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 2⅞ in. long, 1½ in. wide, thick; apex taper-pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; petiole 2¼ in. long, slender. Flower-buds short, conical, plump, free, singly on very short spurs; flowers showy, 1½ in. across, 8 or 10 buds in a cluster; pedicels ⅞ 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.
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 1½ in. long, 3¼ in. wide, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin glandless, entire; petiole 1½ in. long, glabrous, reddish-green. Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free, singly on short spurs; flowers showy, 1¼ in. across, in dense racemes, 7 or 8 buds in a cluster; pedicels ⅝ in. long, pubescent.
Fruit ripe in late September and October; large, 3⅜ in. long, 2¼ 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.
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 3½ in. long, 1½ in. wide, stiff; apex variable; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 2⅝ in. long, glabrous, tinged with red; stipules very long and slender, pinkish. Flower-buds small, short, conical, free, singly on short spurs; flowers 1⅜ in. across, well distributed, average 5 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1⅛ in. long, slender, pubescent.
Fruit matures in late August and September; medium in size, about 2¼ in. in length and width, roundish, with an obtuse neck, tapering very slightly; stem 1⅛ 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.
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, 1⅝ in. wide, elongated-oval, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely serrate; petiole 1½ in. long, reddish; stipules very long. Flower-buds short, obtuse, plump, free; flowers 1¾ in. across, very large and showy, average 6 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1⅝ in. long, thick, pubescent, pale green.
Fruit ripe in February; very large, 4¾ in. long, 3 in. wide, uniform in size, obovate-acute-pyriform, somewhat ribbed, with unequal sides; stem 1⅜ 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.
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 3¼ in. long, 1¾ in. wide, much curled under at the margins, oval, leathery; apex slightly taper-pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 1½ in. long, slender. Flower-buds small, conical or pointed, free; flowers with a disagreeable odor, 1½ in. across, white or tinged with pink along the edge of the petals, averaging 6 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1½ in. long, slender, pubescent, light green.
Fruit matures in October; medium to large, 2⅞ in. long, 2¼ 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.
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, 1⅜ in. wide, thin; margin occasionally glandular, finely serrate or entire; petiole 1½ in. long, slender. Flower-buds large, long, pointed, plump, free, singly on short spurs; flowers open late, with an unpleasant odor, 1⅝ in. across; pedicels 1⅛ 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.
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, 1½ in. wide, thin; apex taper-pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 1¾ in. long, glabrous, reddish-green. Flower-buds small, thick, short, conical, plump, free, distributed as lateral buds or on very short spurs; flowers showy, 1⅜ in. across, in dense clusters, average 11 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1¼ in. long, slightly pubescent.
Fruit ripens in early August; inferior in size, 2⅛ in. long, 2 in. wide, roundish-obtuse-pyriform; stem 1½ 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.
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.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, spreading, somewhat drooping, open-topped, productive; trunk shaggy; branches brown mingled with much red, overspread with thin gray scarf-skin, marked by numerous lenticels; branchlets slender, long, with long internodes, light reddish-brown, streaked with ash-gray scarf-skin, glossy, smooth, glabrous except on the newer growth, with numerous small, roundish, raised, conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, very short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 3 in. long, 1¾ in. wide, thin; margin tipped with few pinkish glands, finely serrate; petiole 1¾ in. long, green; stipules of medium size. Flower-buds small, short, conical, pointed, free, singly on short spurs; flowers showy, 1¾ in. long, large, in dense clusters, 6 or 8 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1⅛ in. long, thick, pubescent.
Fruit matures in late August and early September; medium in size, 3 in. long, 2¾ in. wide, oblong-obovate-pyriform, irregular; stem 1¼ in. long, thick, curved; cavity acuminate, deep, narrow, russeted, furrowed and compressed, often with a pronounced lip; calyx open, large; lobes separated at the base, broad, acute, reflexed; basin deep, abrupt, furrowed, often compressed; skin thin, tender, smooth; color dull greenish-yellow, often with a deep but dull reddish-brown blush and occasional patches of russet; dots numerous, small, green or russet, obscure; flesh fine under the skin but granular and gritty near the center; tender, buttery, very juicy, faintly vinous, slightly aromatic; quality good. Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube long, wide, funnel-shaped; seeds large, wide, plump, obtuse or acute.
