Alpha

Pear

Origin & History

A Belgian seedling raised by Van Mons at Louvain, Belgium. Named and described in the London Horticultural Society's catalog of fruits in 1842 (Hedrick, citing Mag. Hort. 9:123, 1843).

Tree

Vigorous and very productive. Well adapted for standard or half-standard (Hedrick).

Fruit

Size: Medium, or medium or below (Downing).

Form: Obovate, slightly oblong. Thomas describes it as pyriform, obovate, or Madeleine-shaped.

Stem: About an inch long, inserted in a slight depression (Downing). Thomas concurs the stalk is slightly sunk.

Cavity: Slight depression at the stalk insertion.

Calyx: Stiff, open, set in a round basin of moderate size (Downing). Thomas confirms the basin is moderate.

Basin: Round, moderate size.

Skin: Smooth, pale yellowish green, with a thin, pale brown blush and dotted with reddish points. Hedrick specifies the yellowish-green color appears on the shaded side, while the pale brown cheek speckled with minute reddish dots faces the sun. Thomas describes the blush as faint.

Flesh & Flavor: White, fine-grained, buttery. Quality ratings differ: Downing rates it "Good"; Thomas likewise "good"; Elliott quotes "very good"; Hedrick rates it "second quality dessert."

Core & Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

October.

Uses

Dessert pear (Hedrick).

Subtypes & Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Thomas notes the variety is illustrated as Fig. 667 in The American Fruit Culturist.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

Alpha. A Belgian seedling. Tree vigorous, productive. Fruit medium or below, obovate, slightly oblong. Skin smooth, pale, yellowish green, dotted with reddish points, and having a thin, pale brown blush. Stalk about an inch long, inserted in a slight depression. Calyx stiff, open, set in a round basin of moderate size. Flesh white, fine-grained, buttery. Good. October.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Alpha. 1. Mag. Hort. 9:123. 1843. Raised by Van Mons, Louvain, Bel., and named and described in the London Horticultural Society's catalog of fruits in 1842. Fruit medium, obovate, slightly oblong; skin smooth, yellowish-green on the shaded side, and pale brown speckled with minute reddish dots on the cheek next the sun; flesh white, fine-grained, buttery; second quality dessert; Oct. Tree well adapted for standard or half-standard.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

Alpha.

Foreign. Very productive. Fruit, medium, oblong obovate, pale yellowish green, with reddish dots, brown blush; flesh, white, fine-grained, buttery; "very good,'' October.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Alpha. Size medium, pyriform, obovate or Madeleine-shaped, smooth; pale yellowish-green, with a faint brown blush; stalk slightly sunk, basin moderate; fine-grained, buttery, and good. October. Belgian. Fig. 667.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)