtuse, nearly smooth; skin thick, tough,
smooth; color yellow, blushed with dull red on the exposed cheek;
dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous; flesh yellowish-white,
very granular and coarse, crisp, juicy, not sweet, often astringent;
quality poor. Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube
short, wide, conical; seeds wide, plump, acute.
KINGSESSING
=1.= _Mag. Hort._ =13=:450. 1847. =2.= _Ibid._ =19=:453, 516, fig. 32.
1853. =3.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 231. 1858. =4.= Downing _Fr. Trees
Am._ 795. 1869.
A summing up of the characters of Kingsessing, as is so often the
case with varieties of fruits, makes it appear a most desirable sort.
Nevertheless, its culture does not make headway. Growers rate it as a
"good pear," but will not grow it, for the reason, no doubt, that it
has no outstanding characters for any region, season, or purpose. As
the pears grow on the grounds of the New York Agricultural Experiment
Station they are a little under size for a good commercial fruit, and
while the sweet, perfumed flavor is pleasant, it lacks individuality.
The variety is grown chiefly along the Atlantic Coast from Long Island
to Maryland.
This is a natural seedling which sprang up in the family burial ground
of Isaac Leech, Kingsessing, a suburb of Philadelphia, about 1833.
The tree first fruited about 1843. Dr. Brincklé, who introduced the
variety, thought from its close resemblance to Chapman that it was
probably a seedling from it, or of its parent, the Petre, as trees of
both these varieties stood in the vicinity of the Kingsessing. The
American Pomological Society placed Kingsessing on its fruit-list in
1858 but dropped it in 1899.
Tree very large and vigorous, upright-spreading, dense-topped,
rapid-growing, hardy, medium in yield; trunk very thick; branches
very stocky, grayish-brown, sprinkled with numerous large lenticels;
branchlets thick, long, glossy, smooth, glabrous, with numerous rather
small, raised, conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds large, long, conical, free. Leaves 2-1/4 in. long, 1-3/8 in.
wide; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; petiole
1-3/4 in. long. Flower-buds large, conical, free.
Fruit ripens in September and October; medium in size, 2-3/8 in.
long, 2-1/8 in. wide, obovate-obtuse-pyriform; stem 1/2 in. long,
thick, usually curved, fleshy at the point of insertion in the fruit;
cavity obtuse, shallow, slightly furrowed, occasionally lipped; calyx
partly open; lobes separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin
shallow, gently furrowed, usually symmetrical; skin granular, tender,
roughish; color yellow, sprinkled and netted with russet, with a thin
brownish-red blush on the exposed cheek; dots numerous, grayish or
russet, small, conspicuous; flesh white, granular, tender and melting,
sweet, aromatic; quality good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines;
calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds wide, long, plump, acute.
[Illustration: KOONCE]
KOONCE
=1.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 159. 1889. =2.= _Ibid._ 55. 1895. =3.=
_Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 44. 1897. =4.= Budd-Hansen _Am. Hort. Man._
=2=:251. 1903. =5.= _Chico Nur. Cat._ 12. 1904. =6.= _Am. Pom. Soc.
Cat._ 41. 1909. =7.= Ont. Dept. _Agr. Fr. Ont._ 168. 1914.
Koonce is a popular early variety grown rather commonly in nearly
every pear region in the United States. It is listed by nearly all
nurserymen. Its tree-characters are more notable than those of its
fruits. The trees make a splendid showing in the nursery and are hardy
and productive in the orchard, although of but medium size and rather
straggling at maturity. The pears are better in quality than those of
Early Harvest or Lawson, with which it often competes, but are hardly
as attractive in appearance, being rather small and often irregular in
shape. The color is unusually bright, especially on the red cheek. The
pears decay quickly after maturity and are suitable only for home and
local markets.
This pear originated in southern Illinois but no one seems to know by
whom, or at what time, or in what locality in the State. The variety
has been grown for more than thirty years. The American Pomological
Society added Koonce to its list of fruits in 1909.
Tree medium in size and vigor, upright-spreading, scraggly,
open-topped, hardy, productive; trunk shaggy; branches zigzag,
dark brownish-red, covered with thick grayish scarf-skin, with few
lenticels; branchlets thick, long, with long internodes, dull light
brown, smooth, glabrous, sprinkled with small, raised, elongated
lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, conical, pointed, plump, appressed; leaf-scars
prominent. Leaves 2-1/2 in. long, 1-1/2 in. wide, stiff; apex
taper-pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; petiole 1-1/2 in.
long. Flower-buds short, obtuse or conical, plump, free; flowers
showy, 1-1/4 in. across, in dense clusters, average 5 buds in a
cluster; pedicels 7/8 in. long, slender, pubescent.
Fruit ripens in August; medium in size, 2-3/8 in. long, 2-1/4 in.
wide, obovate-obtuse-pyriform, with unequal sides; stem 1-1/4 in.
long, thick; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, compressed, lipped
or often drawn up in a wrinkled fold about the base of the stem;
calyx open; lobes separated at the base, narrow, acuminate; basin
obtuse, gently furrowed; skin thick, tough, roughish; color pale
greenish-yellow, with a dull reddish-brown blush spreading over
the exposed cheek; dots numerous, very small, greenish-russet,
conspicuous; flesh whitish, granular especially at the center, medium
tender, juicy, aromatic, sweet but vinous; quality good. Core small,
closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical;
seeds small, narrow, short, plump, acute.