1. Pom. Mag. 3:122, Pl. 1830. 2. Prince Pom. Mag. 1:131. 1831. 3. Kenrick Am. Orch. 179. 1832. 4. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 399. 1845. 5. Hovey Fr. Am. 2:37, Pl. 1851. 6. Dochnahl Führ. Obstkunde 2:59. 1856. 7. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 70. 1862. 8. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:399, fig. 1869. 9. Guide Prat. 59, 287. 1876. 10. Lauche Deut. Pom. II: No. 38, Pl. 38. 1882. 11. Hogg. Fruit Man. 613. 1884. 12. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 251. 1889.
Marie-Louise Delcourt. 13. Pom. France 1: No. 19, Pl. 19. 1863. 14. Mas Le Verger 3: Pt. 1, 163, fig. 80. 1866-73.
The fruits of Marie Louise are among the perfections of Nature, and were the tree more certain in bearing and less fastidious as to environment and care, the variety would rank as one of the best of all pears. Pomologists generally agree that its fruits are the finest flavored of their season. The flesh is tender and melting, very juicy, and the flavor is a most delectable commingling of refreshing piquancy and scented sweetness. In shape, the pears resemble those of Beurré Bosc, having the same trim contour, but the color is very different—rich yellow, netted and sprinkled with russet, and sun-flecked with red on the sunny side. The fruit is somewhat susceptible to the scab fungus, and even the most careful spraying fails to give it a fair cheek in some seasons. The trees are hardy but only moderately vigorous, somewhat susceptible to blight, rather uncertain in bearing, and vary much from season to season in abundance and quality of product. Not at all suited for a commercial plantation, Marie Louise is one of the choicest sorts for a home collection or in the hands of a pear fancier.
The Abbé Duquesne, Mons, Belgium, raised this pear from seed in 1809 and dedicated it to Marie Louise, the second consort of Napoleon the First. The Abbé passed the pear on to Van Mons, who in 1816 sent it without a name to a Mr. Braddick of Thames Ditton, England, where in time it became one of the best-known pears. Thomas Andrew Knight sent cions of the variety from England to John Lowell, Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1823, whence it became widely disseminated in America. The American Pomological Society placed Marie Louise in its list of fruits in 1862.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, spreading, open-topped, hardy, productive; trunk slender; branches dark reddish-brown mingled with thin gray scarf-skin, marked with many large lenticels; branchlets very slender and very short, with short internodes, light brown, tinged with brownish-red, glossy, smooth, glabrous, with very small, slightly raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, sharply pointed, plump, free. Leaves 2½ in. long, 1¼ in. wide, narrow, short, oval or somewhat elongated, leathery; apex obtusely or slightly taper-pointed; margin glandless, entire; petiole 2 in. long, greenish, glabrous, slender. Flower-buds small, conical, free, arranged singly as lateral buds or on short spurs; flowers very showy, 1¾ in. across, in dense clusters, 7 to 9 buds in a cluster; pedicels often 1⅛ in. long, slender, slightly pubescent, greenish.
Fruit ripe in late September and early October; above medium in size, 3⅛ in. long, 25⁄16 in. wide, variable in size, oblong-pyriform, irregular, usually with sides unequal; stem 1⅛ in. long, thick, curved; cavity very small and one-sided, russeted, often lipped; calyx large, open; lobes separated at the base, narrow, acuminate; basin obtuse, considerably furrowed; skin thin, tender, smooth, dull; color yellow, netted and sprinkled with russet especially on the exposed cheek; dots numerous, small, russet, somewhat obscure; flesh yellowish-white, granular, tender, buttery, very juicy, aromatic, with a rich, vinous flavor; quality very good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, narrow, conical; seeds wide, acute.
