Barry
PearBarry
Origin / History
An old foreign variety, later reintroduced and renamed (Downing). According to Hedrick, the variety was found in the nurseries of Leroy at Angers, France, but was not originated by him; it bore fruit first in 1851 and was then dedicated to P. Barry of Rochester, N. Y. Thomas notes the variety is extensively grown in California for Eastern markets, where it has supplanted Winter Nelis to some extent.
Tree
Thomas: a poor grower; must be double worked. Other sources do not describe the tree.
Fruit
Size
Medium (Downing); medium to large (Hedrick); medium, sometimes large (Elliott); large (Thomas).
Form
Sources describe the form variously: pyriform and irregularly shaped (Elliott); oblong obovate pyriform (Downing); long pyriform (Thomas); long, nearly cylindrical, narrowed toward the stalk, contorted (Hedrick).
Stem / Stalk
Short, obliquely inserted (Downing; Elliott also notes the oblique insertion).
Cavity
Not described in source.
Calyx
Small (Elliott); large, open (Downing).
Basin
Narrow (Elliott). Other sources do not describe the basin.
Skin
Sources describe the skin with notable variation:
- Elliott: rough red, spotted on the sunny side, yellow greenish on the opposite.
- Downing: greenish yellow, netted and shaded and dotted with russet.
- Thomas: orange-yellow, covered with russet dots and blotches; resembles Winter Nelis in color.
- Hedrick: greenish-yellow, dotted, streaked and stained with fawn, washed with bright red on the side next the sun.
Flesh / Flavor
- Elliott: flesh white, coarse, tender at the centre, very juicy, sugared and perfumed.
- Downing: flesh whitish, juicy, sweet, pleasant. Quality good to very good.
- Thomas: juicy, buttery, rich, best; resembles Anjou in texture.
- Hedrick: flesh white, semi-fine, melting, rather gritty at the center, extremely juicy, saccharine, vinous and deliriously perfumed; first quality.
Core / Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
October (Elliott; Downing). October and November (Hedrick). Late winter (Thomas), who calls it one of the best winter varieties.
Uses
Extensively grown in California for Eastern markets (Thomas); otherwise not specified.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Barry.
Foreign. Fruit, medium size, sometimes, large, pyriform, irregularly shaped; skin, rough red, spotted on the sunny side, yellow greenish on the opposite; calyx, small, set in a narrow basin; stalk, obliquely inserted; flesh, white, coarse, tender at the centre, very juicy, sugared and perfumed. October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Barry.
De Lestumieres. Doyennè Barry.
An old variety, lately introduced and renamed.
Fruit medium, oblong obovate pyriform, greenish yellow, netted and shaded and dotted with russet. Stalk short, obliquely inserted, short. Calyx large, open. Flesh whitish, juicy, sweet, pleasant. Good to very good. October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Barry.* Large, long pyriform; skin orange-yellow, covered with russet dots and blotches; flesh juicy, buttery, rich, best. Resembles Anjou in texture and Winter Nelis in color. Tree a poor grower and must be double worked. Late winter. One of the best winter varieties, extensively grown in California for Eastern markets. It has there supplanted Nelis to some extent. California.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Barry.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:181. 1867.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 665. 1869.
This variety was found in his nurseries but was not originated by Leroy, Angers, Fr. It bore fruit first in 1851 and was then dedicated to P. Barry, Rochester, N. Y.
Fruit medium to large, long, nearly cylindrical, narrowed toward the stalk, contorted, greenish-yellow, dotted, streaked and stained with fawn, washed with bright red on the side next the sun; flesh white, semi-fine, melting, rather gritty at the center, extremely juicy, saccharine, vinous and deliriously perfumed; first; Oct. and Nov.