[Illustration: LAMY]
LAMY
=1.= Ragan _Nom. Pear_, _B. P. I. Bul._ =126=:161. 1908.
_Comte de Lamy._ =2.= Kenrick _Am. Orch._ 141. 1841. =3.= Downing
_Fr. Trees Am._ 371, fig. 158. 1845. =4.= _Gard. Chron._ 20, fig.
1846. =5.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 727. 1869. =6.= _Jour. Hort._ N. S.
=38=:359, fig. 52. 1880. =7.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 553. 1884.
_Poire Dingler._ =8.= _Ann. Pom. Belge_ =2=:69, Pl. 1854.
_Beurré Curtet._ =9.= _Pom. France_ =2=: No. 77, Pl. 77. 1864. =10.=
Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =1=:341, figs. 1867. =11.= _Guide Prat._ 65, 243.
1876.
_Curtet's Butterbirne._ =12.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 200. 1889.
As the history shows, this is an old European pear which had its
probationary period in America many years ago, and which never got out
of the limbo of nurserymen's catalogs and collections. On the grounds
of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station, however, the pears are
so handsome and so delectable in quality that the variety seems quite
worth while describing and illustrating among the major sorts. It is
a splendid pear for the home orchard, but the tree is not large nor
robust enough for a commercial plantation. A few nurserymen still list
it.
This variety was raised from seed about 1828 by M. Bouvier, Jodoigne,
Belgium. It was first named _Beurré Curtet_ in honor of M. Curtet, a
physician and professor at Brussels. The London Horticultural Society
first obtained the variety under the name _Comte de Lamy_, by which
name it has best been known in England. Lamy was early introduced to
America where trees have long been found in collections.
Tree small, spreading, open-topped, hardy, productive; trunk slender,
shaggy; branches slender, shaggy, dull brown, overspread with thick
scarf-skin, sprinkled with numerous lenticels; branchlets slender,
curved, short, with short internodes, brown changing to reddish-brown
on the newer growth, glossy, smooth, glabrous, with small, raised,
conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, conical, pointed, plump, free. Leaves 2-3/4
in. long, 1-3/4 in. wide, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely
serrate to nearly entire, tipped with few minute glands; petiole 1-7/8
in. long, pinkish. Flower-buds large, thick, long, conical, very
plump, free, singly as lateral buds or on very short spurs; flowers
late, very showy, 1-3/4 in. across, in dense clusters, average 9 buds
in a cluster; pedicels 5/8 in. long, thick, lightly pubescent.
Fruit matures in late October and early November; medium in size,
2-1/8 in. long, 2 in. wide, obovate-obtuse-pyriform, often irregular
and with unequal sides; stem 1-1/8 in. long, thick; cavity almost
lacking, very obtuse and shallow, narrow, russeted, often lipped;
calyx open; lobes broad, acute; basin rather deep, obtuse or abrupt,
gently furrowed, compressed; skin thin, smooth except for the russet
dots, dull; color yellow, with a solid, dark red blush on the exposed
cheek; dots numerous, large, brownish-russet, very conspicuous; flesh
tinged with yellow, granular at the center, tender and melting,
buttery, juicy, sweet, with a faint, vinous flavor, pleasantly
aromatic; quality good to very good. Core large, closed, with clasping
core-lines; calyx-tube short, very wide, conical; seeds large, wide,
plump, acute.
[Illustration: LAWRENCE]
LAWRENCE
=1.= Kenrick _Am. Orch._ 169. 1841. =2.= _Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 4.
1843. =3.= _Mag. Hort._ =10=:212. 1844. =4.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._
442. 1845. =5.= _Mag. Hort._ =12=:432, fig. 29. 1846. =6.= Hovey _Fr.
Am._ =2=:13, Pl. 1851. =7.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 230. 1854. =8.=
Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 440, fig. 1857. =9.= Thomas _Am. Fruit Cult._
480. 1897.
There is great diversity of opinion as to the value of Lawrence for a
market pear, but no one denies it a place as one of the very best early
winter pears for the home orchard. A generation ago it was held in
high esteem as a market pear, but the more showy Kieffer, kept in cold
storage, has elbowed the less conspicuous Lawrence off the fruit-stands
and almost out of the markets. The tree is hardy, moderately vigorous
and fruitful, an early, annual, and uniform bearer, and has the
reputation of being one of the longest lived of all pear trees. The
fruits are of but medium size, but are shapely in form, trim in
contour, and are distinctive in shape because of the rounded, truncate
stem end. In color, the pear is a bright, clean lemon-yellow marked
with patches of russet and faintly blushed on the side to the sun. No
yellow pear is more attractive. The fruits come in season in early
winter and have the excellent character of keeping well under ordinary
care for a full month or longer. The melting flesh abounds with a rich,
sugary, perfumed juice, by virtue of which it is justly esteemed as the
best-flavored pear of its season. Lawrence finds congenial soils and
climates in nearly every part of New York, and should have a place in
every home orchard in the State.
Lawrence is a native of Flushing, Long Island, and was first introduced
to growers by Wilcomb and King of Flushing, who sent specimens of it
in 1843 to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, saying that it
appeared to be a cross between the old Saint Germain and White Doyenné,
"as it resembles both of them in wood, foliage, and fruit, and there
is no other variety in the neighborhood." The variety rapidly found
favor among pear growers and was soon widely disseminated. The American
Pomological Society added Lawrence to its fruit-catalog in 1854.