MOUNT VERNON
1. Am. Jour. Hort. 3:144, figs. 1868. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 818. 1869. 3. Horticulturist 24:367, fig. 1869. 4. Ibid. 26:361. 1871. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 20. 1871. 6. Horticulturist 27:204. 1872. 7. Budd-Hansen Am. Hort. Man. 2:256. 1903.
As a distinct type, and because the pears ripen at a season when there are few other varieties of this fruit, Mount Vernon has a prominent place in the list of worthy American pears. The top-shaped form and reddish-russet color give the pear a unique appearance, and with the greenish-yellow, granular, spicy, piquant flesh constitute very distinct characters in its quality. Unfortunately, the russet color is not well brought out in the accompanying color-plate. Lack of uniformity in shape and size are the chief defects in the appearance of the pears. The variety is valuable because it ripens its crop in early winter from which time, under good conditions, it may be kept until mid-winter, a season in which there are few good pears. The trees are unusually satisfactory in most of the characters of importance in a good pear-tree. The tree is vigorous but the head is small, with numerous, short, stocky branches, many of which droop. The aspect given the top by these peculiarities is quite distinct. The variety is worthy when a winter pear is wanted whether for home or market.
This pear, which is very distinct from any other variety, originated from a chance seedling in the garden of Samuel Walker, Roxbury, Massachusetts, at the end of the first half of the nineteenth century.
Tree large, vigorous, spreading, with many drooping branches, dense-topped, hardy, productive, long-lived; trunk stocky; branches thick, shaggy, reddish-brown, overcast with gray scarf-skin, marked by few large lenticels; branchlets thick, with short internodes, grayish-brown, smooth, glabrous, with a few large, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds variable in shape, usually free. Leaves 2½ in. long, 1½ in. wide, oval, medium to thick, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin crenate, tipped with rudimentary glands; petiole 1¼ in. long. Flower-buds large, long, conical or pointed, free; flowers 1⅜ in. across, in dense clusters, 7 to 9 buds in a cluster; pedicels ¾ in. long, slender, lightly pubescent, pale green, with a faint tinge of red.
Fruit ripe in late October and November; medium in size, 2½ in. long, 2⅛ in. wide, uniform in size, roundish-obtuse-pyriform, irregular, with unequal sides, variable in shape; stem 1 in. long, thick, usually curved; cavity obtuse, very shallow and narrow, russeted, furrowed, often very heavily lipped, so that the stem appears to be inserted under a fleshy enlargement; calyx open; lobes short, narrow, acute to acuminate; basin narrow, obtuse, smooth, usually symmetrical; skin granular, roughened by russet, dull; color light russet overspreading a greenish-yellow ground, with a brownish-red blush on the exposed cheek, dotted and netted with russet; dots numerous, small, russet, obscure; flesh white, with a faint tinge of yellow, often with a green tinge under the skin, granular, tender and melting, juicy, sweet, aromatic, with a vinous tendency; quality good to very good. Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds variable in size, wide, long, plump, acute, many abortive.
1. Mas Le Verger 1:67, fig. 40. 1866-73. 2. Downing Fr. Trees. Am. 822. 1869. 3. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:477, fig. 1869. 4. Tilton Jour. Hort. 9:377, fig. 1871. 5. Oberdieck Obst-Sort. 316. 1881. 6. Jour. Hort. 3rd Ser. 4:15, fig. 4. 1882. 7. Hogg Fruit Man. 624. 1884. 8. Gaucher Pom. Prak. Obst. No. 58, Pl. 51. 1894. 9. Deut. Obstsorten 5: Pt. 15, Pl. 1909.
