COLONEL WILDER 



DANA HOVEY 



ing. The variety shows a predilection for 

 heavy soils, and the trees may be set on the 

 heaviest clays. Clapp Favorite is desirable 

 wherever pears are grown in America and is 

 one of the half-dozen leading sorts of the 

 country. This variety originated with Thad- 

 deus Clapp, Dorchester, Massachusetts, but 

 the date of its origin is uncertain. It 

 was mentioned as a promising new fruit in 

 1860. 



Tree large, upright-spreading, round-topped, produc- 

 tive ; trunk stocky, rough ; branches characteristically 

 shaggy, zigzag, reddish-brown, marked by few small, 

 roundish, raised lenticels. Leaves 2^ inches long, 1% 

 inches wide, oval, leathery ; apex taper-pointed ; margin 

 glandular, finely serrate ; petiole 2 inches long. Flowers 

 very showy, 1% inches across, large, well distributed, 

 averaging 7 buds in a cluster. Fruit ripe in late 

 August and early September ; large, 4 inches long, 

 3 J /4 inches wide, obovate-obtuse-pyriform, symmetrical ; 

 stem 1 Vi inches long, thick, curved, fleshy ; cavity shal- 

 low, narrow, lipped, with a fleshy ring around the stem ; 

 calyx large, open ; lobes separated at the base, narrow, 

 acuminate, erect and very stiff ; basin shallow, wide, 

 obtuse, wrinkled ; skin thick, tough, smooth, glossy ; 

 color pale lemon-yellow, mottled and dotted with bright 

 red, deepening in highly colored specimens to a crimson 

 blush, with faint traces of russet ; dots numerous, small, 

 russet, conspicuous ; flesh tinged with yellow, very 

 granular and gritty at the center, tender and melting, 

 buttery, juicy, sweet, rich, vinous, aromatic ; quality 

 very good ; core large, closed, with clasping core-lines ; 

 calyx-tube long, narrow, funnel-shaped ; seeds medium 

 in size and width, plump. 



COLONEL WILDER. Colonel Wilder 

 originated in California and was once a favorite 

 there, but is now 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 competi- 

 tion with Beurre d'Anjou, however, the season 

 and fruits of the two being very similar, but 

 the trees of Colonel Wilder were so greatly 

 outmatched by those of Beurre d'Anjou that 

 the new variety is less and less planted in the 

 East. Perhaps it is worth preserving in pear 

 collections for the sake of variety. This pear 

 was raised by Bernard S. Fox of San Jose, 

 California, about 1870. 



Tree medium in size, spreading and drooping, open- 

 topped, an uncertain bearer ; trunk shaggy ; branches 

 stocky, very rough, reddish-brown, marked with many 

 lenticels. Leaves 2*4 inches long, 1^4 inches wide, 

 narrow, short, oval, leathery ; apex abruptly pointed ; 

 margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 2% inches long, 

 slender, pale green or yellowish, sometimes with a tinge 

 of pink. Blossoms open very late ; flowers 1 *4 inches 

 across, in dense clusters, 7 or 8 buds in a cluster. 

 Fruit in season late December to February ; large, 3 

 inches long, 2% inches wide, uniform in size, ribbed, 

 oblong-obovate-pyriform, with unequal sides ; stem % 

 inch 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. Once a favorite in eastern 

 United States, Columbia is planted now only 

 in collections. When pear-growing was being 



attempted in the southern states, before the 

 advent of Kieffer, Garber, and Le Conte, Co- 

 lumbia was the most dependable sort for the 

 South. The pears are not attractive in ap- 

 pearance, nor remarkably good in quality, but 

 the trees are vigorous, healthy and very fruit- 

 ful, although they come in bearing late. This 

 variety must not be confused with the Co- 

 lumbia now listed in many catalogs, the proper 

 name of which is Barseck. The original seed- 

 ling grew on the farm of a Mr. Casser, West- 

 chester County, New York. In 1835 stock 

 was propagated from the original tree, which 

 was then fifteen inches in diameter. 



Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, hardy, very- 

 productive ; trunk stocky, rough ; branches thick, rough 

 and shaggy, dull brownish-red, marked with round 

 lenticels. Leaves 3 J /4 inches long, 1% inches wide, 

 long-oval, thin ; apex abruptly pointed ; margin finely 

 serrate, usually tipped with very small glands ; petiole 

 2 ^4 inches long. Blossoms late ; flowers 1 % inches 

 across, very showy, in dense clusters, 9 to 12 buds in a 

 cluster. Fruit ripe from late November to January 

 large, 3 inches long, 2% inches wide, uniform in size 

 oblong-obovate-pyriform, broad at the middle, unequa 

 sides, uniform in general shape ; stem 1 inch long 

 curved, thick ; cavity obtuse, very shallow and narrow 

 smooth ; calyx partly open, large ; lobes narrow, ac.umi 

 nate ; basin shallow, obtuse, slightly wrinkled ; skin 

 thick, granular, tough, rough, dull ; color yellowish- 

 green, frequently with a dotted, dull red blush on the 

 exposed cheek ; dots many, of various colors, conspicu- 

 ous ; flesh yellowish-white, firm, granular, rather tough, 

 very juicy, sweet, aromatic and rich ; quality good ; 

 core large, closed, with clasping core-lines ; calyx-tube 

 wide, conical ; seeds narrow, very long, often flattened 

 and abortive, acuminate. 



COMICE: See Doyenne du Cornice. 



DANA HOVEY. Dana Hovey is a deli- 

 cious little dessert pear, so juicy, sweet, and 

 rich that it is a veritable sweetmeat. It is 

 one of the best pears to succeed Seckel; the 

 fruits come in season about the middle of No- 

 vember and keep from six weeks to two 

 months. The flavor is that of Winter Nelis 

 with a smack of Seckel. The pears are more 

 brightly colored than those of Seckel, and 

 are larger so that the fruits are more attractive. 

 The trees are hardy, vigorous, and thrive on 

 various soils, but are only moderately pro- 

 ductive and are somewhat susceptible to blight. 

 Dana Hovey is one of few winter pears with 

 fruits of high quality, for which reason it is 

 very desirable for home use and ought to have 

 value in commercial plantations. Francis Dana, 

 Roxbury, Massachusetts, introduced this pear 

 about 1854 under the name Dana's Hovey in 

 honor of C. M. Hovey, author of The Fruits of 

 America. 



Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, rapid-growing, 

 productive ; trunk stocky ; branches reddish-brown, 

 marked by few small lenticels. Leaves 3^4 inches long, 

 2% inches wide, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin 

 glandless or with few reddish glands, finely serrate ; 

 petiole short, stocky, 1% inches long, glabrous. Flowers 

 1% inches across, in dense clusters, average 8 buds in 

 a cluster. Fruit matures in late October and November ; 

 medium in size, 2% inches long, 2^ inches wide, 

 obovate-obtuse-pyriform, symmetrical, uniform ; stem % 

 inch long, slender ; cavity abrupt, shallow, very small, 

 narrow, slightly lipped ; calyx partly open, smfill ; 

 lobes short, narrow, acute ; basin shallow, narrow, obtuse, 

 smooth, symmetrical ; skin thin, tender, smooth ; color 

 golden-yellow, covered with thin russet ; dots numerous, 