Tree of medium size, vigorous, spreading, with drooping branches,
very hardy, productive; trunk shaggy; branches smooth, zigzag,
reddish-brown mingled with ash-gray scarf-skin, with numerous large
lenticels; branchlets reddish-brown, glossy, smooth, glabrous, with
slightly raised, conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds short, obtuse, plump, nearly free. Leaves 2-1/2 in. long,
1-1/4 in. wide, oval, leathery; margin finely serrate; petiole 1-3/4
in. long, slender; stipules rudimentary. Flower-buds hardy, conical
or pointed, free; flowers open early, 1-3/8 in. across, in rather
dense clusters, from 8 to 12 buds in a cluster; pedicels 7/8 in. long,
lightly pubescent, greenish.
Fruit ripe November to December; medium in size, 2-5/8 in. long,
2-1/8 in. wide, uniform in size and shape, obovate-obtuse-pyriform,
generally symmetrical; stem 1 in. long, thick, slightly curved;
cavity small, obtuse, shallow, narrow, russeted, furrowed and
irregular, often lipped; calyx large, partly open; lobes separated
at the base, long, broad, acute; basin wide, obtuse, furrowed and
sometimes corrugated; skin thick and granular, tough, roughish; color
lemon-yellow, marked with occasional patches of russet and with a
faint russet-red blush on the exposed cheek; dots numerous, small,
russet, inconspicuous; flesh yellowish-white, firm, granular, tender
and melting when fully mature, juicy, rich, sweet; quality very good.
Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide,
conical; seeds large, long, plump, acute.
LAWSON
=1.= _Rural N. Y._ =43=:651, fig. 385. 1884. =2.= _Gard. Mon._
=27=:282. 1885. =3.= _Rural N. Y._ =44=:693. 1885. =4.= _Gard. & For._
=5=:414. 1892. =5.= Van Lindley _Cat._ 22. 1892. =6.= _Am. Pom. Soc.
Cat._ 36. 1899. =7.= Ont. Dept. Agr. _Fr. Ont._ 168. 1914. =8.= Cal.
Com. Hort. _Pear Grow. Cal._ =7=:266, fig. 67. 1918.
_Comet._ =9.= _Gard. Mon._ =27=:144. 1885.
_Cometbirne._ =10.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 198. 1889.
Of all early pears, the fruit of Lawson best satisfies the eye for
bright colors. It is as brightly colored as the brilliant Vermont
Beauty or as Mount Vernon. Another outstanding character is the
small core, which, though the pears ripen early and quickly, seldom
softens unduly. The pears are sometimes nearly or quite seedless.
Unfortunately, the fruits are often irregular in shape, and in quality
are never more than mediocre. The tree is fairly healthy, vigorous,
hardy, and free from blight, and is characterized by its tall, upright
growth. Although grown for more than a hundred years in New York,
the variety has never made headway in this State, but seems to be
attracting much attention on the Pacific slope.
This pear originated on the farm of a Mr. Lawson in Ulster County, New
York, about 1800, judging from the appearance of the original tree
which was standing in 1900. The variety was introduced toward the end
of the nineteenth century under the name _Comet_ by reason of its
color, so that it is sometimes known as _Lawson Comet_. The American
Pomological Society added Lawson to its fruit-catalog in 1899.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, dense-topped, very productive;
branches slender, zigzag, reddish-brown overlaid with grayish
scarf-skin, marked with numerous raised, large lenticels; branchlets
slender, very long, with characteristically long internodes, rough,
zigzag, marked with numerous large, raised, conspicuous lenticels.
Leaves 3-1/4 in. long, 1-3/4 in. wide; apex abruptly pointed; margin
glandless, serrate; petiole 2 in. long. Flowers early, showy, 1-1/2
in. across, in dense clusters, 6 or 8 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1
in. long, thick.
Fruit ripens in August; large, 2-3/4 in. long, 3-1/4 in. wide,
varies from obovate-obtuse-pyriform to globular-obtuse-pyriform,
with unequal sides; stem 7/8 in. long, thick, curved, woody; cavity
very small and narrow, often with a lip drawn up around one side of
the stem; calyx partly open; lobes narrow, often reflexed; basin
narrow, obtuse, gently furrowed; skin thin, tender, smooth; color
pale yellow, overspread on the exposed cheek with a bright red blush;
dots numerous, small, greenish or russet, obscure; flesh whitish or
often salmon-color, firm, tough, medium juicy, lacking sweetness;
quality poor. Core unusually small, closed, with clasping core-lines;
calyx-tube short, wide; seeds short, wide, plump, obtuse, few in
number.
[Illustration: LE CONTE]
LE CONTE
=1.= _Ga. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 8, 29. 1878. =2.= _Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt._
303. 1879. =3.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 38. 1883. =4.= _Gard. Mon._
=27=:282. 1885. =5.= _Ga. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 55. 1885. =6.= Black _Cult.
Peach & Pear_ 234. 1886. =7.= _Cornell Sta. Bul._ =332=:484. 1913.
=8.= Ont. Dept. Agr. _Fr. Ont._ 169. 1914.
Le Conte is a hybrid between the Chinese Sand pear and a European sort,
therefore similar in parentage to Kieffer which it greatly resembles
in both tree and fruit. The fruits are rather poorer in quality than
those of Kieffer, if that be possible for an edible fruit, and the tree
is in no way superior to that of its better-known rival, but seems to
succeed better in warm climates and light soils. There is, therefore, a
place for Le Conte in the South, and possibly on parts of Long Island,
if a pear is wanted for culinary purposes only. The fruits sometimes
rot badly at the core, and should usually be harvested as soon as
they attain full size. The trees are more susceptible to blight than
those of Kieffer. In the South, the trees are often, if not usually,
propagated from cuttings.
