186 THE PEARS OF NEW YORK 
Tree of medium size, vigorous, spreading, with drooping branches, very hardy, produc- 
tive; trunk shaggy; branches smooth, zigzag, reddish-brown mingled with ash-gray scarf- 
skin, with numerous large lenticels; branchlets reddish-brown, glossy, smooth, glabrous, 
with slightly raised, conspicuous lenticels. ‘ 
Leaf-buds short, obtuse, plump, nearly free. Leaves 23 in. long, 1} in. wide, oval, 
leathery; margin finely serrate; petiole 13 in. long, slender; stipules rudimentary. Flower- 
buds hardy, conical or pointed, free; flowers open early, 1 in. across, in rather dense clusters, 
from 8 to 12 buds in a cluster; pedicels 7 in. long, lightly pubescent, greenish. 
Fruit ripe November to December; medium in size, 23 in. long, 2} in. wide, uniform 
in size and shape, obovate-obtuse-pyriform, generally symmetrical; stem 1 in. long, thick, 
slightly curved; cavity small, obtuse, shallow, narrow, russeted, furrowed and irregular, 
often lipped; calyx large, partly open; lobes separated at the base, long, broad, acute; 
basin wide, obtuse, furrowed and sometimes corrugated; skin thick and granular, tough, 
roughish; color lemon-yellow, marked with occasional patches of russet and with a faint 
russet-red blush on the exposed cheek; dots numerous, small, russet, inconspicuous; flesh 
yellowish-white, firm, granular, tender and melting when fully mature, juicy, rich, sweet; 
quality very good. Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, 
conical; seeds large, long, plump, acute. 
LAWSON 
1. Rural N. Y. 43:651, fig. 385. 1884. 2. Gard. Mon. 27:282. 1885. 3. Rural N. Y. 44:693. 
1885. 4. Gard. & For. 5:414. 1892. 5. Van Lindley Cat. 22. 1892. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 36. 1899. 
7. Ont. Dept. Agr. Fr. Ont. 168. 1914. 8. Cal. Com. Hort. Pear Grow. Cal. 7:266, fig. 67. 1918. 
Comet. 9. Gard. Mon. 272144. 1885. 
Cometbirne. 10. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 198. 1889. 
Of all early pears, the fruit of Lawson best satisfies the eye for bright 
colors. It is as brightly colored as the brilliant Vermont Beauty or as 
Mount Vernon. Another outstanding character is the small core, which, 
though the pears ripen early and quickly, seldom softens unduly. The 
pears are sometimes nearly or quite seedless. Unfortunately, the fruits 
are often irregular in shape, and in quality are never more than mediocre. 
The tree’is fairly healthy, vigorous, hardy, and free from blight, and is 
characterized by its tall, upright growth. Although grown for more than 
a hundred years in New York, the variety has never made headway in 
this State, but seems to be attracting much attention on the Pacific slope. 
This pear originated on the farm of a Mr. Lawson in Ulster County, 
New York, about 1800, judging from the appearance of the original tree 
which was standing in 1900. The variety was introduced toward the 
end of the nineteenth century under the name Comet by reason of its 
color, so that it is sometimes known as Lawson Comet. The American 
Pomological Society added Lawson to its fruit-catalog in 1899. 
