144 THE PEARS OF NEW YORK 



Colonel Wilder originated in California and was once a favorite there, 

 but is now reported as being little planted. At one time it was prominent 

 in eastern orchards because of its late season and large, handsome, well- 

 flavored fruits. The variety came in competition with Beurre d'Anjou, 

 however, the season and fruits of the two being similar, but the trees of 

 Colonel Wilder were so greatly outmatched by those of Beurre d'Anjou 

 that this variety is less and less planted in the East. Perhaps it is worth 

 preserving in pear collections for the sake of variety. 



This pear originated from seed sown by Bernard S. Fox, San Jose, 

 California, about 1870. It was named after Marshall P. Wilder, Boston, 

 Massachusetts. Just prior to his death Mr. Fox, in a letter to the editor 

 of the Rural Press, wrote of three pears, P. Barry, Fox, and Colonel Wilder, 

 as follows: "The list of pears is already large, and, unless something 

 extremely good is offered, there is no use adding to it. But, after many 

 years of trial here and elsewhere, I claim now, that, at their respective times 

 of ripening, there are no large pears superior to them in size, flavor, and 

 good shipping qualities." 



Tree medium in size, spreading and drooping, open-topped, hardy, an uncertain bearer; 

 trunk shaggy; branches stocky, roughish, reddish-brown nearly covered with gray scarf- 

 skin, marked with many lenticels; branchlets slender, willowy, light brown, with a slight 

 reddish tinge, smooth, glabrous, with few small, slightly raised, obscure lenticels.' 



Leaf-buds small, short, sharply pointed, free or slightly appressed. Leaves 2j in. long, 

 i\ in. wide, narrow, short, oval, leathery; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandless, finely 

 serrate; petiole 2j in. long, slender,, pale green or yellowish, sometimes with a tinge of pink; 

 stipules light greenish-yellow, with a pink tinge, Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, 

 free, arranged singly on very short spurs; blossoms open very late; flowers if in. across, 

 in dense clusters, 7 or S buds in a cluster; pedicels \ in. long, pubescent, greenish. 



Fruit in season, late December to February; large, 3 in. long, i\ in. wide, uniform in 

 size, ribbed, oblong-obovate-pyriform, with unequal sides; stem \ in. long, thick, curved; 

 cavity small, obtuse, shallow, narrow, furrowed, occasionally lipped; calyx large, open; 

 lobes separated at the base, narrow, acute; basin shallow, narrow, abrupt, usually smooth, 

 symmetrical ; skin thick, tough, rough, dull; color light yellow, often with a faint orange- 

 red blush on the exposed cheek, with nettings and markings of russet; dots numerous, 

 small, grayish and russet-colored, conspicuous; flesh yellowish-white, granular around the 

 core, melting, buttery, very juicy, sweet, aromatic, with a musky flavor; quality good. 

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

 plump, acute. 



COLUMBIA 



1. Mag. Horl. 2:37. 1836. 2. Kenrick Am. Orch. 159. 1841. 3. Mag. Hort. 9: 252, fig. 15. 1843. 

 4. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 430, fig. 198. 1845. 5. Horticulturist 1:20, 480, fig. 9. 1846-47. 6. Hovey 

 Fr. Am. 2:17, PI. 1851. 7. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 66. 1862. 8. Leroy Diet. Pom. 1:589, fig. 1867. 

 9. Pom. France 4: No. 140, PL 140. 1867. 10. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 725. 1869. 



