Ayers
Blakes Pride
Harrow Sweet
Honeysweet
Kieffer
Magness
Maxine
Moonglow
Orient
Potomac
Seckel
Shenandoah
Sunrise
Warren

I like the Kieffer pears for fresh eating. They just need to sit at room temperature for quite a few days and soften up.

Champs...how would you describe Moonglow? It is the variety I think I wish I had purchased instead of Potomac. Unlike Lucky I DO like the buttery-soft and juicy pears and am not so much into the crisp stuff. For me, aromatics in a pear is a bigger player than it is for say, apples.
I guess I'm more conventional and old-school, because the best pears I've ever eaten were one's off my grandpas tree long after his death. The good ole' Bartlett, which is the only other variety I have planted, though I chose the red version.

Could it be that the bloom times are off ? It sounds like that could be the issue because Keiffer is also a late season pear.
I realize that the bloom time may not correspond to maturity, but just offering a possibility. If it wasn't so late I'd look into it.

I tried it because it was on Ed Fackler's list of good mid-western pears, and if it can make it there it can probably make it most anywhere.

A much better pear from that list is Dutchess, which ripens much later, is quite large and delicious. Has some of the Comice quality to it. I got that one from Starks as well- here it is not as productive as Delicious but not shy either.

Mine aren't mature at all, but that Moonglow is the one I'm counting on for later.

Orient Pear Bloom (Large sample size)
2014 03 22 Orient had a few open flowers
2014 03 27 Orient in full Bloom
2014 04 02 Orient almost finished blooming

Moonglow Pear Bloom (Small sample of three clusters)
2014 04 05 Moonglow Flowers starting to open
2014 04 08 Moonglow in full bloom
2014 04 11 Moonglow flowers about gone

Callery Pear bloomed before the orient but there was some overlap

Scape

I was worried about pollen compatiblity since Moonglow is soft barlett type and orient is hard pear. Did not think about chill hours and bloom overlap. since the moonglow is not blooming much, i really never paid much attention. It has been slow growing and has had very bad spots on the leaves. Seems like it does not like sprays eiether (Bonide FSP). What do i do to keep off the dark spots and defoliaging in summer? This year the structure grew very well. Added about four-five feet in height and the truck grow quiet a bit (know about 3 inchs). It put off some blooms - some eariler then some more later in the spring. Not a full set of blooms like the orient (we got about 1100 chill hours last winter too). I thought the first set of blooms came at tailend of the Orient blooms but i will have to document next spring as 2010ChampsBCS did. I was really looking forward to tasting this pear. I dont want to plant another pear as it's not my favorite fruit so i will graft something compatible to the moonglow.

The best way I have found with dealing with these three is to grow pears that are resistant and cut down or graft over pears that aren't, but you can't graft over a tree that has lost its vigor.

Oil helps with psyla as well as a number of commercial insecticides, difficult to acquire and extremely expensive for the small home grower. Surround is actually one of the most affective materials for dealing with it and is used by many growers who also rely on synthetic compounds in their production methods.

The fungus can be controlled with Mancozeb, but it is so much easier to grow varieties of pears that don't require all the fuss.

I am speaking about my experience with pears in the northeast, but psyla have a wide range, are difficult to see without a glass, and usually overlooked by home growers. You can go on line to see what they look like magnified and then look on your own trees with a magnifying glass. They are usually on the upper side of the leaf stems.

I am speaking about my experience with pears in the northeast, but psyla have a wide range, are difficult to see without a glass, and usually overlooked by home growers. You can go on line to see what they look like magnified and then look on your own trees with a magnifying glass. They are usually on the upper side of the leaf stems.

Scab is not a problem in the south, and noone sprays for it. The only thing we have to watch for is fireblight.
You have scab and we have fireblight. Wanna trade.

I believe Fabraea is also a wide ranged pest- gets down at least as far as Kentucky.

Gala is very prone to FB, so much so, I had to remove mine, and the FB went with it. As much as I like this apple, I will never grow it again. I've never grown Pink Lady, so I can't comment on it. But if it isn't FB prone, it got it from the Gala.
As far as the Moonglow, in my case and probably yours, it was a combination of both heat and water stress. I doubt that it was anything but that. Moonglow appears to be very heat sensitive. None of my other pears have this problem. If you want to spray for something, that's your business, but I don't spray any of my pears at all, and I don't know anyone that does

