Dallas
PearOrigin/History
Raised by Governor Edwards of New Haven, Connecticut. In 1843, the variety was exhibited to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society (Hedrick).
Tree
Tree upright, vigorous (Downing). Young wood reddish brown (Downing). A profitable pear to grow, as it produces abundantly and keeps long after gathering (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Downing describes the fruit as rather large; Hedrick, Elliott, and Thomas describe it as medium.
Form: Ovate obtuse pyriform (Downing). Obovate-obtuse-pyriform (Hedrick). Roundish obovate (Elliott). Obovate, slightly conic-pyriform (Thomas).
Skin: Yellow with a sunny cheek, thickly sprinkled with crimson and russet dots (Downing). Dull yellow, thickly interlaced with cinnamon-russet, sprinkled with crimson and russet dots (Hedrick). Dull yellow, mostly covered with red russet (Elliott). Dull yellow, often much russeted (Thomas).
Stem: Large, long, inserted by a slight lip in a very moderate cavity (Downing). Medium (Elliott). An inch long, not sunk (Thomas).
Cavity: Very moderate, with stem inserted by a slight lip (Downing). Not sunk (Thomas).
Calyx: Open (Downing). Large, open (Elliott). Segments of the calyx rounded, stiff (Thomas).
Basin: Shallow, corrugated (Downing). Round, slightly wrinkled (Thomas).
Flesh: Buttery, juicy, with a sweet, rich, pleasant aromatic flavor; very good (Downing). Yellowish-white, fine, melting, buttery, juicy, aromatic; good (Hedrick). Yellowish white, melting, juicy, vinous; "very good" (Elliott). Fine-grained, melting, juicy, good (Thomas).
Core/Seeds: Core rather small (Elliott).
Season
October and November (Downing). October to December (Hedrick). November (Elliott). Ripens late autumn (Thomas). Keeps long after gathering (Downing).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Dallas.
Raised by Governor Edwards, of New Haven, Conn. Tree upright, vigorous. Young wood reddish brown. A profitable Pear to grow, as it produces abundantly and keeps long after gathering.
Fruit rather large, ovate obtuse pyriform. Skin yellow, with a sunny cheek, thickly sprinkled with crimson and russet dots. Stalk large, long, inserted by a slight lip in a very moderate cavity. Calyx open. Basin shallow, corrugated. Flesh buttery, juicy, with a sweet, rich, pleasant aromatic flavor. Very good. Ripe October and November.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Dallas. 1. Mag. Hort. 11:252. 1845. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 730. 1869. In 1843 this, one of Governor Edwards' seedlings raised at New Haven, Conn., was exhibited to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Fruit medium, obovate-obtuse-pyriform, dull yellow, thickly interlaced with cinnamon-russet sprinkled with crimson and russet dots; flesh yellowish-white, fine, melting, buttery, juicy, aromatic; good; Oct. to Dec.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Dallas.
American. From New Haven, Conn. Fruit, medium, roundish obovate, dull yellow, mostly covered with red russet : stem, medium ; calyx, large, open ; core, rather small ; flesh, yellowish white, melting, juicy, vinous ; "very good." November.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Dallas. Size medium, obovate, slightly conic-pyriform; dull yellow, often much russeted; stalk an inch long, not sunk; basin round, slightly wrinkled; segments of the calyx rounded, stiff; flesh fine-grained, melting, juicy, good. Ripens late autumn. Connecticut.