Collins
Pear
Collins
Origin / History
Collins is an American pear raised from seed of the White Doyenné on the farm of a Mr. Collins (Norris Collins, per Hovey; A. Collins, per Downing) in Watertown, Massachusetts. The seedling sprung up accidentally where the tree was growing, there being no other variety in the immediate vicinity. The original tree first began to bear in 1839 or 1840, and from then on fruited every year, proving a constant and most productive variety. Specimens were first exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1848, where they attracted much attention from the fruit committee. Mr. A. Pike, nurseryman, was the first to discover the merits of the variety and exhibited the first specimens. It was introduced in 1848. Hovey (1852) noted that at the time of his writing the variety had not yet fruited anywhere except upon the original tree, but he considered it a great acquisition to the list of fine autumn pears, of promising rank among the very best native varieties.
Documented in Magazine of Horticulture, vol. 17, p. 255–256, fig. 261 (1851) and vol. 18, p. 149 (1852).
Tree
Moderate grower (Downing, Hovey); moderately vigorous, upright, of tolerably regular form, with rather slender annual shoots (Hovey). The original tree, when about twenty-five years old, was about thirty feet high and pyramidally formed, with the branches weighed down by the mass of fruit it had repeatedly produced. A regular, abundant, constant, and most productive bearer (Hovey, Elliott). Whether it would succeed on the quince stock had not yet been fully tested at the time of Hovey's writing.
Wood: Reddish brown shoots (Downing); reddish brown, dotted with grayish specks, rather slender and short-jointed; old wood grayish brown (Hovey).
Buds: Medium size, ovate, diverging. Flower-buds medium size.
Leaves: Medium size, roundish-ovate, narrowing most to the point, light green, slightly folded inwards, little recurved on the midrib, and obtusely serrated. Petioles medium length, about one inch long, and moderately stout.
Flowers: Medium size; petals roundish, cupped.
Fruit
Size: Sources differ. Downing and Thomas call the fruit medium; Hedrick, Hovey, and Elliott call it large (Elliott: "large or above medium"). Hovey gives precise dimensions: about two and three-quarters of an inch long and two and three-quarters of an inch in diameter. Hovey notes it is larger than the White Doyenné (or St. Michael), which it otherwise greatly resembles.
Form: Roundish, slightly acute pyriform (Downing); obovate, rather flattened (Hedrick); obovate, approaching turbinate (Thomas); roundish obovate (Elliott); obovate, regular, full and broad at the crown, tapering roundly to the stem end, which is obtuse (Hovey). Generally like the White Doyenné in form.
Skin: Greenish yellow with russet spots, and frequently a blush on the sunny side (Downing); when ripe greenish yellow, with a fine blush in the sun and speckled with russet dots (Hedrick); yellowish green, mottled with dull red in the sun, some russet (Elliott); yellowish green, mottled with dull red on the sunny side, somewhat clouded with grayish spots, little traced with russet, and regularly dotted with russet specks; fair, nearly smooth (Hovey); greenish-yellow (Thomas). Color of skin generally like that of White Doyenné.
Stem / Stalk: Short, thick, inserted at an inclination without cavity (Downing); short, curved (Elliott); short, thick, oblique, not sunk (Thomas); medium length, about one inch long, stout, curved, little swollen at the base, and obliquely inserted without any cavity (Hovey).
Cavity: None — stem inserted without any cavity (Downing, Hovey, Thomas).
Calyx / Eye: Small, and very little sunk (Downing); small, scarcely sunk (Thomas); large, open (Elliott); large, open, and a little sunk in a broad, open, somewhat funnel-shaped basin; segments of the calyx short, stiff, and slightly reflexed (Hovey).
Basin: Broad, open, somewhat funnel-shaped (Hovey); very little sunk (Downing); scarcely sunk (Thomas).
Flesh: Fine, melting, juicy (Downing); white, fine, brisk, melting, juicy, vinous, sweet (Hedrick); white, vinous, juicy, sweet, melting (Elliott); white, fine, buttery, melting, and juicy (Hovey); juicy and melting (Thomas). Texture of the flesh generally like that of White Doyenné.
Flavor: Brisk, sugary flavor, resembling White Doyenné (Downing); brisk, melting, vinous, sweet (Hedrick); sprightly, vinous, and rich, with a slight perfume (Hovey). A much more vinous pear than White Doyenné; its flavor, though perhaps not quite so rich and sugary, is brisk and more refreshing, somewhat like the Marie Louise (Hovey). Of medium quality (Thomas); "very good" (Downing); "good" (Hedrick).
Core: Large (Hovey, Elliott).
Seeds: Small, roundish-obovate, broad (Hovey).