Digging through some archived emails, I came across this one from Dr. Natelson, to the NAFEX Southern Pear Interest Group, from back in 2002:
The following are a few pears that some may be interested in trying.
1. Acres Home: This pear was found as a chance seedling in Houston. It is precocious, shows no sign of blight, and is a large, very uniform, pyriform pear - yellow with red blush. It gets soft and has a good taste. I had about 30 pears on a 3-4 year old tree last year. It has set again this year with no blight evident. It is about 20% larger than Southern Bartlett, to give a size comparison. About an 8 on a scale of 10 in flavor.
2. Florida 58-45: This is a totally russetted pear developed by Wayne Shermanin Florida but not ever released. Tennessee is one parent. It is large, blocky in appearance and a soft pear. About a 9 on a scale to 10 in flavor. It has gotten some blight here in Houston.
3. Abate Fetal: This is a commercial pear grown in the warmer areas of South Africa. I grafted it a year or two ago and it is now a nice small tree. It leafs out early and clearly will work here but it is to young yet to flower. Ed Fackler says it is excellent quality but may get some blight.
4. Southern Bosc: Jesse Thompson sent me some microscopic cuttings of this one but it is growing well and I could supply some wood next year. He alleges a neighbor of his grows this in Meridian, MS and it is a fully russetted Bosc which fruits every year and does not blight. This should be impossible because Bosc is very high chill and somewhat blight sensitive. Perhaps it is a sport of a Bosc which is low chill. I also obtained a true Bosc scion to graft for comparison in this climate.
5. Green Jade: This is a new, patented release from Purdue Ed Fackler is selling. It is a cross of an Asian and European and said to ripen on the tree. From its leafing out pattern here, it is lower chill than Housi and 20th Century and should work in the South. It is described as pyriform, like Ya Li. I just got a tree last year and it has not flowered here, but should work.
6. Orcas: Does anyone have this one? It is advertised in Raintree Catalogue as coming from the Orcas Islands which is a warm zone 8. It certainly should work in the South, if this is true. I would like a scion if anyone has successfully grown it from the group.
7. Lee Sharp Specials: We should have some information on these soon. They include the A, B, and C pears as well as Quave, Tanner, Seymour, Bosarge and Higdon. Perhaps Lee will describe these. I fruited Quave last year and was disappointed. A medium to small oval pear with a rough skin- not much quality in its first year, but very low chill.
8. Vermillion: One Travis is familiar with and is a tree he rescued from obscurity by pruning it back. The owner has propagated it. Alleged to be of good quality but we know how that goes.
9. Baseball and Golden Globe: Two low chill Asians from David Griffith(Dadeville, AL) Baseball is lower chill and has fruit on it now. Golden Globe is higher chill but works in Houston but is blight sensitive (at least it was last year)- it looks good so far this year, however.

*ATLANTIC QUEEN Imported to the US approx. 30 years ago, seems immune to fire blight in Eastern US. Excellent fruit, prolific QUALITY 3 graft compatible on quince.
Saint Andre. PI 541259 Origin obscure. First observed by Leroy in 1829. Received in the United States by Robert Manning in 1834 or 1835. Fruit small to medium in size, generally ovate in form but quite irregular. Skin greenish-yellow in color, waxy, some green or gray dots. Flesh fine, melting, quite free of grit, very juicy. Sweet, aromatic, highly pleasing flavor. Midseason. Tree moderately vigorous, spreading in habit, very productive, true dwarf on quince. Somewhat resistant to fire blight. -- H. Hartman 1957 quality virus infected

Ayers (PI 541722). -Originated in Knoxville, Tennessee, by Brooks D. Drain, Tennessee Agriculture Experiment Station. Introduced in 1954. Garber x Anjou; tested as Tennessee 37S21. Fruit: skin golden russet with a rose tint flesh juicy, sweet; good for eating fresh and average for canning; first picking in mid-August. Tree: resistant to fire blight, pollen-sterile. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties

Beierschmidt (PI 541455). -Originated in Fairbanks, Fayette County, Iowa, by J.A. Beierschmidt. Introduced in 1927. Considered to be a seedling of Bartlett; seed planted by Marie Beierschmidt, mother of J.A. Beierschmidt, about 1900; first fruit borne about 1908 to 1910; original tree died when about 15 years old, but many suckers had been transplanted from it; first called to attention of S.A. Beach (Apples of New York author) in 1921. Fruit: medium to large; broader than, and not as necked as Bartlett; skin thin and tender, greenish-yellow to clear pale yellow when ripened, with slight russet; flesh firm, tender, very juicy, highly aromatic, of high quality. -- Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties --
Fruit medium t large in size, globular, sometimes pyriform, irregular in shape. Skin straw-color, some tendency to blemish, tender and susceptible to bruising. Flesh fairly fine, juicy, buttery, quite free of grit. Mild, pleasing flavor, rates rather high in dessert quality. Probably too tender of skin to withstand commercial handling. Keeps somewhat longer than Bartlett. Tree fairly vigorous, spreading or willowy in habit, productive, some resistance to fire blight. -- H. Hartman, Oregon Ag. Experiment Station, 1957.
Keeping quality reasonably good for several weeks. Fruits fairly attractive but show surface injury rather readily. Dessert quality very satisfactory. One of better varieties on trial at Wooster but unfortunately coincides with Bartlett in harvesting season. Variety does not blight as badly as bartlett and reported to possess considerable resistance to low temperature in Iowa. Recommended as pollinizer for Bartlett in Ohio and for limited commercial planting. -- F.S. Howlett, Ohio Ag. Experiment Station, 1957.

