Andrews
Pear
Andrews
Origin / History
A native American seedling originating in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The original tree was purchased about sixty years before 1829 (i.e., circa 1769) by John Andrews of Boston, who removed it to his garden in Court Street, where it continued to bear fruit for several years before disappearing more than thirty years prior to the 1852 account, either due to its locality or from neglect. The variety was first introduced to notice by Samuel Downer, who published the first account of it in the New England Farmer, vol. vii (1829), p. 266, soon after the organization of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1829. The variety bears the name of the Boston gentleman to whose garden it was removed.
Hovey notes some doubt about this origin story: in Somerville, Massachusetts, there was, as of 1852, a fine large tree of the Andrews growing in full vigor and bearing a large annual crop. The present owner's only information was that his father had grafted it when he was a little boy, upwards of sixty years before — making it as old as the tree purchased by Mr. Andrews. It remained a question whether the Andrews tree was the original, or whether it was grafted from the same unknown source as the Somerville tree. Of its native American origin, however, there is no doubt.
Downing notes that the Beurre Oudinot, as received by him, always proved identical with Andrews, but Leroy claimed it a distinct sort.
Hovey calls it "unquestionably, one of the finest American pears yet produced," noting that everywhere and under all circumstances it had proved a hardy, productive, and superior variety. In appearance it is less prepossessing and showy than the Williams's Bon Chrétien (Bartlett) or the Golden Beurre of Bilboa, which ripen at the same time, but in its very melting flesh and the peculiarly rich cinnamon aroma of its abundant juice surpasses either of them, and is second to no other pear of its season. Downing calls it of excellent flavor but variable and subject to rot at the core; Elliott similarly notes it is "a little disposed to decay at core, otherwise highly desirable"; Thomas notes that "on some localities [it is] not first-rate."
Tree
A slow-growing and moderately vigorous tree (Hovey), upright, a little irregular, making very slender wood while young but becoming stronger as it advances in age. It bears so profusely that it makes very little wood, and comes into bearing rather early. It is another of the many American pears which does not grow freely on the quince. Thomas characterizes the shoots as diverging and the tree as very productive and fair. Elliott notes it as an early bearer.
Wood: Dark reddish brown, dotted with small white specks, rather slender and short-jointed; annual shoots short; old wood dull brown.
Buds: Medium size, roundish ovate, full, diverging, with rather prominent shoulders. Flower-buds medium size.
Leaves: Small, oblong ovate, dull green, shortly pointed, rather coarsely nerved, wavy on the margin, and finely serrated. Petioles long, nearly two inches in length, very slender.
Flowers: Medium size; petals cupped.
Fruit
Size: Rather large to large (Downing, Hedrick, Elliott, Budd & Hansen); Hovey gives about three inches long and two and three-quarter inches in diameter; Thomas says "medium or rather large." Elliott notes "our drawing too small for an average."
Form: Pyriform, one-sided (Downing, Hedrick, Thomas); Thomas calls it "distinct pyriform, often slightly one-sided"; Budd & Hansen say "pyriform, sides unequal"; Elliott describes it as "roundish, ovate pyriform"; Hovey gives the most detailed account: "obovate, pyramidal, slightly irregular, one side being a little larger than the other, full at the base, and tapering to the stem."
Stem / Stalk: About one inch (Thomas) to one and a quarter inches (Downing, Elliott, Budd & Hansen) long; Hovey gives medium length, about three-quarters of an inch long, rather stout, curved, twisted and obliquely inserted. Curved (Downing, Elliott, Budd & Hansen, Hovey). Set in a very shallow, blunt depression, or often without depression (Downing); often set without depression (Elliott); scarcely sunk (Thomas); inserted in shallow depression and often on the blunt surface (Budd & Hansen); inserted without any cavity, usually with a projection on one side (Hovey).
Cavity: Very shallow and blunt, or often absent altogether (see Stem above).
Calyx / Eye: Calyx open (Downing, Elliott); segments long, half reflexed (Elliott); segments of the calyx medium length (Hovey). Hovey describes the eye as medium size, open, and deeply sunk.
