THE PEARS OF NEW YORK 375 



Edle Sommerbirne. i. Oberdieck Obst-Sort. 327. 1881. 



Germany and Holland. Fruit small, pyrifonn and somewhat long-gourd-shaped, 

 smooth yellowish-green changing to yellow at maturity, with reddish-brown on the side 

 next the sun, dotted and speckled with gray; flesh fine, semi-melting, with a sweet, 

 agreeable, aromatic flavor of rose; good for dessert and first for kitchen use; Aug. 

 Edward Seedling St. Germain, i. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 754. 1869. 2. Mas Pom, Gen. 

 6:155, fig. 462. 1880. 



Raised by Dr. W. D. Brinckle", Philadelphia, Pa. Fruit medium or rather large, 

 globular-pyriform-obtuse, a little irregular in form, with its greatest diameter at the center; 

 skin somewhat thick and tender, intense green at first, sprinkled with grayish-black dots 

 changing at maturity to bright citron-yellow, some russet nettings and patches; flesh 

 whitish, semi-fine, slightly granular yet melting, full of saccharine juice, acidulous and 

 delicately perfumed; good; Oct. to Dec. 

 Erne Holt. I. J. Van Lindley Cat. 54. 1913. 



Said to have originated on the farm of L. W. Holt near Burlington, N. C. ; introduced by 

 J. Van Lindley Nursery Company about 1907. Tree healthy, thrifty. Fruit large, greenish- 

 yellow; flesh light yellow, rich, juicy; season about the same as Duchesse d'Angoul&ne. 

 Eliot Early, i. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 52. 1871. 2. Rural N. Y. 51:602, figs. 242, 243. 

 1892. 



Said to have been raised by Judge Charles Eliot of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, from 

 a cross between Madeleine and Doyenne" d'fite. Tree strong, vigorous, hardy, an early 

 and productive bearer. Fruit small, pyriform, pale greenish-yellow, brownish-red next 

 the sun; stem long, slender, curved; cavity small, russeted; calyx closed or partially open; 

 base small; flesh whitish, half-fine, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly perfumed; good to 

 very good; July. 



filisa d'Heyst. i. Mas Le Verger 1:99, fig. 56. 1866-73. 2 - Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:125, 

 fig. 1869. 



Obtained by Major Esp6ren of Mechlin, Bel. Fruit small but sometimes medium, 

 ovate, with an irregular outline, grass-green, dotted and stained with clear fawn; flesh 

 greenish, coarse, semi-melting, very gritty around the core; juice sweet, abundant, sugary, 

 slightly perfumed, little flavor; second; Mar. 



Elizabeth (Edwards), i. Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 5. 1843. 2 - Mag. Hort. 12:441, fig. 34. 

 1846. 



This pear was raised at New Haven, Conn., by Governor Edwards 1 and was first 



1 Henry Waggoman Edwards, at one time Governor of Connecticut, was a pioneer American pear 

 breeder credited with making the first systematic attempt to grow new pears in this country. He was 

 a grandson of the eminent theologian, Jonathan Edwards, was born at New Haven, Conn., in 1779, 

 graduated at Princeton College in 1797, studied law at the Litchfield School and almost immediately 

 entered into public life shortly to become prominent and famous in state and nation. He served Con- 

 necticut with honors as its Governor, and in the nation he distinguished himself as Representative in 

 the House from Connecticut, Speaker of the House and as Senator. But it is as a pomologist that his 

 career is of concern to the reader. Always interested in pomology, and no doubt especially interested 

 in pears through the spectacular work of Van Mons, he planted pear seeds in the fall of 1817 with the 

 aim of obtaining new and superior varieties of this fruit. Great success did not attend his attempts at 