*Burford Pear was a selection from my(Tom Burford) great-grandfather's orchard that undoubtedly, he found outstanding because of it flavor, ripening quality, tree stamina and above all resistance to fireblight and pear psylla. It likely is also a genetic dwarf, but this is currently at test at Vintage Virginia Orchards in North Garden, VA, where it is grafted on both pear stocks and quince. A 75 to 100 year old tree was my childhood backyard favorite pear tree, growing between the row of outhouses and the gas generator house that piped 'light' to the main house. This about seventeen foot tree (I measured it a number of times before cutting the top out) has extraordinarily limber branches. With a full load of from 17 to 20 bushels the unfruited limbs nearly head high would bend to the ground with mature fruit without breakage. For nearly 60 years he enjoyed the pears canned from this tree. The ripening time for harvest is forgiving and even when fully ripe on the tree or gathered from windfalls the pears are useable for dessert, canning and pickling. A family recipe for pear-pineapple jam is especially memorable with only fresh pineapples, a luxury, used. The most significant use of the Burford pear is fresh canned. They are peeled, cored and packed in quart jars with a light syrup poured over; then processed. The color remains white. In the winter they become a favorite dessert, plain or stuffed with Arboria rice and fruits like canned figs or berries or just cheese with a few dashes of port wine. Hickory or walnuts are also good stuffings. -- Tom Burford, April 2003.
*Butirra Precoce Morettini (PI 276764). -An early season, high-quality dessert variety developed in Florence, Italy, by A. Morettini. Introduced in 1956. Coscia x Bartlett; (butirra = buttery, precoce = early). Fruit: medium to large; pyriform, but not as uniform as Bartlett; skin green-yellow with red blush, thin; flesh white, melting, juicy, sweet. Ripens 20 days before Bartlett; storage 1 to 2 months. Tree: vigorous; productive. Graft compatible on quince. - Brooks and Olmo
*Dabney.- Originated in Knoxville, Tennessee, by Brooks D. Drain, Tennessee Agriculture Experiment Station. Introduced in 1954. Seckel x Garber; crossed in 1935; tested as Tennessee 35583. Fruit: size medium; oblong obovate, pyriform, sides unequal; skin thick, medium in toughness, smooth, waxen and dull, greenish; dots many, medium in size, russeted and conspicuous; core large; flesh yellowish-white, melting, tender, juicy, quality very good; flavor sprightly, sweet-subacid and very good dessert quality; picked late July and early August, ripening rapidly in summer temperatures; scored low for canning. Tree: small; spreading, becoming drooping with loads of fruit; comes into bearing at five years; productive; moderately resistant to fire blight. -- Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties. Graft compatible on quince
The sweet-subacid flavor and very good quality attracted attention as a dessert fruit. The appearance is medium to good, resembling Bartlett in coloring and shape, but the flesh is more melting. Trees of this variety in out-replicated plots came into bearing at five years and have produced good crops. Tree: small, medium in vigor, spreading, becoming drooping with loads of fruit. Top open; trunk medium thick, branches medium slender and gray brown in color; branches slender and reddish-gray, dull with medium sized, raised lenticels. Leaf buds small, short, pointed, brown-gray; leaf scars obscure. Leaves; petiole 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches long, thick, color pinkish green; Surface glabrous; blade 3 to 3 1/4 inches 2 to 2 1/4 inches wide slightly folded; mid-rib straight to slightly reflex; sides waved, outline oblong; base medium narrow, apex narrow, point long and acute; general color dark green, vein color green tinged pink; position spreading; serrations crenate, direction forward, size small somewhat irregular; Surface shiny, texture medium fine, pubescence short, fine and wooly. Flower- buds large, long, plump, pointed, and reddish-brown; flowers open medium late, 3/4 open March 18, 1953 at Knob Orchard, Blount County, Tennessee; large--1 1/4 inches across; color white with maroon stigmas; blossoms appear with leaves: Clusters 8-9 blossoms and umbel-like in form; pedicel slender, 1 inch long somewhat pubescent; pollen fertile: distribution good. Fruit: Picked in late July and early August at Knoxville, Tennessee: Size medium-2 1/2 by 2 1/4 inches wide, uniform, oblong obovate, pyriform, sides unequal: Stem 1 1/4 inches long and slender; cavity acute, shallow, medium wide and furrowed; calyx open and large; lobes separated at the base, long, narrow and acute; basin deep, wide, abrupt and deeply furrowed; skin thick, medium in toughness, smooth, waxen and dull; color greenish, dots many, medium in size, russeted and conspicuous; core large 1 by 1 1/2 inches, closed, abaxile; core-lines clasping; calyx tube long, wide and conical; carpels ovate; seeds 3/16 inches long, narrow and plump; flesh yellowish white, melting, tender an juicy; flavor sprightly, sweet-subacid and very good in dessert quality. The fruit ripens rapidly in summer temperature and has been scored low for canning. -release notice

*Eureka. First fruited by a Mr. Dickinson of Eureka, Illinois in 1910. Introduced by A.M. Augustine of Normal, Illinois. Said to be a cross of Seckel and Kieffer. Fruit medium or smaller in size and resembles Seckel in form. Skin waxy, bright yellow in color, usually blushed, rather attractive. Flesh fairly firm, juicy, some grit at the center. Superior to many Sand Pear hybrids in dessert quality. Tree displays characteristics of both parents. About the same as Kieffer in blight resistance. -- H. Hartman, 1957. According to correspondence with A.M. Augustine, Normal, Illinois, the introducer of this pear, it was fruited in 1900 by a Mr. Dickinson of Eureka; a chance cross between Seckel and Kieffer and shows characteristics of both parents. Tree reported similar to Kieffer in leaf, habit of growth and resistance to and recovery from blight. Fruit medium, shaped like Seckel; skin delicate, waxy, bright yellow, slightly russeted, with a bright red cheek; flesh flavor of Seckel, more solid, longer keeper. -- U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York, 1921.