This variety is rated in Europe as a delicious late-winter pear, and the pomological writers of the last century give it all of the virtues on this side of the Atlantic ascribed to it by Europeans. A closer study of the variety as grown in America shows that it does not possess the merits in this country given it by the French and English. The quality of the pear as grown in New York is below that of several other sorts of its season. The flesh is coarse and gritty and the flavor is mediocre. The tree-characters are good, but are not sufficiently good to offset the faults of the fruits.
Olivier de Serres was raised from seed of Fortunée about the middle of the nineteenth century by M. Boisbunel, Rouen, France. It fruited a few years later, but did not receive attention until about 1862. At that time it was brought to the notice of the French Society of Horticulture, and was pronounced a fruit of merit. At the suggestion of M. Boisbunel, it was named after the illustrious Frenchman, Olivier de Serres, who in France is called “The Father of Agriculture.” It was brought to America about 1865.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, dense-topped, upright-spreading, productive; trunk and branches marked with numerous lenticels; branchlets slender, short, curved, with short internodes, light reddish-brown, tinged with green, sprinkled with scattering, inconspicuous, very small, raised lenticels. Leaf-buds small, short, sharply pointed, free; leaf-scars with prominent shoulders. Leaves 2¾ in. long, 1¼ in. wide; apex taper-pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; petiole 2 in. long, slender. Flower-buds small, short, sharply pointed, free, singly on short spurs; flowers with an unpleasant odor, showy, 19⁄16 in. across; pedicels 1 in. long, thinly pubescent.
Fruit ripens January to March; medium in size, 2½ in. long, 2¾ in. wide, roundish-obtuse-pyriform, truncate at both ends, irregular in outline; stem variable in length, averaging ¾ in. long, thick, enlarged at the top, curved; cavity broad, slightly furrowed; calyx large, slightly open; basin variable in depth, furrowed; skin tender; color greenish-yellow, partly overspread with cinnamon-russet and sometimes with a dull blush on the exposed cheek; flesh whitish, variable in texture, juicy, varying from sweet to a brisk, vinous flavor; quality poor unless grown under the most favorable conditions.
1. Horticulturist 1:322, fig. 77. 1846-47. 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 231. 1858. 3. Mas Le Verger 3: Pt. 1, 179, fig. 88. 1866-73. 4. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 823. fig. 1869. 5. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:480, fig. 1869. 6. Guide Prat. 74, 292. 1876. 7. Hogg Fruit Man. 625. 1884.
Swan’s Orange. 8. Mag. Hort. 13:243, fig. 19. 1847. 9. Hovey Fr. Am. 1:21, Pl. 1851.
Some seventy or eighty years ago this pear was widely introduced under the names Onondaga and Swan’s Orange, and for a generation and more was much grown in eastern pear regions. It has now practically passed from cultivation in commercial orchards, but is still to be found in collections and home plantings. The fruits are large, handsome, and of very good quality, resembling those of Bartlett in flavor and with even better flesh-characters. The trees are vigorous, hardy, fruitful—almost ideal in every character but one. The tree is so susceptible to blight that the variety can never have commercial value in American orchards. Whether or not it is worth planting in home orchards depends upon the planter’s willingness to suffer loss from blight.
It seems impossible to trace this variety to its ultimate source. We know, however, that Henry Case, Liverpool, New York, cut a graft during the winter of 1806 from a tree growing on land of a Mr. Curtiss at Farmington, Connecticut. In the spring of the same year, Mr. Case grafted this cion into a tree about three miles west of Onondaga Hill, New York, and in 1808 moved the tree to Liverpool where it grew and bore fruit. Many grafts were taken from this tree before it died in 1823. Up to this time, the variety appears to have received no name nor had it been generally disseminated. We hear nothing further of it until about 1840 when it was brought to notice by a Mr. Swan of Onondaga Hollow, who exhibited specimens of the variety in Rochester. Ellwanger and Barry were so impressed with the fruit that they secured cions and propagated it under the name Swan’s Orange which they changed later to Onondaga. Onondaga was given a place in the American Pomological Society’s fruit-catalog in 1858.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, spreading, open-topped, very productive; branches zigzag, reddish-brown, overspread with thin gray scarf-skin, marked with many large lenticels; branchlets slender, short, light brown, tinged with green and lightly streaked with ash-gray scarf-skin, dull, smooth, the new growth slightly pubescent, with small, raised, pinkish lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, sharply pointed, plump, free. Leaves 31⁄16 in. long, 1¼ in. wide, narrow, oval, stiff, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin coarsely but shallowly serrate, tipped with many reddish glands; petiole 1⅞ in. long, light green mingled with red; stipules often lacking but when present very small, pale green. Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free, arranged singly on very short spurs; blossoms 1⅛ in. across, in dense clusters, 7 to 8 buds in a cluster; pedicels pubescent, greenish.
