THE PEARS OF NEW YORK 183 
Fruit ripens in September and October; medium in size, 23 in. long, 2§ in. wide, obovate- 
obtuse-pyriform; stem } in. long, thick, usually curved, fleshy at the point of insertion in 
the fruit; cavity obtuse, shallow, slightly furrowed, occasionally lipped; calyx partly open; 
lobes separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin shallow, gently furrowed, usually 
symmetrical; skin granular, tender, roughish; color yellow, sprinkled and netted with russet, 
with a thin brownish-red blush on the exposed cheek; dots numerous, grayish or russet, 
small, conspicuous; flesh white, granular, tender and melting, sweet, aromatic; quality 
good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds wide, 
long, plump, acute. 
KOONCE 
1. Il]. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 159. 1889. 2. Ibid. 55. 1895. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 44. 1897. 4. Budd- 
Hansen Am. Hort. Man. 2:251. 1903. §. Chico Nur. Cat.12. 1904. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 41. 1909. 
7. Ont. Dept. Agr. Fr. Ont. 168. 1914. 
Koonce is a popular early variety grown rather commonly in nearly 
every pear region in the United States. It is listed by nearly all nursery- 
men. Its tree-characters are more notable than those of its fruits. The 
trees make a splendid showing in the nursery and are hardy and productive 
in the orchard, although of but medium size and rather straggling at 
maturity. The pears are better in quality than those of Early Harvest 
or Lawson, with which it often competes, but are hardly as attractive in 
appearance, being rather small and often irregular in shape. The color 
is unusually bright, especially on the red cheek. The pears decay quickly 
after maturity and are suitable only for home and local markets. 
This pear originated in southern Illinois but no one seems to know by 
whom, or at what time, or in what locality in the State. The variety 
has been grown for more than thirty years. The American Pomological 
Society added Koonce to its list of fruits in 1909. 
Tree medium in size and vigor, upright-spreading, scraggly, open-topped, hardy, 
productive; trunk shaggy; branches zigzag, dark brownish-red, covered with thick grayish 
scarf-skin, with few lenticels; branchlets thick, long, with long internodes, dull light brown, 
smooth, glabrous, sprinkled with small, raised, elongated lenticels. 
Leaf-buds small, short, conical, pointed, plump, appressed; leaf-scars prominent. 
Leaves 23 in. long, 13 in. wide, stiff; apex taper-pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; 
petiole 1} in. long. Flower-buds short, obtuse or conical, plump, free; flowers showy, 
1} in. across, in dense clusters, average 5 buds in a cluster; pedicels 7 in. long, slender, 
pubescent. 
Fruit ripens in August; medium in size, 2§ in. long, 2} in. wide, obovate-obtuse- 
pyriform, with unequal sides; stem 1 in. long, thick; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, com- 
pressed, lipped or often drawn up in a wrinkled fold about the base of the stem; calyx 
open; lobes separated at the base, narrow, acuminate; basin obtuse, gently furrowed; 
skin thick, tough, roughish; color pale greenish-yellow, with a dull reddish-brown blush 
