Bleeker's Meadow

Pear

Bleeker's Meadow

Origin/History

American variety, originating in Pennsylvania. The alternate names Spice Butter, Heidelberg, Large Seckel, and Feaster appear in Elliott (1865).

Tree

Free grower, hardy, and productive. Thomas (1903) corroborates that the variety is very productive.

Fruit

Size: Elliott (1865) describes the fruit as medium; Thomas (1903) describes it as small.

Form: Roundish.

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Not described in source.

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Yellow (Elliott: "yellowish"; Thomas: "yellow").

Flesh/Flavor: Flesh white, firm, musky. Thomas notes the texture is sometimes soft but mostly remains hard. Elliott rates quality as "good."

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

October (both sources). Elliott extends the season through November.

Uses

Valuable for cooking (Thomas). General quality rated "good" (Elliott).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Bleeker's Meadow. Spice Butter, | Heidelberg, Large Seckel, | Feaster. American. Tree, free grower, hardy and productive. Fruit, medium, roundish, yellowish; quality, "good." October, November.

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

Bleeker's Meadow. Small, roundish, yellow; flesh white, firm, musky, sometimes soft, but mostly remaining hard. October. Pa. Very productive, and valuable for cooking.

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

Feaster Heidelberg Large Seckel Prairie de Bleeker Spice Butter Bleecker's Meadow Feaster Frankford