428 YEAKBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGKICULTURE. 



AYER PEAR. 



[PLATK LII.] 



EARLY HISTORY. 



The Ayer pear originated about 30 years ago, as a chance seedling 

 which came up in a vineyard owned by Mr. O. H. Ayer, near Sibley, 

 Douglas County, Kans. The small seedling tree had made a growth 

 of only two or three leaves when discovered. Mr. Ayer had a spade 

 with him at the time and transplanted it at once to a point just out- 

 side the vineyard, where it is still standing. 1 It was much neglected 

 for some years and was rather late in coming into bearing, not fruit- 

 ing until it was about 10 years old. 



The tree is a rather slow, upright grower, similar to the Bartlett 

 tree in form, but the foliage is dark colored like that of the Seckel. 

 The owner is inclined to think it is a seedling of the latter, as 

 a tree of that variety stood only a few rods distant from the place 

 where the original tree first appeared. His assumption is that some 

 one in passing through the vineyard while eating a Seckel pear from 

 the nearby tree of that variety threw the core on the ground, and that 

 the tree in question grew from one of the seeds which it contained. 

 It has been propagated to a very limited extent, but not disseminated 

 commercially. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Form obovate; size medium; cavity irregular, medium to large, 

 depth medium, slope rather gradual, marked with russet folds or 

 wrinkles; stem of medium length, moderately stout; basin regular, 

 medium in size and depth, slope gradual, with shallow corrugations 

 and russet markings; calyx segments short, sometimes rather fleshy, 

 converging or slightly reflexed ; eye medium, open or partially closed ; 

 surface somewhat undulating, moderately smooth, with some russeted 

 areas; color light greenish or pale lemon yellow, frequently with a 

 light-scarlet blush on exposed side; dots numerous, minute, russet; 

 skin thin; flesh whitish or yellowish white, fine grained, buttery, 

 melting, juicy; core oval, clasping, of medium size, closed; flavor 

 mild subacid, rich ; quality very good, fairly comparable with Seckel. 

 Season in eastern Kansas the last of July and early August two or 

 three weeks earlier than the Bartlett. 



From Mr. Ayer's observation of this variety he is inclined to think 

 it is self -sterile. Up to the present time the tree has shown no 

 tendency to blight, its rather slow habit of growth favoring it in this 

 respect. In productiveness it is said to be about equal to the Bartlett. 



Though the range of adaptability of this variety has not been 

 determined, the high quality of the fruit and the degree of blight 



1 Letters from Mr. O. H. Ayer, November, 1911. 



