Cabot

Pear

Origin/History

Raised from seed of the Brown Beurré (Beurré Gris) planted in 1821 or 1822 by J. S. Cabot, Esq., of Salem, Massachusetts. Downing notes it has a good deal of the flavor of its parent.

Tree

Grows upright and very strong, and produces amazing crops (Downing). Thomas describes the tree as vigorous, very productive, hardy, and reliable.

Fruit

Size: Small to medium (Downing); medium (Hedrick, Elliott, Thomas).

Form: Roundish turbinate, narrowing rather abruptly to the stalk (Downing). Globular-ovate, slightly irregular (Hedrick). Oval roundish (Elliott). Round-obovate, slightly irregular, crown full, obtuse (Thomas).

Stem: Bent obliquely, inserted on one side of a tapering summit (Downing). An inch long, set on the pointed base without depression (Thomas).

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Small, open, set in a round, smooth basin (Downing).

Basin: Round, smooth (Downing, Thomas).

Skin: Roughish, bronze yellow, pretty well covered with cinnamon russet (Downing). Rough, bronze-yellow, almost covered with cinnamon-russet, some marbling of red on the side next the sun (Hedrick). Russet yellow, red in sun (Elliott). Rough, russeted, bronze yellow (Thomas).

Flesh/Flavor: Greenish white, breaking, juicy, with a rich subacid flavor. Good to very good (Downing). Greenish-white, breaking, juicy, with a rich, subacid flavor; quality first (Hedrick). Greenish-white, breaking, somewhat melting, juicy, sub-acid, good (Thomas).

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Middle and last of September (Downing). September and October (Hedrick). September (Elliott). Early mid-autumn (Thomas).

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

Cabot.

Originated from the seed of the Brown Beurre, by J. S. Cabot, Esq., of Salem, Mass. It has a good deal of the flavor of its parent, and is an agreeable subacid fruit. The tree grows upright and very strong, and produces amazing crops.

Fruit small to medium, roundish turbinate, narrowing rather abruptly to the stalk, which is bent obliquely, and inserted on one side of a tapering summit. Skin roughish, bronze yellow, pretty well covered with cinnamon russet. Calyx small, open, set in a round, smooth basin. Flesh greenish white, breaking, juicy, with a rich subacid flavor. Good to very good. Middle and last of September.

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

Cabot.

Prince Pom. Man. 2:214. 1832. 2. Mag. Hort. 10:298, 299, fig. 1844. 3. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 712. 1869.

Raised from seed of Beurré Gris planted in 1821 or 1822 by J. S. Cabot, Salem, Mass.

Fruit medium, globular-ovate, slightly irregular; skin rough, bronze-yellow, almost covered with cinnamon-russet, some marbling of red on the side next the sun; flesh greenish-white, breaking, juicy, with a rich, subacid flavor; first; Sept. and Oct.

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

Cabot.

American. Medium, oval roundish, russet yellow, red in sun. September.

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

Cabot. Size medium, round-obovate, slightly irregular, crown full, obtuse; stalk an inch long, set on the pointed base without depression; surface rough, russeted, bronze yellow; basin round, smooth; flesh greenish-white, breaking, somewhat melting, juicy, sub-acid, good. Early mid-autumn. Tree vigorous, very productive. Hardy, reliable. Origin, Salem, Mass.

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