Le Conte originated in America, and is probably a hybrid between the
Chinese Sand pear and some native. It is supposed to have been carried
from Philadelphia to Georgia about 1850 by Major Le Conte, and has
since been extensively cultivated in the southern States for northern
markets. In 1885 it was recommended by the Georgia Horticultural
Society for cultivation in the middle region of that State. The
American Pomological Society added Le Conte to its fruit-catalog in
1883.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, very productive, a regular
bearer; branches strongly zigzag, brownish-red mingled with green
and covered with scarf-skin; branchlets thick, reddish-brown mingled
with green, smooth, pubescent on the new growth which later becomes
glabrous, with numerous very small, conspicuous, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 3-1/4 in. long,
1-1/2 in. wide, long-ovate or long-oval, leathery; apex taper-pointed;
margin finely serrate; petiole pale green, glabrous. Flower-buds
small, short, conical, plump, free, arranged singly on very short
spurs; flowers open very early, 1-1/4 in. across, in dense clusters,
7 to 10 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1 in. long, slender, lightly
pubescent, pale green.
Fruit ripe late October to November; large, 3-1/16 in. long, 2-5/8 in.
wide, uniform in size and shape, roundish-oval, tapering at both ends,
ribbed, symmetrical; stem 1-1/8 in. long, very thick, often curved;
cavity obtuse, very shallow and narrow, smooth, slightly furrowed
and wrinkled, often compressed; calyx partly open; lobes usually
dehiscent, separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin usually
very deep, abrupt, gently furrowed; skin thick, tough, smooth; color
pale yellow, occasionally marked with russet; dots numerous, small,
russet, conspicuous; flesh white, firm, granular, stringy, tender,
juicy, sweet, with a strong and disagreeable flavor; quality poor.
Core very large, closed, axile, with meeting core-lines; calyx-tube
short, wide, broadly conical; seeds large, 2 in each carpel, wide,
long, very plump, acute.
LE LECTIER
=1.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 246. 1889. =2.= _Guide Prat._ 95. 1895. =3.=
_Rev. Hort._ 466. 1899. =4.= _Garden_ =59=:14, 93, 124. 1901. =5.=
_Soc. Nat. Hort. France Pom._ 420, fig. 1904. =6.= _Cat. Cong. Pom.
France_ 287, fig. 1906.
In size and beauty of fruit, Le Lectier surpasses most of its
associates, and the quality is first rate in soils and climates to
which the variety is suited. Unfortunately the tree, while very
satisfactory in some situations, is capricious to both soils and
climates, and is seldom at home on this side of the Atlantic. The
season is December and January, when good pears are scarce, and it
would seem that the fine, large fruits of this pear would be most
acceptable for either home or market if it could be made to thrive. In
Europe, it grows best on warm, rich soils.
Auguste Lesueur, a horticulturist at Orléans, France, obtained this
late winter pear about 1882 as a cross between Bartlett and Fortunée.
It was named after Le Lectier, the great pomologist of Orléans,
who was growing in the year 1628 about 260 varieties of pears. The
variety was introduced about 1889. In France, Le Lectier has been
described as greatly superior in flavor, aroma, and sweetness to
varieties of the same class having established reputations. In 1894,
the Royal Horticultural Society of London recommended this variety for
cultivation in England.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, dense-topped, very productive;
trunk and branches medium in thickness and smoothness; branchlets
thick, curved, light brownish-red, tinged with green and overspread
with grayish scarf-skin, glabrous, sprinkled with numerous raised,
conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds very small, short, pointed, plump, free. Leaves 2-7/8 in.
long, 1-1/2 in. wide, thick; apex taper-pointed; margin glandular,
finely serrate; petiole 2-1/4 in. long, slender. Flower-buds short,
conical, plump, free, singly on very short spurs; flowers showy, 1-1/2
in. across, 8 or 10 buds in a cluster; pedicels 7/8 in. long.
Fruit ripens December to January; large, elongated-obovate-pyriform,
often with a narrow neck; stem slender, rather short, enlarged at
both ends, inserted obliquely; cavity irregular, often lipped;
calyx variable in size, partly open; basin variable in size,
abrupt, irregular; skin glossy, thin, with uneven surface;
color yellow, mottled and faintly blushed on the exposed cheek
with yellowish-bronze; dots inconspicuous, small; flesh white,
fine-grained, melting, juicy, sweet, pleasantly aromatic; quality very
good.
[Illustration: LÉON LECLERC (VAN MONS)]
LÉON LECLERC (VAN MONS)
=1.= _Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 3. 1843. =2.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._
419, fig. 192. 1845. =3.= Hovey _Fr. Am._ =1=:9, Pl. 1851. =4.= _Ann.
Pom. Belge_ =5=:51, Pl. 1857. =5.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 70. 1862.
=6.= _Pom. France_ =1=: No. 29, Pl. 29. 1863. =7.= _Jour. Hort._ N.
S. =10=:366. 1866. =8.= Mas _Le Verger_ =3=: Pt. 1, 127, fig. 62.
1866-73. =9.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =2=:722, fig. 1869. =10.= _Jour.
Hort._ 3rd Ser. =1=:573, fig. 103. 1880. =11.= _Cat. Cong. Pom.
France_ 361, fig. 1906.