Fruit ripe in early October; above medium to large, 2¾ in. long, 2½ in. wide, ovate or obovate-obtuse-pyriform, symmetrical, with unequal sides; stem ⅝ in. long, thick, curved; cavity a slight depression, with a fleshy enlargement at one side of the stem; calyx closed; lobes narrow, acute; basin narrow, obtuse, furrowed, uneven; skin granular, tender, smooth, dull; color pale yellow, with few lines of russet and with many russet spots; dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous; flesh yellowish, granular both near the skin and at the center, melting, buttery, very juicy, aromatic, with a sweet, rich, vinous flavor; quality very good. Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube long, conical; seeds narrow, long, acute.
1. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 200, fig. 1856. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 529. 1857. 3. Horticulturist N. S. 7:112, fig. 1857. 4. Mag. Hort. 23:110, fig. 3. 1857. 5. Mas Le Verger 3: Pt. 2, 85, fig. 139. 1866-73. 6. Horticulturist 23:331, fig. 102. 1868. 7. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 824. 1869. 8. Thomas Am. Fruit Cult. 463, fig. 672. 1897.
This variety was introduced nearly seventy years ago with the expectation that the crop would follow that of Bartlett and be in as great demand. While the variety did not come up to expectations, it seems to have been too good to discard, and is to be found in many collections in New York. The fruits are of the type of Bartlett, but are smaller and usually lack the blush found on the fruits of Bartlett. The trees are very satisfactory. The variety fails chiefly in the small size of the fruits, although these are not as small as the rather poor specimens illustrated in the accompanying plate, which were grown on the grounds of this Station where the pears run below the average.
This variety was raised from seed of Canandaigua in the nurseries of W. and T. Smith, Geneva, Ontario County, New York, and was first introduced at the meeting of the American Pomological Society, Rochester, New York, in 1856.
Tree large, vigorous, upright, open-topped, hardy, productive; trunk stocky; branches thick, roughish, dull reddish-brown, overspread with dark ash-gray scarf-skin, marked by small lenticels; branchlets thick, very short, with short internodes, light brown mingled with green, smooth, glabrous, with small, raised, conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, free. Leaves 2 in. long, 1½ in. wide, oval, thin, leathery, slightly curled under along the margins; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandular toward the apex, very finely serrate; petiole 1½ in. long. Flower-buds small, short, conical or pointed, plump, free, singly or in small clusters on short branches or very short spurs; flowers 1⅛ in. across, in a scattering raceme, from 8 to 10 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1¼ in. long, slender, pubescent, light green.
Fruit in season from the middle to the last of September; medium in size, 2½ in. long, 1⅞ in. wide, uniform in size and shape, oblong-pyriform, with sides usually unequal; stem ¾ in. long, thick; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, often russeted and lipped; calyx open; lobes separated at the base, narrow, acute; basin shallow to medium, obtuse, gently furrowed, sometimes compressed; skin smooth, dull; color pale yellow, with small patches and streaks of light-colored russet; dots numerous, very small, russet, obscure; flesh whitish, with a yellow tinge at the core, granular, firm but tender, juicy, sweet, slightly aromatic; quality good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.