Basin: Small (Downing, Elliott); shallow, sometimes deep (Thomas); Hovey describes a round basin in which the eye is deeply sunk. Budd & Hansen do not separately describe the basin.
Skin: Smooth, rather thick / quite thick (Downing, Budd & Hansen); Thomas says "skin thick"; Hovey says "fair, smooth." Color pale yellowish green (Downing, Hedrick, Budd & Hansen) or yellowish green (Elliott, Hovey), with a dull red cheek (Downing, Hedrick, Elliott, Budd & Hansen) or broad dull red cheek (Thomas); Hovey describes it as "tinged with brownish red on the sunny side." Dotted with a few scattered dots (Downing, Budd & Hansen); scattered dots and russet patches (Elliott); dotted with a few scattered russet specks (Hovey).
Flesh: Greenish white (Downing, Hedrick, Elliott, Budd & Hansen) or yellowish white (Hovey); Thomas says "greenish." Fine (Hovey), full of juice / very juicy / juicy, melting (Downing, Hedrick, Hovey, Thomas, Budd & Hansen).
Flavor: Fine vinous flavor (Downing); vinous (Hedrick, Elliott); rich vinous flavor (Budd & Hansen); Thomas calls it "of a fine, pleasant, agreeable flavor"; Hovey gives the fullest account: "rich, sugary and refreshing, with a peculiarly delicious aroma," and elsewhere describes "the peculiarly rich cinnamon aroma of its abundant juice." Quality rated "good to very good" (Downing, Budd & Hansen); "first" (Hedrick); nearly "best" (Elliott).
Core / Seeds: Core medium size (Hovey). Seeds large, very long, light brown (Hovey). Subject to rot / decay at the core (Downing, Elliott).
Season
Ripens early in September (Downing, Hedrick, Budd & Hansen) / September (Elliott) / early in autumn (Thomas). Hovey states it is "ripe in September and keeps three or four weeks."
Uses
Not described in source beyond the flavor and dessert-quality descriptions above.
Subtypes / Variants
The Beurre Oudinot, as received by Downing, always proved identical with Andrews, though Leroy claimed it a distinct sort.
Other
Not grown freely on the quince stock (Hovey). Hovey rates it as second to no other pear of its season, surpassing the Williams's Bon Chrétien (Bartlett) and the Golden Beurre of Bilboa, which ripen at the same time, in melting flesh and aromatic juice, though less showy in appearance than either.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
View original book sources (6)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Andrews. Beurre Oudinot ? Amory. Gibson. The Andrews is a favorite native seedling, found in the neighborhood of Dorchester, and first introduced to notice by a gentleman of Boston, whose name it bears. It is of excellent flavor, but variable and subject to rot at the core. Fruit rather large, pyriform, one-sided. Skin smooth, and rather thick, pale yellowish green, with a dull red cheek, and a few scattered dots. Stalk about an inch and a quarter long, curved, and set in a very shallow, blunt depression, or often without depression. Calyx open, placed in a small basin. Flesh greenish white, full of juice, melting, with a fine vinous flavor. Good to very good. Early in September. The Beurre Oudinot, as we have received it, has always proved identical with our Andrews, but Leroy claims it a distinct sort.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Andrews. 1. Hovey Fr. Am. 1:97, Pl. 1851. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 451, fig. 1857.
Samuel Downer introduced this pear soon after the Massachusetts Horticultural Society was organized in 1829. He stated "that it originated in Dorchester, and that the original tree was purchased about 60 years ago by John Andrews of Boston." Fruit rather large, pyriform, one-sided, pale yellowish-green, with a dull red cheek; flesh greenish-white, full of juice, melting, having a vinous flavor; first; early Sept.
— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)THE ANDREWS PEAR.
Andrews, New England Farmer, vol. vii. (1829,) p. 266. Andrews, } Gibson, } of some American Collections.