_Van Mons Butterbirne._ =12.= Lauche _Deut. Pom._ =II=: No. 65, Pl.
65. 1883. =13.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 292. 1889.
A century ago this pear was being heralded in Europe as the best of
all pears, and shortly afterward was introduced into the United States
with highest praise. The variety is still popular in Europe, but its
reputation there is not sustained here. The pear deserves a place among
major varieties only because it fills a particular niche in the pear
season, the crop coming in season between late fall and early winter
at a time when there are few other good varieties. Were it not for one
serious fault, however, the variety might take high rank in America.
The fault is great susceptibility to the scab fungus. After Flemish
Beauty, no other variety suffers as much both in fruit and foliage.
Well grown in a congenial environment, on standard or quince stock,
the pears are often as large as those of Duchesse d'Angoulême, with
which they compare rather closely in shape. On well-grown specimens,
also, the color is rich and beautiful. The flavor is sprightly and
refreshing, which, with good flesh-characters, give the variety high
rank for quality. There are no remarkable characters in the trees
to recommend them, although they are quite up to the average in all
characters either on pear or quince stocks. They are said to prefer a
rich, deep soil. The variety is suitable only for collections.
This pear was obtained by M. Léon Leclerc, a distinguished pomologist
living at Laval, France, who dedicated it to his friend Van Mons.
Desiring to couple his own name with that of his friend, he gave it the
name of _Van Mons Léon Leclerc_, by which appellation it has been known
by most authors. The variety first fruited in 1828. There has been a
good deal of confusion as to the identity of this pear, owing to the
fact that Van Mons raised a pear in 1816 which he dedicated to Léon
Leclerc. The proper name of the latter pear is _Léon Leclerc de Laval_.
There is also a _Léon Leclerc de Louvain_. The variety under discussion
was fruited in this country previous to 1843 by Marshall P. Wilder. The
American Pomological Society added the variety to its fruit-catalog in
1862 but dropped it in 1869.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, spreading, open-topped, productive;
trunk shaggy; branches roughish, reddish-brown, overspread with
heavy, dull scarf-skin, with conspicuous, numerous, large lenticels;
branchlets very slender and curved, short, with short internodes,
light brown streaked with gray and tinged with green, dull, smooth,
glabrous, with numerous small, conspicuous, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds very small, short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 1-1/2 in.
long, 3-1/4 in. wide, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin glandless,
entire; petiole 1-1/2 in. long, glabrous, reddish-green. Flower-buds
small, short, conical, plump, free, singly on short spurs; flowers
showy, 1-1/4 in. across, in dense racemes, 7 or 8 buds in a cluster;
pedicels 5/8 in. long, pubescent.
Fruit ripe in late September and October; large, 3-3/8 in. long,
2-1/4 in. wide, oblong-pyriform, tapering to a very long, narrow
neck; stem 1 in. long, thick, curved; cavity very small, compressed,
usually lipped; calyx large, open; lobes separated at the base, broad,
acute; basin shallow, narrow, obtuse, symmetrical; skin thick, tough,
roughened by russet specks; color dull yellow, covered with dots and
tracings of russet and occasionally with a faint russet-red blush;
dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous; flesh granular under the
skin, nearly melting, juicy, subacid or with a peculiar sprightliness;
quality good. Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube
short, narrow, conical; seeds large, wide, long, acute.
[Illustration: LINCOLN]
LINCOLN
=1.= _Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 88. 1845. =2.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._
196, Pls. 1894. =3.= _Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 141. 1894. =4.= _Ill.
Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 42. 1889. =5.= _Rural N. Y._ =48=:754, figs. 275 and
276. 1889. =6.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 36. 1899. =7.= Budd-Hansen _Am.
Hort. Man._ =2=:253. 1903.
Nearly a hundred years old without having received favorable mention
from pear growers, Lincoln has been brought from the limbo of lost
fruits in recent years to take high rank in the list of pears for the
Mississippi Valley. The variety is spoken of in such superlative terms
for that region that judging from its behavior in New York, it would
seem that western pear-growers give it attributes which Nature denies
it. At best, in the East, the fruits are but mediocre in appearance
and quality, falling below those of a dozen other varieties of the
same season whether judged by the eye or the palate. In Illinois and
Missouri, however, the fruits are spoken of as the handsomest and best.
These are not regions in which many good pears grow, since the cold of
winter, heat of summer, and pear-blight take toll from all but pears
of the strongest constitution. Lincoln seems to possess a constitution
to withstand these ills. At its best, the fruits of Lincoln seem
comparable to those of Bartlett, which the western admirers of the
variety say it resembles. In New York, comparisons of the fruits are
all in favor of Bartlett, as are the trees in all characters excepting
hardiness to heat and cold, and resistance to blight. The variety is
valuable only in the Middle West.
This pear had its origin in a seedling grown in the spring of 1835
by Mrs. Maria Fleming, Corwin, Illinois, The original tree proved to
be a vigorous grower as well as a heavy cropper, and was ultimately
given the name of Lincoln. Augustine and Company of Normal, Illinois,
propagated and distributed the variety about 1895. Young trees of the
variety appear to be vigorous growers, free from blight and of high
quality. The American Pomological Society added Lincoln to its list of
fruits in 1899.
Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, open-topped, hardy, very
productive; trunk stocky, smooth; branches zigzag, greenish-brown,
partly overspread with thin gray scarf-skin, marked on the younger
wood with very numerous large, round lenticels; branchlets slender,
very long, willowy, brownish-green overlaid with thin gray, dull,
the new growth reddish-green, with numerous large, roundish, raised
lenticels.
