Chapman
PearChapman
Origin / History
American pear. Originated in Philadelphia or its vicinity (Hedrick). Shown at the exhibition of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society held at Philadelphia, September, 1847. Cited in Magazine of Horticulture 14:84, 1848, and in Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America, page 717 of the 1890 edition. Downing calls it "an American Pear of poor quality, unworthy."
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium; Elliott alone gives above medium.
Form: Obovate-pyriform; Elliott gives ovate pyriform.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Yellow.
Dots: Brown and green.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, half melting (Hedrick: semi-melting), astringent.
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September; Elliott alone gives October.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1849) from Massachusetts
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
View original book sources (3)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Chapman.
American. Above medium, ovate pyriform, yellow. October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Chapman.
An American Pear of poor quality, unworthy.
Fruit medium, obovate pyriform, yellow, dotted with brown and green. Flesh white, half melting, astringent. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Chapman, i. Mag. Hort. 14:84. 1848. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 717. 1890. Originated in Philadelphia or its vicinity. Shown at the exhibition of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society held at Philadelphia, September, 1847. Fruit medium, obovate-pyriform, yellow, with brown and green dots; flesh white, semi-melting, astringent; Sept.