*Douglas Raised as a Kieffer seedling by O.H. Ayer, of Lawrence, Kansas. First propagated in 1907. Believed a cross of Kieffer and Duchesse d'Angouleme. Fruit resembles Kieffer in form but inclined to be smaller in size. Skin greenish-yellow in color, reasonably free of blemish. Flesh fairly tender, quite juicy, not very gritty. Sprightly, pleasing flavor, although at times fairly acid. Superior to Kieffer in dessert quality. Midseason. Tree fairly vigorous, productive, highly blight resistant. - H. Hartman, 1957. In regions where blight and heat make pear-growing precarious, and pears with oriental blood, as Kieffer, Garber and Le Conte, must be grown, Douglas, which belongs with the pears just named, might well be tried. It is better in flavor than any other variety of its class, The trees come in bearing remarkably early, and are as productive as those of Kieffer, though hardly as large or vigorous. The trees are inclined to overbear, in which case the fruits run small. The variety has little to recommend it, but those who grow Kieffer might put it on probation with the hope of growing a fruit passably fair for dessert. Douglas is a seedling of Kieffer crossed, it is believed, with Duchesse d'Angouleme by O. H. Ayer, Lawrence, Kansas, about 1897. Tree medium in size and vigor, upright, very produc-tive; trunk slender, smooth ; branches slender, dull brownish-red. Leaves 3 1/4 inches long, 1 1/2 inches wide, thick ; apex taper-pointed ; margin glandless, finely and shallowly serrate; petiole 1 5/8 inches long. Flowers 1 1/4 inches across, white or occasionally with a faint tinge of pink, 11 or 12 buds in a cluster. Fruit matures in October; large, 3 1/4 inches long, 2 3/4 inches wide, obovate-pyriform, tapering at both ends like the Kieffer; stem 1 5/8 inches long, slender; cavity deep, narrow, compressed, often lipped; calyx small, partly open; basin furrowed; skin thick, tough; color pale yellow, heavily dotted arid sometimes flecked with russet dots numerous, small, light russet or greenish; flesh tinged with yellow, firm but tender, granular, very juicy, sweet yet with an invigorating flavor; quality good; core closed, axile; calyx tube short, wide; seeds long, plump, acute. -- U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York, 1921.
Harrow Delight (PI 541431). -Introduced for early fresh market and home garden use. Originated at Research Station., Harrow, Ontario, Canada by H.A. Quamme, Agr. Canada. Introduced in 1982. Purdue 80-15 (Old Home x Early Sweet) x Bartlett. Cross made by R.E.C. Layne, Research Station., Harrow; selected in 1973; tested as HW-603. Fruit: 5% smaller than that of Bartlett; ovate-pyriform, shallow, broad basin; flesh quality high, juicy, grit equal to that of Bartlett, flavor as good as that of Bartlett but distinctly different; skin light-green to yellow-green color with 20% to 30% covered with a light blush, no russeting; processed fruit inferior to that of Bartlett and only a little better than that of Kieffer; ripens 2 weeks before Bartlett. Tree: spreading; vigor moderate; productive; leaves ovate with rounded base, leaf serrations indistinct; flowers white; resistance to fire blight slightly less than Old Home. Cross fertile with Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou, and Harvest Queen. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties Graft compatible on quince

Harvest Queen (PI 541203). -Introduced for early fresh-market and home garden use. Originated at Research Station, Harrow. Ontario, Canada, by H.A. Quamme, Agriculture Canada. Introduced in 1982. Michigan 572 (Barseck x Bartlett) x Bartlett. Selectedin 1972 from cross made by L.F. Hough and Catherine H. Bailey, Rutgers University; tested as HW-602. Fruit: ovate-pyriform with shallow broad basin; flesh quality high, equal to that of Bartlett but less gritty, flavor almost identical; skin yellow resembling Bartlett, no blush or russet; fresh and processing quality equal to Bartlett, but 10% less in size for processing; ripens 1 week before Bartlett. Tree: upright; vigor moderate; productive; leaves elliptical, acuminate tips and tapering base, leaf serrations distinct; flowers white; resistance to fire blight similar to Kieffer; cross fertile with Bosc, Anjou, and Harrow Delight, but not with Bartlett. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties Graft compatible on quince

Hoskins Developed in: Tennessee, introduced in 1954
Blight resistant, first winter pear suitable for the Southern States Seckel x Late Faulkner

*Luscious (PI 541322).-Originated in Brookings, South Dakota, by Ronald M. Peterson, Agriculture Experiment Station. Introduced in 1973. SD E31 x Ewart; cross made in 1954, selected in 1967, tested as South Dakota 67SIl. Fruit: size medium; pyriform. with broad neck; skin thick, tender, attractive rich yellow with occasional small scattered brown russeted areas, sometimes with a pink blush; flesh light yellow, firm, fine texture, melting, very juicy, flavor similar to Bartlett, quality good; ripens 25 Sept. at Brookings; recommended as a dessert variety. Tree: size medium; broad-oval; vigorous; moderately productive and moderately hardy at Brookings; shows more tolerance to fire blight than most varieties, adapted to parts of the northern Great Plains; glossy, green foliate turns red in the fall. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties Cold hardy; successfully fruited in Anchorage, Alaska. -- Paul Lariviere, 2006