Leaf-buds very small, short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 3-1/2 in.
long, 1-1/2 in. wide, stiff; apex variable; margin glandless,
finely serrate; petiole 2-5/8 in. long, glabrous, tinged with red;
stipules very long and slender, pinkish. Flower-buds small, short,
conical, free, singly on short spurs; flowers 1-3/8 in. across, well
distributed, average 5 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1-1/8 in. long,
slender, pubescent.
Fruit matures in late August and September; medium in size, about
2-1/4 in. in length and width, roundish, with an obtuse neck, tapering
very slightly; stem 1-1/8 in. long, slender; cavity a slight, narrow
depression, occasionally lipped; calyx large, open; lobes separated at
the base, long, acuminate; basin shallow, obtuse, smooth, symmetrical;
skin thick, tender, roughish; color yellow, sprinkled with few russet
lines and nettings; dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous; flesh
tinged with yellow, firm, coarse and granular, tender, very juicy,
sweet, aromatic, pleasing but not richly flavored; quality good. Core
unusually large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short,
wide, conical; seeds large, very wide, long, plump, acuminate.
[Illustration: LINCOLN CORELESS]
LINCOLN CORELESS
=1.= Parry _Cat._ 9, fig. 1891. =2.= _Ann. Hort._ 185. 1892. =3.=
_Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 137. 1894. =4.= _Ibid._ 52, 178. 1896. =5.=
_Rural N. Y._ =64=:256. 1905.
The product of Lincoln Coreless is worthless for dessert, and but a
coarse makeshift for culinary purposes. The variety receives attention
only because the pear is a monstrosity and a curiosity. The fruits
are enormous in size, outweighing all other pears unless it be those
of the Pound. They are unique in having a very small core and few
or sometimes no seeds. They are further characterized by very late
maturity, ripening later than those of any other pear on the grounds
of this Station and keeping until April. While usually rather dull
greenish-yellow in color, the cheek is often enlivened by a bright
blush which makes the fruits rather attractive despite their grossness.
The catalogs describe the trees as "blight proof," but they blight on
the grounds of this Station. The variety is worth growing only as an
interesting curiosity.
According to William Parry, Parry, New Jersey, Lincoln Coreless
originated in Lincoln County, Tennessee, near the Alabama line, about
1830. The original tree was rated as productive and free from blight,
and young trees propagated from it have been unusually healthy and
vigorous. The variety was introduced about 1890 by William Parry.
Tree small, vigorous, upright, very dense, pyramidal, hardy, an
uncertain bearer; trunk shaggy; branches smooth, zigzag, reddish-brown
mingled with ash-gray, marked with small lenticels; branchlets short
to medium, dull brown, smooth, glabrous, with conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds large, obtuse, plump, appressed. Leaves 3 in. long, 1-5/8
in. wide, elongated-oval, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin
finely serrate; petiole 1-1/2 in. long, reddish; stipules very long.
Flower-buds short, obtuse, plump, free; flowers 1-3/4 in. across, very
large and showy, average 6 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1-5/8 in. long,
thick, pubescent, pale green.
Fruit ripe in February; very large, 4-3/4 in. long, 3 in. wide,
uniform in size, obovate-acute-pyriform, somewhat ribbed, with unequal
sides; stem 1-3/8 in. long, thick, curved; cavity obtuse, shallow,
narrow, russeted, furrowed, often lipped; calyx open, large; lobes
separated at the base, narrow, acute; basin very shallow, narrow,
obtuse, furrowed; skin very thick, tough, coarse and granular, smooth,
dull; color greenish-yellow, with a handsome blush on the cheek
exposed to the sun; dots many, brownish-russet, very conspicuous;
flesh yellowish-white, very firm, granular at the core, crisp, tough,
medium juicy, rather bitter and astringent; quality poor. Core closed,
with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube long, wide, conical; seeds few,
narrow, often abortive, acute.
[Illustration: LOUISE BONNE DE JERSEY]
LOUISE BONNE DE JERSEY
=1.= Kenrick _Am. Orch._ 148. 1841. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 53.
1852. =3.= Field _Pear Cult._ 218, fig. 81. 1858.
_Louise Bonne of Jersey._ =4.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 397, fig. 174.
1845. =5.= Hovey _Fr. Am._ =1=:39, Pl. 1851. =6.= _Jour. Hort._ N. S.
=38=:161, fig. 26. 1880. =7.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 606. 1884.
_Gute Louise von Avranches._ =8.= Dochnahl _Führ. Obstkunde_ =2=:138.
1856. =9.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 229. 1889.
_Bonne Louise d'Avranches._ =10.= _Ann. Pom. Belge_ =6=:29, Pl. 1858.
=11.= _Pom. France_ =1=: No. 21, Pl. 21. 1863. =12.= Mas _Le Verger_
=3=: Pt. 1, 67, fig. 32. 1866-73. =13.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =1=:482,
fig. 1867. =14.= _Guide Prat._ 286. 1876.
_Louise._ =15.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 23. 1897. =16.= Ont. Dept. Agr.
_Fr. Ont._ 170, fig. 1914.
