Clay

Pear

Clay Pear

Origin/History

A seedling raised by the late Governor Edwards, exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1843 (Hedrick). The variety was listed in Magazine of Horticulture in 1845 and described by Downing in Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1869). Downing also records the name "Sponge" as an alternate designation for this variety. Thomas attributes the origin to Connecticut ("Conn.").

Tree

Not described in source.

Fruit

Size and Form: Medium in size. Roundish oblate, sometimes pyriform in form (Downing, Hedrick). Thomas describes the form as obovate.

Stem: Medium length (Downing).

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Closed (Downing).

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Waxen yellow, shaded with crimson and sprinkled with brown or crimson dots (Downing, Hedrick). Thomas describes the color simply as yellow, without mention of crimson blush or dots.

Flesh and Flavor: Whitish, rather coarse, granular, juicy, and sweet; quality rated Good (Downing, Hedrick). Thomas adds that the flesh is rich and perfumed — details not mentioned in the other sources.

Core and Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

October.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

Clay. Sponge.

Raised by the late Governor Edwards. Fruit medium, roundish oblate, sometimes pyriform. Skin waxen yellow, shaded with crimson, and sprinkled with brown or crimson dots. Stalk medium. Calyx closed. Flesh whitish, rather coarse, granular, juicy, sweet. Good. October.

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

Clay.

Mass. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 5. 1843.

Mag. Hort. 11:437. 1845.

Downing. Fr. Trees Am. 721. 1869. One of Governor Edwards' seedlings, exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1843. Fruit medium, roundish-oblate, sometimes pyriform, waxen yellow, blushed with crimson and sprinkled with brown or crimson dots; flesh whitish, rather coarse, granular, juicy, sweet; good; Oct.

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

Clay. Medium, obovate, yellow; coarse; juicy, rich, perfumed. October. Conn.

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

Sponge