100 



RIEHL BEST 



SECKEL 



growth until well established in the orchard, 

 after which they become of medium size but 

 very vigorous. The branches droop as do 

 those of Winter Nelis, although not so marked- 

 Jy. The variety is nearly blight-proof. Reeder 

 is a seedling raised about 1855 by Dr. Henry 

 Reeder, Varick, New York, from seed of 

 Winter Nelis. 



Tree spreading, becoming drooping with age, open- 

 topped, productive ; trunk and branches medium in 

 thickness and smoothness ; branches zigzag, reddish- 

 brown, sprinkled with numerous lenticels. Leaves 2% 

 inches long, IVfc inches wide, leathery; apex taper- 

 pointed ; margin crenate to nearly entire, petiole 2 

 inches long, tinged with red ; stipules few, very small, 

 reddish-green. Flowers H4 inches across, in dense clus- 

 ters, average 9 buds in a cluster. Fruit ripe October- 

 November ; small, averaging 1% inches long, 1% inches 

 wide, globular-obtuse-pyriform, ribbed and irregular ; 

 stem 1 % inches long, slender, curved ; cavity a very 

 small depression in which is inserted the base of the 

 stem, symmetrical ; calyx large, open ; lobes separated 

 at the base, long, narrow, reflexed, acuminate ; basin 

 shallow and narrow, smooth ; skin thick, smooth, tender ; 

 color dull greenish-yellow, mottled and streaked with 

 russet, blushed faintly on the exposed cheek with 

 brownish-red ; dots few, small, obscure, greenish or 

 russet ; flesh white, granular toward the center but fine- 

 grained near the skin, tender, somewhat stringy, very 

 juicy, aromatic ; quality good ; core large, closed, with 

 clasping core-lines ; calyx-tube long, narrow, funnel- 

 shaped ; seeds unusually large, wide, long, plump, acute. 



RIEHL BEST. Riehl Best is as nearly 

 blight-proof as any other European pear. It 

 might well be tried in localities where stand- 

 ard sorts cannot be raised because of blight, 

 and is worth growing in breeding work as a 

 parent to obtain blight-resistant varieties. The 

 pears are unattractive in appearance, but are 

 excellent in quality. The flesh is juicy, tender, 

 vinous, free from grittiness and seldom rots at 

 the core. The trees are hardy to heat and 

 cold and bear annually. This pear was dis- 

 covered by Edwin H. Riehl, Godfrey, Illinois. 

 It is probable that Riehl Best is an old Euro- 

 pean pear renamed. 



Tree large, vigorous, upright, dense-topped, rapid- 

 growing, productive ; trunk stocky ; branches thick, light 

 reddish-brown, marked with numerous large lenticels. 

 Leaves 3 inches long, 1 % inches wide, thick ; apex 

 abruptly pointed ; margin glandless, variable in serra- 

 tions ; petiole 2 inches long. Flowers 1% inches across, 

 in dense clusters, average 6 buds in a cluster. Fruit 

 ripens in October; medium in size, 2% inches long, 2 

 inches wide, obovate-conic-pyriform, irregular, with 

 unequal sides ; stem 1 % inches long ; cavity very shallow 

 and narrow or lacking, the flesh drawn up in a lip on 

 one side of the stem ; calyx open ; lobes separated at 

 the base, broad, obtuse ; basin obtuse, furrowed ; skin 

 thick, roughened with russet ; color dull yellow, overlaid 

 with patches of russet, with distinct russet dots and 

 with a faint trace of red on the cheek next the sun ; 

 dots numerous, russet, conspicuous ; flesh tinged with 

 .yellow, granular under the skin, tender, moderately 

 juicy, vinous ; quality good ; core large, closed, axile, 

 with meeting core-lines ; calyx-tube short, wide, conical ; 

 carpels ovate ; seeds medium in size, width, and plump- 

 ness, obtuse. 