The Andrews is, unquestionably, one of the finest American pears yet produced. It has everywhere, and under all circumstances, so far as our knowledge extends, proved to be a hardy, productive and superior variety. In appearance, it is less prepossessing and showy than the Williams's Bon Chrétien (Bartlett) or the Golden Beurre of Bilboa, which ripen at the same time; but in its very melting flesh, and the peculiarly rich cinnamon aroma of its abundant juice, surpasses either of them, and is second to no other pear of its season.
The history of the Andrews, though tolerably well authenticated, is, however, to be received with some doubt. The first account of it was published in the N. E. Farmer, by Mr. Samuel Downer, who introduced it to the notice of cultivators soon after the organization of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, in 1829. Mr. Downer states that it originated in Dorchester, and that the original tree was purchased about sixty years ago by Mr. John Andrews, of Boston, who removed it to his garden in Court Street, where it continued to bear fruit for several years; but from some cause, either its locality or from neglect, it disappeared more than thirty years ago.
The only doubt respecting its origin, as above stated, is, that in Somerville, Mass., there is now growing, in full vigor, and bearing a large annual crop, a fine large tree of the Andrews. Where the scions came from is unknown; the only information the present owner of the tree can give, is, that his father grafted it when he was a little boy, upwards of sixty years ago. As the age of this tree is as great as that claimed for the one purchased by Mr. Andrews, it remains a question whether the latter was the original one, or whether it was grafted from the same unknown source from which the one in Somerville was obtained. Of its native origin, however, there can be no doubt.
The Andrews is a slow growing and moderately vigorous tree, bearing so profusely that it makes very little wood. It comes into bearing rather early, and is another of the many American pears which does not grow freely on the quince.
Tree.—Moderately vigorous, upright, little irregular, making very slender wood while young, but becoming stronger as it advances in age.
Wood.—Dark reddish brown, dotted with small white specks, rather slender and short-jointed; annual shoots, short; old wood, dull brown; buds, medium size, roundish ovate, full, diverging, with rather prominent shoulders: Flower-buds, medium size.
Leaves.—Small, oblong ovate, dull green, shortly pointed, rather coarsely nerved, wavy on the margin, and finely serrated; petioles, long, nearly two inches in length, very slender.
Flowers.—Medium size; petals cupped.
Fruit.—Large, about three inches long and two and three quarter inches in diameter: Form, obovate, pyramidal, slightly irregular, one side being a little larger than the other, full at the base, and tapering to the stem: Skin, fair, smooth, yellowish green, tinged with brownish red on the sunny side, and dotted with a few scattered russet specks: Stem, medium length, about three quarters of an inch long, rather stout, curved, twisted and obliquely inserted without any cavity, usually with a projection on one side: Eye, medium size, open, and deeply sunk in a round basin; segments of the calyx medium length: Flesh, yellowish white, fine, melting and very juicy: Flavor, rich, sugary and refreshing, with a peculiarly delicious aroma: Core, medium size: Seeds, large, very long, light brown.
Ripe in September and keeps three or four weeks.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Andrews.
American. An early bearer, a little disposed to decay at core, otherwise highly desirable. Fruit, large (our drawing too small for an average), roundish, ovate pyriform, yellowish green, dull red cheek, scattered dots and russet patches : calyx, open ; segments, long, half reflexed ; basin, small ; stem, one to one and a quarter inch, curved, often set without depression ; flesh, greenish white, juicy, vinous, nearly " best." September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Andrews. (Amory, Gibson.) Medium or rather large, distinct pyriform, often slightly one-sided; skin thick, dull yellowish-green, with a broad, dull red cheek; stalk about an inch long, curved, scarcely sunk; basin shallow, sometimes deep; flesh greenish, very juicy, melting, of a fine, pleasant, agreeable flavor. On some localities not first-rate. Ripens early in autumn. Very productive and fair. Shoots diverging. Origin, Dorchester, Mass.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Andrews. — Quite large, pyriform, sides unequal; skin quite thick, smooth, yellowish green, with dull red cheek, and scattering dots; stalk one and one-quarter inches long, curved, and inserted in shallow depression and often on the blunt surface. Flesh greenish white, juicy, melting, with rich vinous flavor, good to very good. Season, early September. Massachusetts.