Clinton

Pear

Clinton

Origin/History

Clinton is a foreign variety of Belgian origin, a seedling of Van Mons, designated No. 1238 in the Van Mons series (Elliott; Downing; Thomas; Hedrick). Hedrick cites references in Magazine of Horticulture 8:601 (1842) and 17:263 (1851).

Tree

Not described in source.

Fruit

Size

Large (Elliott; Thomas; Hedrick). Downing describes it as "of medium size," conflicting with the other sources which call it large.

Form

Obovate (Elliott).

Stem

Not described in source.

Cavity

Not described in source.

Calyx

Not described in source.

Basin

Not described in source.

Skin

Light yellow (Elliott; Downing; Hedrick); yellow (Thomas).

Flesh/Flavor

Flesh soft, buttery, and good, but not high-flavored (Downing; Hedrick). Thomas describes it as "buttery, not rich." Downing characterizes the fruit overall as "a poor fruit."

Core/Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

November (Elliott; Thomas); middle of November (Downing); Nov. (Hedrick).

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

This is a pear (Hedrick, The Pears of New York). Cataloged as Van Mons No. 1238.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 2 catalogs (1911–1913) from England, Illinois

James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911 — listed as Van Mons
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913

View original book sources (4)

Clinton. No. 1238, Van Mons. Foreign. Large, obovate, light yellow. November.

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

Clinton.

Van Mons, No. 1238.

A poor fruit, of medium size, light yellow skin. Flesh soft, buttery, and good, but not high-flavored. Middle of November.

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

Clinton. Large, yellow; buttery, not rich. November. Belgian.

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

Clinton.

Mag. Hort. 8:601. 1842. 2. Ibid. 17:263. 1851.

Seedling of Van Mons. Fruit large, light yellow; flesh soft, buttery and good but not high flavored; Nov.

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

No. 1238 Van Mons Van Mons, No. 1238 Elizabeth Léon Leclerc (Van Mons) Manning's Elizabeth Surpasse Virgalieu Thompson (N. H.)