ROOSEVELT. This variety is still on 

 probation in America, with the chances strongly 

 against it proving worthy of general cultiva- 

 tion. The fruits are too small, too poorly 

 colored, and too poor in quality to compete 

 with those of a score of other sorts of the 

 same season. The core is remarkably small, 

 and the seeds are few and small, but these 

 are insufficient merits to count against the 



several defects named. The tree is robust and 

 generally satisfactory. In Europe the variety 

 was heralded as a most remarkable sort one 

 "destined to bring about a revolution in pear- 

 growing." It may be worth further trial in 

 this country. This pear was introduced in 

 1905 by the noted French pomologist Charles 

 Baltet, Troyes, France. 



Tree medium to large, vigorous, very upright, dense- 

 topped, rapid-growing ; trunk slender, smooth ; branches 

 slender, smooth, glossy, reddish-brown, marked with 

 numerous, small, raised lenticels ; branchlets character- 

 istically thick, with blunt ends. Leaves 3 inches long, 

 1% inches wide, stiff; apex taper-pointed; margin 

 usually glandless, finely serrate to almost entire ; petiole 

 2 inches long, slender, curved. Flowers with a dis- 

 agreeable odor, early, showy, 1% inches across, in dense 

 clusters, average 7 buds in a cluster. Fruit ripens in 

 late September and October ; medium in size, about 

 2 %e inches in length and width, roundish-obtuse- 

 pyriform, symmetrical ; stem 1 inch long, thick ; cavity 

 very shallow or lacking, faintly lipped ; calyx very open, 

 large ; lobes separated at the base, narrow, acute ; basin 

 shallow, wide, obtuse, smooth, symmetrical ; skin thick, 

 tough, smooth, dull ; color pale lemon-yellow, mottled 

 somewhat and netted with russet, with the faintest trace 

 of a blush ; dots numerous, small, light russet, obscure ; 

 flesh very light salmon, fine-grained except at the center 

 which is slightly granular, tender and melting, very 

 juicy, mildly sweet, without much character ; quality 

 medium ; core small, closed, axile, with clasping core- 

 lines ; calyx-tube long, very wide, conical ; carpels 

 cordate ; seeds wide, acute. 



RUTTER. Rutter is a most excellent late 

 autumn variety. The pears are good or very 

 good in quality, attractive, keep well, ship 

 well, and sell well to those who know the va- 

 riety. The trees have a combination of good 

 characters that commend them most highly. 

 Thus, they are comparatively immune to 

 blight; enormously productive, though they 

 have a tendency to bear every other year; 

 bear early, grow rapidly, live long, and are 

 hardy. The fruits hang exceptionally well to 

 the trees, so that the variety is a valuable one 

 for exposed situations. The variety can be 

 recommended for both home and market plan- 

 tations. This variety was raised by John 

 Rutter, West Chester, Pennsylvania, from seed 

 of Leon Leclerc about sixty years ago. 



Tree large, vigorous, upright, dense-topped, rapid- 

 growing, productive ; trunk stocky ; branches thick, 

 reddish-brown, sprinkled with very conspicuous lenticels. 

 Leaves 3 % inches long, 1 % inches wide, thick, leathery ; 

 apex taper-pointed ; margin nearly glandless, almost 

 entire ; petiole 2 inches long, glabrous, reddish-green. 

 Flowers very showy, 1% inches across, almost in racemes, 

 6 or 8 buds in a cluster. Fruit matures in late October 

 and early November ; large, 3 % inches long, 3 inches 

 wide, roundish-obtuse-pyriform, with a very thick, blunt 

 neck, with unequal sides ; stem % inch long, thick, 

 woody ; cavity acuminate, unusually large, deep, russeted, 

 occasionally furrowed and wrinkled, slightly lipped ; 

 calyx small, open ; lobes separated at the base, short, 

 narrow, acute ; basin deep, obtuse, smooth, symmetrical ; 

 skin thick, gritty, roughish, dull ; color yellow over- 

 spread with light-colored russet, mottled and flecked 

 with russet ; dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous ; 

 flesh whitish, granular at the center, tender and melting, 

 juicy, aromatic, sweet but refreshing ; quality good to 

 very good ; core small, closed, abaxile, with meeting 

 core-lines ; calyx-tube long, conical ; seeds small, almost 

 roundish, plump, obtuse. 



SECKEL. Fig. 94. Among the several hun- 

 dred pears that are or have been grown on this 

 side of the Atlantic, Seckel stands almost alone 

 in vigor of tree, productiveness, and immunity 