Now known in America as Louise, a name given it by the American
Pomological Society, this variety is described under the name given
it in England to distinguish it from at least eight other varieties
having Louise as the whole or a part of the name. The pear is an old
one, having many excellent qualities of fruit and tree, which, however,
are not sufficiently above the average to give it high place in the
list of pears for the market. The pears are medium to large, handsome,
of excellent quality, and keep and ship well. These qualities have
given it some preëminence as a pear for the export trade. The trees are
precariously hardy and somewhat subject to blight, but very vigorous,
productive, and long-lived. In Europe, the testimony of prominent
pomologists agrees that the fruits are better and the trees more
productive when worked on the quince, and in America the variety is
considered one of the best for dwarfing. This pear is a standard one
for home collections, and finds favor in many commercial orchards in
New York.
The parent tree of this pear was raised from seed about 1780 by M. de
Longueval, Avranches, Normandy. Some authorities say that the variety
was first named Bonne de Longueval; others, that M. de Longueval
immediately dedicated the pear to his wife and called it _Bonne Louise
de Longueval_. Later still, the Pomological Congress adopted the name
of _Bonne Louise d'Avranches_, by which it became more generally known,
though in England, it rather unfortunately became widely disseminated
as _Louise Bonne de Jersey_, having, presumably, found its way there
through the Channel Islands. The variety was brought to the United
States early in the nineteenth century, and in 1852 was entered in the
recommended list of fruits of the American Pomological Society. In
1897, this Society shortened the name to Louise.
Tree large, vigorous, upright, very tall, dense-topped, hardy,
productive, long-lived; trunk stocky; branches slightly zigzag,
reddish-brown mingled with very dark grayish scarf-skin, with numerous
raised lenticels; branchlets slender, long, dark reddish-brown, nearly
smooth, glabrous, with few small, slightly raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds pointed, semi-free. Leaves 3-1/4 in. long, 1-3/4 in. wide,
much curled under at the margins, oval, leathery; apex slightly
taper-pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 1-1/2 in.
long, slender. Flower-buds small, conical or pointed, free; flowers
with a disagreeable odor, 1-1/2 in. across, white or tinged with pink
along the edge of the petals, averaging 6 buds in a cluster; pedicels
1-1/2 in. long, slender, pubescent, light green.
Fruit matures in October; medium to large, 2-7/8 in. long, 2-1/4 in.
wide, uniform in size and shape, oblong-pyriform, somewhat irregular,
with unequal sides; stem 1 in. long, slender, usually curved; cavity
obtuse, very shallow and very narrow, furrowed and wrinkled, often
lipped, the flesh folded up around the stem; calyx open, large; lobes
broad, acute; basin obtuse, furrowed and uneven; skin granular,
smooth; color pale yellow, marked on the exposed cheek with a dull red
blush and with streaks of russet; dots numerous, small, grayish or
russet, conspicuous; fruit yellowish-white, somewhat granular, tender
and melting, very juicy, sweet and vinous, aromatic, rich; quality
very good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short,
wide, conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.
LUCY DUKE
=1.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 153. 1885. =2.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._
65. 1889. =3.= Van Lindley _Cat._ 22, Pl. 1892. =4.= _N. Y. Sta. Bul._
=364=:182. 1913.
Why Lucy Duke is neglected is hard to see. Tree and fruit are highly
praised, Charles Downing thought the pear "not quite so fine as a
first-class Seckel, but I must aver it is not far behind." The pear
has a rich, juicy, spicy, melting flesh that makes it one of the best.
In form, the fruits resemble those of Bartlett, which is probably one
of the parents; they are of but medium size, but are of a beautiful
golden-russet color, which makes them as handsome as the handsomest.
The skin is thick and the pears stand shipping well. The variety can be
recommended for home and local markets, but the trees are a little too
unproductive and too irregular in bearing for commercial orchards. The
tree is hardy but only moderately vigorous and resembles Winter Nelis,
supposed to be the other parent, in habit of growth. The variety is
relatively free from blight.
Lucy Duke was grown about 1880 by Mrs. Lucy Duke, Beaufort County,
North Carolina, from seed of a Bartlett pear which she had received
from California, Its tree-characters are so nearly like those of Winter
Nelis that the other parent is supposed to be that variety. Lucy Duke
was introduced about 1892 by J. Van Lindley, Pomona, North Carolina.
Tree medium to large, variable in vigor, upright becoming slightly
spreading, dense-topped, hardy, productive; trunk shaggy; branches
thick, zigzag, marked by numerous elongated lenticels; branchlets
strongly curved, with short internodes, dark brownish-red mingled
with green, mottled with scarf-skin, smooth, glabrous, with small,
elongated or roundish, conspicuous, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, plump, usually free; leaf-scars
prominent. Leaves 3 in. long, 1-3/8 in. wide, thin; margin
occasionally glandular, finely serrate or entire; petiole 1-1/2 in.
long, slender. Flower-buds large, long, pointed, plump, free, singly
on short spurs; flowers open late, with an unpleasant odor, 1-5/8 in.
across; pedicels 1-1/8 in. long.
Fruit ripens in late October and November; medium in size,
acute-pyriform to oblong-pyriform, symmetrical; stem short, thick,
curved; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, russeted, often wrinkled
and occasionally lipped; calyx large, open, rounded and with a
deeply-set center; basin obtuse, smooth, symmetrical; skin very tough,
roughened with thick russet; color greenish-yellow, usually entirely
overspread with solid, dark russet, changing to golden russet on
the cheek exposed to the sun, with mottlings and flecks of russet;
dots numerous, small, russet, obscure; flesh yellowish-white, fine,
melting, rich, juicy, sweet; quality very good. Core large, closed,
axile; calyx-tube short, wide, broadly conical; seeds large, wide,
long, plump, acute.