Season
Ripens first of October (Downing, Thomas); September and October (Hedrick); September (Elliott, Hovey). Keeps well for three or four weeks (Hovey).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Hovey records that Collins is supposed to be a seedling of the White Doyenné, with which it shares form, skin color, and flesh texture, but differs in being a more vinous pear with a brisker, more refreshing flavor reminiscent of Marie Louise. Hovey also presented specimens received from Mr. A. Pike, and subsequent annual trials of the fruit "more than confirmed" his first impressions of its promise.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
View original book sources (5)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Collins.
Watertown. Colin Noir. Meconnaitre. Charbonniere. Malconnaitre.
Raised by A. Collins, of Watertown, Mass., and first exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1848. Tree of moderate growth, with reddish brown shoots.
Fruit medium, roundish, slightly acute pyriform. Skin greenish yellow, with russet spots, and frequently a blush on the sunny side. Stalk short, thick, inserted at an inclination without cavity. Calyx small, and very little sunk. Flesh fine, melting, juicy, with a brisk, sugary flavor, resembling white Doyenné. Very good. Ripens first of October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Collins.
- Mag. Hort. 17:255, fig. 261. 1851.
- Ibid. 18:149. 1852.
Raised from seed of the White Doyenne on the farm of a Mr. Collins in Watertown, Mass., and introduced in 1848. Fruit large, obovate, rather flattened, when ripe greenish yellow, with a fine blush in the sun and speckled with russet dots; flesh white, fine, brisk, melting, juicy, vinous, sweet; good; Sept. and Oct.
— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)THE COLLINS PEAR.
Collins. Magazine of Horticulture, vol. xvii. p. 256. Watertown, of some Collections.
The Collins is one of the most recent additions to our list of American pears; and has not, we believe, yet fruited anywhere except upon the original tree: but though so entirely new, and only proved from one locality, we think there can be but little doubt it will take its rank among the very best of our native varieties. In size, it is larger than the White Doyenne, (or St. Michael,) which it otherwise greatly resembles, being generally like it in form, the color of its skin, and texture of the flesh; but is a much more vinous pear, and its flavor, though not perhaps quite so rich and sugary, is brisk and more refreshing, somewhat like the Marie Louise.
The Collins pear originated in Watertown, Mass., in the garden now owned by Mr. Norris Collins, and specimens were first exhibited before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1848. They attracted, and deservedly, much attention from the fruit committee. Mr. A. Pike, nurseryman, was the first to discover the merits of this variety, and he exhibited the first specimens: he also presented us with a number of the pears, which we thought had the promise of great excellence; and subsequent trials of the fruit every year up to this time have more than confirmed our first impressions of it. Taking into consideration all its qualities, it is a great acquisition to our list of fine autumn pears.
It is supposed to be a seedling of the White Doyenne, which sprung up accidentally where the tree is now growing, there being no other variety in the immediate vicinity. It first began to bear in 1839 or 40; since then it has fruited every year, proving it to be a constant bearer, as well as a most productive variety. The original tree appears about twenty-five years old, is about thirty feet high, and pyramidally formed, the branches being weighed down by the mass of fruit which it has repeatedly produced. The tree is a moderate grower. Whether it will succeed on the quince stock has not yet been fully tested.
Tree. — Moderately vigorous, upright, of tolerably regular form, with rather slender annual shoots.
Wood. — Reddish brown, dotted with grayish specks, rather slender and short-jointed; old wood, grayish brown; buds, medium size, ovate, diverging: Flower-buds, medium size.
Leaves. — Medium size, roundish-ovate, narrowing most to the point, light green, slightly folded inwards, little recurved on the midrib, and obtusely serrated; petioles, medium length, about one inch long, and moderately stout.
Flowers. — Medium size; petals, roundish, cupped.
Fruit. — Large, about two and three quarters of an inch long, and two and three quarters of an inch in diameter: Form, obovate, regular, full and broad at the crown, tapering roundly to the stem end, which is obtuse: Skin, fair, nearly smooth, yellowish green, mottled with dull red on the sunny side, somewhat clouded with grayish spots, little traced with russet, and regularly dotted with russet specks: Stem, medium length, about one inch long, stout, curved, little swollen at the base, and obliquely inserted without any cavity: Eye, large, open, and a little sunk in a broad, open, somewhat funnel-shaped basin; segments of the calyx, short, stiff, and slightly reflexed: Flesh, white, fine, buttery, melting and juicy: Flavor, sprightly, vinous, and rich, with a slight perfume: Core, large: Seeds, small, roundish-obovate, broad.
Ripe in September, and keeps well for three or four weeks.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Collins. Watertown. American. From Watertown, Massachusetts ; supposed a seedling of white Doyenne ; a regular, abundant bearer. Fruit, large or above medium, roundish obovate, yellowish green, mottled with dull red in sun, some russet ; stem, short, curved ; calyx, large, open ; core, large ; flesh, white, vinous, juicy, sweet, melting. September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Collins. Size medium, obovate, approaching turbinate; greenish-yellow; stalk short, thick, oblique, not sunk; calyx small, scarcely sunk; flesh juicy and melting; of medium quality. First of October. Massachusetts.