Cumberland
PearCumberland
Origin / History
An American variety (Elliott), native of Cumberland, Rhode Island, according to Downing, Kenrick, and Manning. Thomas also refers it to R. I. It was recorded by Kenrick in the American Orchardist in 1832. It was later described in the Magazine of Horticulture in 1860, in Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie in 1867 with figures, and by Downing in 1869.
Alexandre Bivort and M. de Jonghe declared Cumberland one of Van Mons' seedlings. Hedrick explains the conflict: "the Cumberland of the first parties is really Henkel."
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Rather large to large.
Form: Obovate to obovate-pyriform.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Elliott and Downing give orange yellow with a red or pale red cheek. Hedrick gives pale yellow on the shaded side and greenish yellow on the side of the sun, with some russet patches.
Dots: Gray-russet (Hedrick).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, semi-fine, dense, buttery, melting, tolerably to very juicy. Sugary, acidulous, rather pleasantly flavored, slightly perfumed (Hedrick). Quality "Good" (Downing); "second" (Hedrick).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September and October.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1845–1849) from Massachusetts
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Cumberland. American. Large, obovate, orange yellow, red cheek. September, October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Cumberland.
A native fruit, in Cumberland, Rhode Island.
Fruit rather large, obovate pyriform. Skin orange yellow, pale red cheek. Flesh white, buttery, and tolerably juicy. Good. September and October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Cumberland. Rather large, obovate, orange yellow; buttery, moderately juicy. October. R. I.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Cumberland
- Kenrick Am. Orch. 168. 1832. 2. Mag. Hort. 26:508. 1860. 3. Leroy Diet. Pom. 1:608, figs. 1867. 4. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 730. 1869.
Alexandre Bivort and M. de Jonghe declared that this variety was one of Van Mons' seedlings while Downing, Kenrick and Manning affirmed it to be a native of Cumberland, R. I. The conflicting opinion is explained by the fact that the Cumberland of the first parties is really Henkel. Fruit large, obovate-pyriform, pale yellow on the shaded side and greenish-yellow on the side of the sun, dotted with gray-russet and having some russet patches; flesh white, semi-fine, dense, melting, very juicy, sugary, acidulous, rather pleasantly flavored, slightly perfumed; second; Sept.