Catherine Gardette
PearOrigin/History
Raised by Dr. W. D. Brinckle, of Philadelphia. Hedrick dates the introduction to 1857. Elliott attributes the description to the Transactions of the American Pomological Society.
Tree
Foliage: Much waved (Elliott). Young shoots: Short-jointed; Elliott describes the color as yellow-olive on the shaded side, brownish-olive on the side exposed to the sun, with many minute white dots; Downing describes them more simply as yellow brownish olive. Buds: Pointed (Elliott).
Fruit
Size: Sources disagree: Downing and Hedrick say medium; Elliott says above medium; Thomas says rather large.
Form: Roundish obovate (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Hedrick describes it as globular-obovate.
Skin: Fair, yellow, with numerous small carmine dots on the exposed side. Hedrick describes these as red spots freely dotting the sun-exposed side.
Stem: Curved, inserted by a fleshy termination into a slight depression. Elliott specifies the stalk as one inch long.
Cavity: A slight depression at the stalk insertion.
Calyx: Small, set in a rather deep basin. Elliott adds that the basin is regular.
Basin: Rather deep and regular.
Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish. Sources conflict on texture: Downing, Hedrick, and Thomas describe the flesh as coarse, while Elliott calls it fine texture. Buttery (Elliott, Hedrick, Thomas); Downing instead describes it as juicy. Sweet. Elliott gives the flavor as delicious, with a delicate aroma, and rates the quality "best." Downing, Hedrick, and Thomas rate it good.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Beginning of September (Elliott). Other sources say simply September.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Elliott cites the Transactions of the American Pomological Society as his source. Hedrick references Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1869 edition, p. 715) and Thomas's American Fruit Culturist (1897 edition, p. 697).
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Catharine Gardette.
Raised by Dr. W. D. Brinckle, of Philadelphia. Young shoots short jointed, yellow brownish olive.
Fruit medium, roundish obovate. Skin fair, yellow, with numerous small carmine dots on the exposed side. Stalk curved, inserted by a fleshy termination into a slight depression. Calyx small, set in a rather deep basin. Flesh yellowish, coarse, juicy, sweet. Good. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Catherine Gardette.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 715. 1869.
- Thomas Am. Fruit Cult. 697. 1897.
From W. D. Brinckle, Philadelphia, in 1857. Fruit medium, globular-obovate, yellow, freely dotted with red spots on the sun-exposed side; flesh yellowish, coarse, buttery, sweet; good; Sept.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Catherine Gardette.
Raised by Dr. W. D. Brinckle, of Philadelphia. Foliage much waved, young shoots short-jointed, yellow-olive on the shaded side, brownish-olive on the side exposed to the sun, with many minute white dots ; buds, pointed. Size, above medium, roundish obovate ; skin, fair, yellow, with numerous small carmine dots on the exposed side; stalk, one inch long, curved, inserted by a fleshy termination into a slight depression ; calyx, small, set in a rather deep, regular basin ; flesh, fine texture, buttery ; flavor, delicious, with a delicate aroma ; quality, "best." Beginning of September. (Trans. A. P. S.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Catherine Gardette. Rather large, roundish-obovate, yellow, dotted red; buttery, coarse, sweet, good. September. Phila.