[Illustration: MADELEINE]
MADELEINE
=1.= Duhamel _Trait. Arb. Fr._ =2=:124, Pl. IV. 1768. =2.= _Pom. Mag._
=2=:51, Pl. 1829. =3.= Prince _Pom. Man._ =1=:13. 1831. =4.= Downing
_Fr. Trees Am._ 341, fig. 138. 1845. =5.= _Proc. Nat. Con. Fr. Gr._
51. 1848. =6.= Elliott _Fr. Book_ 331, fig. 1854. =7.= Mas _Le Verger_
=2=:59, fig. 28. 1866-73. =8.= _Guide Prat._ 62, 287. 1876.
_Sainte Madelaine._ =9.= Knoop _Pomologie_ 76, Tab. 1, fig. 1771.
_Grüne Sommer-Magdalene._ =10.= Dochnahl _Führ. Obstkunde_ =2=:150.
1856. =11.= Lucas _Tafelbirnen_ 47, fig. 1894.
_Citron des Carmes._ =12.= _Pom. France_ =3=: No. 101, Pl. 101. 1865.
=13.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =1=:563, fig. 1867. =14.= Hogg _Fruit Man._
548. 1884. =15.= _Cat. Cong. Pom. France_ 212, fig. 1906.
_Grüne Magdalene._ =16.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 228. 1889.
Madeleine has long been a dependable summer variety, the crop of which
ripens just before that of Bloodgood. Many consider it the best very
early summer pear, and if the product alone were to be considered
it might well be called the best, but, unfortunately, the faults of
the trees more than offset the virtues of the fruits. The pears are
attractive in appearance, and very good in quality; but their season
is short, their skins are tender, and the flesh quickly softens at the
core. While the trees are productive, they are not resistant to blight,
do not hold their crop well, are tender to cold, and are short-lived.
The variety is worth planting only for the sake of succession in crop,
and in large collections of pears. The variety is recommended on the
Pacific slope for local markets.
The Madeleine pear is of ancient and somewhat uncertain origin. It was
cultivated by M. Le Lectier in his garden at Orléans in 1628, but
previously no other author had made mention of it, though M. Leroy,
writing in 1867, deemed it presumable that it had originated in France.
Besides its original names this pear has been known by some fifty
others in different localities and at different times, but Madeleine is
now its recognized name in this country. In England, it is known as the
_Citron des Carmes_. When and by whom it was introduced to America is
not clear, but it was a standard variety as early as 1831 when Prince
first described it. At the national convention of fruit-growers held in
1848, Madeleine was recommended for general cultivation, and ever since
this time the variety has appeared in the fruit-catalog of the American
Pomological Society.
Tree large, vigorous, upright, open-topped, tender, productive; trunk
shaggy; branches zigzag, light greenish-brown covered with gray
scarf-skin; branchlets slender, long, reddish-brown mingled with
green, mottled with ash-gray near the tips, smooth, glabrous, with
small, raised, conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, very short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 3 in. long,
1-1/2 in. wide, thin; apex taper-pointed; margin glandless, finely
serrate; petiole 1-3/4 in. long, glabrous, reddish-green. Flower-buds
small, thick, short, conical, plump, free, distributed as lateral buds
or on very short spurs; flowers showy, 1-3/8 in. across, in dense
clusters, average 11 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1-1/4 in. long,
slightly pubescent.
Fruit ripens in early August; inferior in size, 2-1/8 in. long, 2 in.
wide, roundish-obtuse-pyriform; stem 1-1/2 in. long, thick, curved;
cavity very shallow and narrow, or lacking, the flesh folded in a
lip on one side of the stem; calyx partly open; lobes separated at
the base, short, narrow, acuminate; basin shallow, narrow, obtuse,
gently furrowed, symmetrical; skin thin, smooth, very tender; color
dull green, occasionally with a faint, dotted, brownish blush; dots
numerous, greenish, obscure; flesh slightly tinged yellow, granular
at the center, tender and melting, very juicy, sweet, vinous; quality
good to very good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube
short, wide, conical; seeds wide, short, plump, acuminate.
[Illustration: MARGARET]
MARGARET
=1.= _Horticulturist_ =21=:172, 245, fig. 80. 1866. =2.= _Am. Pom.
Soc. Rpt._ 53. 1869. =3.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 811. 1869. =4.= _Mo.
Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 35, 36. 1890. =5.= _Guide Prat._ 68, 279. 1895.
_Mary._ =6.= _Horticulturist_ =21=:78, figs. 43 and 44. 1866.
The fruits of Margaret are early and attractive in color and shape.
This is about all that can be said for them, as they run small in size,
and in neither flesh nor flavor can they compete with the product of
several other varieties of the same season. The trees are hardly more
desirable than the fruits, since they are tender to cold, blight badly,
and are short-lived, seldom attaining full size. Despite these defects
of fruit and tree, the variety is a one-time favorite still rather
commonly planted. Better summer pears can be found for New York, and
for almost every part of the country.
In the middle of the nineteenth century, Christopher Wiegel, a German
nurseryman of Cleveland, Ohio, planted some seeds which he believed
to have been from a Seckel pear. Out of the trees grown from these he
selected two for further trial "because of their early coming into
bearing, their upright, vigorous habits of growth, profuse bearing, and
good quality of fruit." In 1866, Mr. Wiegel named one of these _Mary_
but later changed the name to Margaret.