Mac (PI 541343).-Originated in New Brunswick, N.J., by L. Fredric Hough and Catherine H. Bailey, New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station. Introduced in 1968. Gorham x NJ 1. Cross made in 1950; first fruited in 1958; selected in 1958; tested as NJ 6. Fruit: size medium; acute-pyriform; skin straw yellow when tree ripened; flesh creamy white, texture fine, nearly buttery, no indication of astringency, quality good, comparable to Gorham; ripens with Gorham or 2 weeks after Bartlett; as resistan to fire blight as Kieffer, the best quality blight resistant variety selected so far. Tree: vigor below medium; central leader with open branching; not as productive as Lee or Star, pollen good, compatible with other varieties. --Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties. Mac, tested as NJ 6, is from the cross of Gorhan x NJ 1. (NJ 1 was a fire blight resistant seedling identified by Professor M.A. Blake in the 1930's and was probably a hybrid between P. pyrifolia x P. communis). Mac first fruited in 1958. The fruit is acute-pyriform and only medium in size. It ripens to a straw-yellow on the tree. It ripens about with Gorhan, or two weeks after Bartlett. The flesh of Mac is creamy white and of a fine texture that is nearly buttery. The fruit quality is quite comparable to Gorham at its best. There never has been any indication of astringency in the skin of Mac as their may be with Gorham. The original tree is below medium in vigor. It has a central leader with open branching. It has good pollen. On the basis of Mac's performance both as a male and as a female parent in the hybridization program, it will be compatible with other varieties. Mac has not been as consistently fruitful as Star or Lee. Again, the original tree of Mac is not growing in a favorable site in the seedling orchard. The blight resistance has not been as thoroughly tested as that of Star and Lee; but it is apparently as resistant as Kieffer. Certainly, it is the best quality blight resistant pear variety that has been selected so far... --L.F. Hough & C.H. Baily. 1968. Fruit Varieties & Horticlutural Digest 22(3):43-45. Virus infected

Moonglow (PI 617549).-Originated in Beltsville, Maryland, by U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Introduced in 1960. US-Michigan 437 x Roi Charles de Wurtemburg; tested as US 353. Fruit: large; attractive; flesh rather soft, moderately juicy, nearly free of grit cells, flavor mild, subacid, rated good; for processing as well as being of good quality for fresh use; ripens at Beltsville in mid-August, about 7 days earlier than Bartlett; ripens for prime eating and processing in 10 days when held at 70F. Tree: very upright; vigorous; heavily spurred; fruits heavily at an early age; appears to be very resistant to fire blight; flowers contain abundant pollen. Recommended for trail in areas where fire blight is a major problem. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties

Magness (PI 541299).-Originated in Beltsville, Maryland, by U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Introduced for trial in 1960. Released in 1968 by Howard J. Brooks. Seckel seedling x Comice; tested as US 3866-E. Fruit: size medium; oval; skin lightly covered with russet, relatively tough, somewhat resistant to insect puncture and decay; flesh soft, very juicy, almost free of grit cells, flavor sweet, highly perfumed, aromatic; ripens at Beltsville about I Sept., being a week later than Bartlett; ripens for prime eating in about 10 days when held at 70F; can be held in cold storage up to 3 months, then ripens with good quality. Tree: very vigorous and spreading for a pear; original tree and first trees propagated from it have some thorns, which may be expected to decrease with additional repropagations; begins bearing at about 6 years; early fruiting mainly on medium long terminals; entirely pollen-sterile, but sets well with all varieties that have been tested; very resistant to fire blight. Recommended for general trial because of high degree of blight resistance and high quality of fruit. Named in honor of John R. Magness who retired in 1959 as chief of the fruit and nut crops section at U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Center, in Beltsville, Maryland. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties Graft compatible on quince

*Manning-Miller (PI 541480).-Originated in Potsdam, N.Y., on farm of Samuel Miller, but previously owned by the Manning family. Introduced in 1974 by St. Lawrence Nurseries, Heuvelton, N.Y. Parentage unknown, believed to have originated from seed sent by Robert Manning of Massachusetts. Fruit: 3 1/2 inches long x 3 inches wide; pyriform; skin smooth, green to yellow, no russeting or blush; flesh white, smooth, sweet, juicy, flavor good; ripens 1-7 Sept. in New York. Tree: medium-large; vigorous; hardy, withstanding -40 F; annual bearer, shows tolerance to fire blight and scab. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties
*Mericourt (PI 541345).-Originated in Clarksville, Tennessee, by Tennessee Agriculture Experiment Station. at Mericourt Experiment Station., Clarksville. Introduced in 1966. Seckel x Late Faulkner. Late Faulkner is a chance seedling with fruit characteristics similar to those of Keiffer. Cross made in 1938; first fruited in 1947; tested as Tenn, 38S63. Fruit: 2 3/4 x 2 3/8 inches in diam.; short pyriform, necked; skin green or greenish-yellow, occasionally blushed with dark red, dull, waxy in texture, smooth; dots small and brownish; flesh creamy-white, buttery, almost completely lacking in stone cells, abundantly juicy, flavor sprightly subacid, sweet, quality excellent; stem short, 3/4 inch long, moderately thick, well attached in deep, abrupt basin; basin cavity shallow, acute and medium-broad; core very small; calyx open and medium; ripens 25 Aug.-9 Sept. at Highland Rim Experiment Station., Springfield, Tennessee; recommended for fresh dessert and canning; when canned tends to soften at edges of slices. Tree: vigorous; hardy, withstanding temperatures from a low of -23F to 70s during month of January and -7F to above 75F during February; tolerant to fire blight and leaf spot. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties Bet the trouble with this one is that it crops poorly.
*Mooers: 1954. From: Tennessee. Fruit large, blight resistant. Late fall cultivar developed for the Southern States. Duchesse D'Angouleme x Late Faulkner

