LIMITED ILATION CIRC THE PEARS NEW “YORK Gurnell University Library Ithaca, New York WAL. Roxscu\tuval Expexas ment. Siationn win Cornell University The original of this book Is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924012072645 ares pea sore = Poe Ee oe SO Te eee Wace: Sz STATE oF New York — DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Twenty-ninth Annual Report— Vol. 2— Part II THE PEARS OF NEW YORK BY U. P. HEDRICK ASSISTED BY G. H. HOWE O. M. TAYLOR E, H. FRANCIS H. B. TUKEY Report of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station for the Year 1921 II ALBANY J. B. LYON COMPANY, PRINTERS 1921 NEW YORK AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, GENEVA, N. Y., October I, 1921. To the Honorable Board of Control of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station: GENTLEMEN:— I have the honor to transmit herewith the manuscript of the sixth of the series of monographs on fruits, to be entitled “‘ The Pears of New York.’’ I recommend that, under the authority of chapter 636 of the Laws of 1919, this be submitted for publication as Part II of the report of this Station for 1921. The wide-spread use of and frequent expressions of appreciation for the preceding books of this series are ample justification for the preparation and publication of this similar treatise on pears. Further, the added years of experience and observation of Dr. Hedrick and his assistants serve to bring each successive monograph to a higher state of excellence and completeness. The present work is a splendid example of painstaking care in the collection and compilation of all available evidence concerning all known varieties of pears. With the publication of this volume, the series will include books on apples, peaches, plums, cherries and pears, all of our leading tree-fruits of the non-citrus type. The book on grapes and the ‘‘ Sturtevant’s Notes on Edible Plants” are similar treatises published in uniform style with those dealing with tree-fruits and it is hoped that the series may eventually be extended to include similar discussions of small fruits. “The Pears of New York” cannot fail to find an extremely useful place in the literature of fruit-growing, and its publication will be welcomed by the fruit growers of the State and by horticulturists the world over. R. W. THATCHER, Director PREFACE The Pears of New York is sixth in the series of books on hardy fruits being published by the New York Agricultural Experiment Station. The object and scope of these treatises have been given in prefaces of the preceding books, and though this work does not differ from its predecessors, for the convenience of readers the aim and the contents of the book in hand are set forth in this foreword. Broadly speaking, the aim is to make The Pears of New York a complete record of the development of the pear wherever cultivated up to the present time. With this end in view an attempt is made: To give an account of the history and uses of the pear; to depict the botanical characters of cultivated pears; to describe pear growing in this country and more particularly in New York; and, lastly, to give in full detail the synonymy, bibliography, economic status, and full descriptions of the most important cultivated pears with brief notices of varieties of minor importance. The reader will want to know what considerations have governed the selection of varieties for color plates and full descriptions. These are several: (1) The value of a variety for home or commercial orchards. (2) Noteworthy new varieties. (3) Varieties desirable in breeding new pears. (4) A few sorts are described and illustrated to show the trend of evolution in the pear. In the use of horticultural names the rules of the American Pomo- logical Society as adopted at the meeting in Columbus, Ohio, in 1919, have been followed. With a very few varieties these rules have not been fol- lowed since the changes required by their strict observance would augment rather than diminish confusion. The references given are those that have been used in ascertaining the history and economic status or in verifying the description of varieties. The synonyms created by pomologists whose works we have had have been noted, but in no case are synonyms given only when quoted by pomologists from another writer. One of the chief aims of The Pears of New York is to set straight in high degree the names of pears. Vv vi PREFACE Biographical sketches of men who have been most prominent in pear growing in the United States are to be found in the footnotes. These are written to give in some measure the credit and honor due to those who introduced new varieties or improved their culture. A knowledge of the career of these men is indispensable to a full comprehension of the industry of growing pears. U. P. HEDRICK, Horticulturist, New York Agricultural Experiment Station TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE PREUACS. Tio Dien gadeahaesewsseonieeiaeieen ceed eenekeaeeeeeees Vv INDEX. TO: IEEUSTRATIONS 2 0¢y 040454 460444505446654 ors baa eouseaes ix CeAPTER. 1, HISTORY OF THE PEAR. c ccacccdscsuewuennahssus I CHAPTER II.— SPECIES OF PEARS AND THEIR CHARACTERS....... 57 Coapren Tif PEAR CULTURE. ng f)ascaanedceegaeuceagivakwes 83 CHAPTER IV.— LEADING VARIETIES OF PEARS.............00000 122 CHAPTER V.— MINOR VARIETIES OF PEARS.............0000000- 236 BIBLIOGRAPHY, REFERENCES, AND ABBREVIATIONS..........-.---- 589 TNE 25s cee eee ehe eeu ee oases eae eadaee ee nees ean ees 599 INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS PORTRAIT OF MARSHALL P. WILDER........... 0000 ce eee eeees Frontispiece FACING PAGE DESCRIPTION OF A.PEARy iis cusenveaseeeede ae 215i Gar dso eR eake 68 VARIETIES ANDRE IDESPOR TES 255e sir acse ents kes lea ee eee es SO KRRE 122 PINGA UE to svsceasine weno canner hina anoneiouae Orem eons res 122 AR PLO, coda huoeo bua oer eke ae enEns aga tete GaSe ee Sed enews 124 BELLE LUCENTE 6.¢-40e 05 ee FERRERS Seo Red HAS PEERR SEES S TREN 126 BEURRE D ANJOU Los