THE PEARS OF NEW YORK 1 83 



Fruit ripens in September and October; medium in size, 25 in. long, 25 in. wide, obovate- 

 obtuse-pyriform; stem J in. long, thick, usually curved, fleshy at the point of insertion in 

 the fruit; cavity obtuse, shallow, slightly furrowed, occasionally lipped; calyx partly open; 

 lobes separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin shallow, gently furrowed, usually 

 symmetrical; skin granular, tender, roughish; color yellow, sprinkled and netted with russet, 

 with a thin brownish-red blush on the exposed cheek; dots numerous, grayish or russet, 

 small, conspicuous; flesh white, granular, tender and melting, sweet, aromatic; quality 

 good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds wide, 

 long, plump, acute. 



KOONCE 



I. III. Horl. Soc. Rpi. 159. 1889. 3. Ibid. 55. 1895. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 44. 1897. 4. Budd- 

 Hansen Am. Hort. Man. 2:251. 1903. 5. Chico Nut. Cat. 12. 1904. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 41. 1909. 

 7. Ont. Dept. Agr. Fr. Ont. 168. 1914. 



Koonce is a popular early variety grown rather commonly in nearly 

 every pear region in the United States. It is listed by nearly all nursery- 

 men. Its tree-characters are more notable than those of its fruits. The 

 trees make a splendid showing in the nursery and are hardy and productive 

 in the orchard, although of but medium size and rather straggling at 

 maturity. The pears are better in quality than those of Early Harvest 

 or Lawson, with which it often competes, but are hardly as attractive in 

 appearance, being rather small and often irregular in shape. The color 

 is unusually bright, especially on the red cheek. The pears decay quickly 

 after maturity and are suitable only for home and local markets. 



This pear originated in southern Illinois but no one seems to know by 

 whom, or at what time, or in what locality in the State. The variety 

 has been grown for more than thirty years. The American Pomological 

 Society added Koonce to its list of fruits in 1909. 



Tree medium in size and vigor, upright-spreading, scraggly, open-topped, hardy, 

 productive; trunk shaggy; branches zigzag, dark brownish-red, covered with thick grayish 

 scarf-skin, with few lenticels; branchlets thick, long, with long intemodes, dull light brown, 

 smooth, glabrous, sprinkled with small, raised, elongated lenticels. 



Leaf -buds small, short, conical, pointed, plump, appressed; leaf-scars prominent. 

 Leaves 2\ in. long, i\ in. wide, stiff; apex taper-pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; 

 petiole 1 3 in. long. Flower-buds short, obtuse or conical, plump, free; flowers showy, 

 1 5 in. across, in dense clusters, average 5 buds in a cluster; pedicels f in. long, slender, 

 pubescent. 



Fruit ripens in August; medium in size, 25 in. long, 25 in. wide, obovate-obtuse- 

 pyriform, with unequal sides; stem ij in. long, thick; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, com- 

 pressed, lipped or often drawn up in a wrinkled fold about the base of the stem; calyx 

 open; lobes separated at the base, narrow, acuminate; basin obtuse, gently furrowed; 

 skin thick, tough, roughish; color pale greenish-yellow, with a dull reddish-brown blush 