Richard Peters (PI 541715).-Originated in State College, Pa., by E.L. Nixon, Pennsylvania Agriculture Experiment Station. Introduced in 1927. Probably an open-pollinated seedling of Kieffer; selected in 1924. Fruit: quality said to be better than Bartlett, which it resembles; ripens early. Tree: practically immune to fire blight; vigorous; self-unfruitful, productive when properly cross-pollinated. Named in honor of Richard Peters, founder and former president of Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties. Originated at Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania. Introduced commercially in 1927. Said to be an open pollinated seedling of Kieffer. Fruit medium in size, more or less pyriform in shape with slender neck. Skin greenish-yellow in color, some dots, occasionally blushed. Flesh juicy, medium fine, more or less buttery. Superior to most Sand Pear hybrids in dessert quality. -- H. Hartman, 1957.

Spalding (PI 617548).-Spalding County, California, by JW. Daniell, R.P. Lane, W.A. Chandler, and Gerard Krewer, University of Georgia, Experiment. Introduced in 1982. Probably Pineapple x unknown. Selected in 1957. Fruit: resembles that of Magness; large; round-pyriform; flesh creamy-white, fine texture, not buttery, juicy with grit cells only around the core; flavor good, subacid, light aroma; skin yellow, lightly russet with brown dots, no blush, smooth. Tree: size similar to thatof Magness; flowers self-fertile; productive; resistant to fire blight. - Brooks and Olmo

*Sudduth (Burkett) described as small, buttery texture. Photos show it round, but it is not in the hybrid list.
Developed in: Illinois, United States (Comment: Cultivar introduced ca 1895). The amount of grit is no worse than many good quality pears, like 20th Century and Shinko, Duchess and even one of the Bartletts.

Warren (PI 541448).- Hattiesburg, Mississippi Introduced in 1976. Fruit: medium to large; shape variable; skin dull brown, sometimes with red blush, smooth; flesh whitish, buttery, smooth, moderately firm; flavor said to be comparable to Magness or Comice; ripens about with Magness; stores much better than Bartlett. Tree: vigorous; pyramidal, with flat crotch angles; cold hardy; tolerant of high summer temperatures; resistant, but not immune, to fire blight; disease free foliage. �" Graft compatible on quince the damned things will never fruit on anything else.

Ubileen Gift (PI 392323).-A large-fruited, early ripening pear from Bulgaria. Originated Institute for Fruit Growing, Kustendil, Bulgaria, by Vasil Georgiev in 1957. Released in 1984, introduced into the U.S. in 1974 (PI 392323). Clapp Favorite x Klementinka. Fruit: large to very large (about 230 g), pyriform, ripening in late July; skin yellow with red blush; flesh yellow, fine-textured, buttery, sweet, juicy, subacid, and aromatic; can be stored for 4 to 6 days at room temperature. Similar to Butirra Precoce Morettini in appearance and ripening season. Tree: large, vigorous, resistant to scab. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties

UBILEEN. The skin of the fruit is yellow-green with a red blush. The flesh is yellow, fine-textured, buttery, sweet, juicy, subacid, and aromatic. This pear can be stored for 4 to 6 days at room temperature and is a favorite dessert pear. The tree is large, vigorous, and resistant to scab. It ripens in late July, fully one month before most other European Pears.

*Tyson The tree is the most nearly perfect of that of any pear grown in America--the Kieffer, praiseworthy only in its tree, not excepted. The tree is certainly as hardy as that of any other variety, if not hardier, and resists better than that of any other sort the black scourge of blight. Add to these notable characters large size, great vigor, and fruitfulness, and it is seen that the trees are nearly flawless. The only fault is, and this is a comparatively trifling one, that the trees are slow in coming in bearing. Tyson is the best pear of its season for the home orchard, and has much merit for commercial orchards. Were the fruits larger, it would rival Bartlett for the markets. No other variety offers so many good starting points for the pear-breeder. Tyson originated as a wildling found about 1794 in a hedge on the land of Jonathan Tyson, Jenkintown, Penn. The tree first bore fruit in 1800. The pears proved to be so good that Mr. Tyson distributed scions among his neighbors, but the variety was not generally disseminated. About 1837, a Doctor Mease of Philadelphia sent cions to B. V. French, Braintree, near Boston, who in turn distributed them among his friends. The variety fruited here about 1842, and the fruit was exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society under the name Tyson. In 1848, at the National Convention of Fruit Growers, Tyson was recommended for general cultivation, and since that date the name has appeared continuously in the catalog of the American Pomological Society.
Tree very large, vigorous, upright-spreading, tall, dense-topped, hardy, productive; trunk very stocky, rough; branches thick, dull reddish-brown, overspread with gray scarf-skin, with few lenticels; branchlets slender, short, light brown mingled with green, smooth, glabrous, sprinkled with few small, inconspicuous lenticels. Leaf-buds small, short, conical, pointed, plump, appressed or free. Leaves 22, in. long, ill in. wide, thin; apex abruptl pointed; margin finely and shallowly serrate; petiole 5, in. long. Flower-buds small, short, conical, pointed, plump, free, singly on short spurs; flowers medium in season of bloom. Fruit matures in late August; medium in size, 2 .1 in. long, 1 in. wide, roundish-acute-pyriform, with unequal sides; stem 13 in. long, curved; cavity very shallow, obtuse, round, usually drawing up as a lip about the base of the stem; calyx open, small, lobes separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin shallow, narrow, flaring, slightly furrowed, compressed; skin tough, smooth, slightly russeted, dull; color deep yellow, usually blushed; dots numerous, very small, obscure; flesh tinged with yellow, granular around the basin, otherwise rather fine-grained, tender and melting, very juicy, sweet, aromatic; quality very good. Core small, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube, short, wide, conical, seeds medium in size and width, plump, acute. The flesh is melting and Juicy, with a spicy, scented sweetness that gives the fruit the charm of individuality. -- U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York, 1921. Graft compatible on quince

*WHITE DOYENNE Leroy (1869) gives 33 synonyms for this variety and Ragan (1908) gives 60. Full description and color plate in Hedrick (1921). Origin of this ancient variety is uncertain. Agostino Gallo mentioned it as early as 1559. Although questioned by more recent authorities, the German author, Henri Munger, was of the opinion that White Doyenne was the variety referred to by Pliny as Sementinum. The variety is said to have been brought to America by the early French Huguenots. --- Fruit medium in size, ovate-obtuse-pyriform in shape. Skin smooth, waxy, straw-colored, numerous inconspicuous green dots, attractive. Flesh somewhat granular, somewhat buttery at maturity, moderately juicy. Sweet, aromatic flavor but lacks somewhat in dessert quality. Midseason. Tree fairly vigorous, willowy in habit, strong, productive, moderately susceptible to blight. White Doyenne is a cosmopolitan variety, appearing to thrive under a wide range of conditions. Lack of top dessert quality, however, ha prevented it from becoming a leading commercial sort. -- H. Hartman 1957. White Doyenne. France. Downing says 'Unquestionably one of the most perfect of autumn pears.' Where White Doyenne succeeds, it is always best. Unfortunately it cracks and is otherwise imperfect some seasons. Its numerous synonyms (60 all told) indicate its great popularity.
This pear in the opinion of many good judges, is on a par for excellence of flavour with the Seckle - it is large, fair, handsome, melting, juicy and delicately flavored; to have it in perfection, it should be gathered before fully ripe when it begins to turn yellow, and be kept some time in the house, or otherwise it will lose much of its juicy and melting qualities; it is round and rather oblong in shape, somewhat diminished towards the stem, which is short and thick; the flesh white and singularl cold, the skin a bright yellow, sometimes with a blush, at other times covered with a bright russet - it is in season from the beginning of September to the first part of November, when carefully preserved, by gathering with the hand in dry weather; it is a never failing and abundant bearer, and produces fruit at an early age - the tree is of small size; this is the same with the Doyenne, or Deans pear,and is probably more extensively cultivated tha any pear in our country - this fruit is very erroneously called the Virgouleuse in New York, and East Jersey; the Virgouleuse is a late winter pear. -- W. Coxe, A view of the cultivation of fruit trees, 1817. Graft compatible on quince

Nijisseiki ( Twentieth Century, Er Shi Shinge in China) (PI 224196).--Originated in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan in 1888 by Kakunosuke Matsudo. Chance seedling, introduced in 1898. Fruit: medium-large, 66 mm diam., 55 mm long, globose-oblate; smooth skin, greenish-yellow to yellow, semi-glossy, inconspicuous lenticels; crisp white flesh, juicy, sweet, bland; ripe mid-August, just after Chojuro; stores 20 weeks. Tree: medium, upright becoming spreading, productive. Good pollinator for other Asian pears. Must thin for good fruit size, susceptible to black spot. The standard against which other Japanese pears are compared. Has been referred to as the 'Queen of Japanese Pears' because of its excellent quality. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties. Fruit medium in size, roundish or oblate in form, long stem. Golden yellow in color. Flesh white, fairly juicy, potato-like in texture. Very gritty and poor in dessert quality. Tree vigorous, productive, definitely Oriental in character, moderately susceptible to fire blight. -- H. Hartman 1957

*Tse Li (Tsú Li) (PI 312509).--Grown in Shantung Province, Northern China for thousands of years. Fruit: large, 75 mm diam., 89 mm long, ovate-pyriform with no distinct neck, irregular, lumpy; yellow with large prominent tan lenticels; crisp, juicy, sweet, trace of tartness, distinct aroma; ripe mid-late September in Oregon, 4 weeks after Nijisseiki; stores 25 weeks at 0 C. Tree: large, upright, very early bloom, requires early blooming pollinator such as Ya Li. Cold hardy yet low chilling requirement, about 350-500 hours. -- Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties.
Description: This plant can be found in northern and northeastern China, eastern Siberia, Manchuria, Korea, Amurland, and Ussuri. It is an old and famous cultivar in Shantung Province of Northeastern China. In the United States, Tse Li receives much attention due to its tendency to be resistant to fire-blight. However, because of its slow growth rate the USDA discouraged its use. The tree is large, vigorous, dense, and moderately productive. The fruit varies in size and shape. It can be found as ovate-pyriform in longitudinal section and circular to angular in transverse section. The tree is self-incompatible and self-unfruitful in most years. It requires cross-pollination for commercial fruit-set, and Ya Li pollen appears to serve this purpose best.

*Pai Li originated from Honan, China. The fruits are large, pyriform, and greenish yellow. The flesh is granular, juicy, with a fair quality. The trees are vigorous. In Chico, California, Pai Li season begins early in August. -- Pu Fu Shen. 1989.
Pai Li is probably the most popular pear among the Chinese in north China, and is it is also very highly regarded by all foreigners. The sweet flavor of this variety especially appeals to the Chinese, and it must also be added that most Chinese do not care for the tart and sub-acid fruits which we regard so highly in this country... The Pai Li is medium in size, usually 1.5 to 2 inches, although occasionally 2.5 inches in diameter. It is roundish or slightly oblate in shape. The color is a light lemon yellow, with many small inconspicuous cinnamon dots; and the skin is smooth, shiny and quite thin. The calyx is deciduous in about 80% of the fruits and persistent or partly so, in the remainder. At picking time, the flesh is firm, but becomes mellow, tender and is juicy whent ready to eat. No grit cells are noticeable except around the core as in the European pears. The flavor is sweet and very agreeable. In quality, it compares very well with the better European pears. It is an excellent keeper and can be obtained on the Peking market from October to the first of March.
In north China this is often known as the 'Peking Pear' as it is very papular at Peking and many other markets obtain their supply there. It is also extensively grown in the neighborhood of that city. This should prove a valuable pear for home use in local markets in America. It should also prove of value in breeding work, as it is of excellent quality and a splendid keeper, an possibly also in breeding blight resistant varieties as it appears to be a hybrid with P. ussuriensis as one of its parents. -- F.C. Reimer. 1919. Report of a trip to the Orient to collect and study Oriental pears.

Ya Li ( “Duck Pear”) (PI 506362).--Orig. unknown. Old cultivar from Northeast China. Fruit: large, 70 mm diam., 82 mm long, globular-pyriform, neck may be obscure; light green to yellow, clean, waxy, small lenticels, free of russet; white flesh is crisp, juicy, sweet, fragrant; stem curved, often fleshy and off-center; ripe mid-late September in Oregon; stores 24 weeks. Tree: large, upright, vigorous, very early bloom, requires early pollinator. Cold hardy yet low chilling requirement, about 350-500 hours. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties.
Ya Li is commonly cultivated in Shansi, Hopeh, Shantung, and Honan Provinces of Northeastern China. The tree is large, vigorous, spreading, dense, and productive. The bark is smooth with dark, greenish-brown under-color overlaid with thin, shedding, grayish-white cork tissue. Petioles of young leaves may have one or more needle-like stipules on ventral side near the base of the blade that slough off as the leaves age. Ya Li cultivar is self-incompatible and self-unfruitful in most years. It requires cross-pollination to yield fruits at commercial magnitude. Such cross-pollination can be accomplished with Twentieth Century, Kikusui, Chojuro, Bartlett, Shinseiki, or Tsu Li to yield good fruit-sets.
(Note - Ya Li is probably my #2 favorite Asian pear, close second to Chojuro - Lucky)

The WV releases:
SHENANDOAH is the third fire blight-resistant pear developed by Agricultural Research Service horticulturist, Richard Bell. This variety has recently been released. The luscious new pear will appeal to consumers who enjoy rich-tasting fruit, because its higher-than-average acidity gives it a snappy flavor. Shenandoah's relatively high acidity is balanced with a high level of sugars that makes it sweet. Sweet and juicy, Shenandoah pear boasts an appealing taste and texture, stores well--if properly chilled--for about four months. Shenandoah matures in September, about four weeks after the widely grown Bartlett variety.

BLAKE'S PRIDE PEAR is a new pear variety that offers great taste and fireblight resistance. Dr. Richard Bell, horticulturist at the ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville, WV, evaluated Blake's Pride. According to Bell, Blake's Pride has two distinct advantages that should help it gain favor in the market. First, it has an aromatic, rich flavor and a juicy flesh texture that appeals to consumers. Second, it has a high degree of resistance to fireblight. Blake's Pride is moderate in size, averaging almost 3 inches in diameter, with a short, upright stem. The skin color is yellow to light golden, with a glossy finish and a smooth, light tan russet that covers about 25% of the fruit surface. It harvests about three weeks after Bartlett and can store in air storage for at least three months without core breakdown. Moderate in vigor and upright-spreading. Yield is moderate to high, with the first crop three to four years after planting.

This one has sure been damned with faint praise every where I read. POTOMAC was released by USDA as a pear variety in 1993. It is a hybrid derived from the Moonglow and Anjou cross. It is the highest quality fireblight resistant variety available. The skin is light green and glossy, and the flesh is moderately fine with a flavor similar to the Anjou pear. It is a small, sweet pear with fine, buttery flesh. It has a subacid flavor with a mild aroma. The tree is moderately vigorous and is the highest quality fireblight resistant variety available. Ripens two weeks after Bartlett; keeps 8-10 weeks in refrigerated storage. Hardy in Zones 5-8.