Dearborn's Seedling
Pear
Dearborn's Seedling
Origin/History
Dearborn's Seedling originated in the garden of Gen. H. A. S. Dearborn, of Roxbury, the first president of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, approximately thirty years before Hovey's account (c. 1820s). It was found growing in a border of shrubs, in a cluster of syringa and rose bushes. When the tree was about five years old, Gen. Dearborn concluded to remove it to a small nursery for use as a stock, but in the attempt to replant it, the tree was found to have only a single tap root of great length. As it was doubtful whether the shortening of this root might not cause its death, Gen. Dearborn concluded to let the tree remain until it came into bearing and ordered the earth to be replaced. In 1830 it produced one pear, and in 1832, thirty-five. The tree is supposed to have sprung from a seed accidentally dropped where it stood, as there were no pear trees in the vicinity at that time or for many years previous. It grew rapidly and in such regular form that there was no occasion to attempt improving it by pruning. In 1831, Gen. Dearborn sent some of the pears to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society with a letter describing the fruit, and it was pronounced a valuable acquisition. First published notice: New England Farmer, vol. x, p. 59.
Hovey (1852) notes that though Dearborn's Seedling was among the first American varieties brought to the notice of cultivators, it was only beginning at that time to be properly appreciated. Until the introduction of the Bloodgood, Tyson, and Rostiezer, it was the only excellent pear ripening between the Jargonelle and the Williams's Bon Chretien.
Tree
A very free-growing variety; upright, regular, and handsome in form. Vigorous, erect, and rather tall, running up with long shoots extending horizontally until within eighteen or twenty inches of the ends, which are turned upward and very erect. Rather tardy in coming into bearing. Succeeds very well upon the quince, producing good crops of fine and fair-sized fruit. Hovey's figures are drawn from specimens produced upon the quince. The Central Experimental Farm (planted spring 1890) describes the tree as a strong grower and a regular bearer.
Wood: Reddish brown, freckled with small fawn-colored specks. Old wood dull grayish brown. Buds small, short, rounded, erect. Flower-buds medium size, ovate, with slightly woolly scales.
Leaves: Medium size, ovate, rounded at the base, shortly pointed, smooth, undulated, and little folded at the edges, with conspicuous nerves beneath and finely and regularly serrated. Petioles medium length, about one and a quarter inches, somewhat slender.
Flowers: Medium size; petals round, cupped.
Fruit
Size: Sources conflict. Hovey (1852) describes the fruit as medium size, about two inches long and two inches in diameter. The Central Experimental Farm catalog (1900) describes the fruit as small.
Form: Roundish, inclining to obovate (Hovey), largest in the middle, rounded at the crown, and narrowing little to the stem. The Central Experimental Farm adds the qualifier pyriform to the roundish form.
Stem: Rather long, about an inch and a quarter in length, moderately slender, smooth, curved, and obliquely inserted in a very small cavity.
Cavity: Very small.
Calyx: Rather small, open, and slightly depressed. Segments of the calyx short, thick, projecting.
Basin: Slightly depressed.
Skin: Fair, smooth, thin, pale green, becoming a beautiful lemon yellow when mature, with a large fawn-colored blotch at the base of the stem, and the surface dotted with minute russety specks. The Central Experimental Farm describes the ripe skin as smooth and light yellow, consistent with Hovey's mature coloring.
Flesh: Yellowish white (Hovey), fine, melting, buttery, and juicy. The Central Experimental Farm describes the flesh as white, juicy, and melting.
Flavor: Rich, sugary, delicately perfumed, and delicious (Hovey). Sweet, quality good (Central Experimental Farm).
Core: Medium size.
Seeds: Medium size, long, pointed, and dark brown.
Season
Ripe from the early part of August to the first of September (Hovey). The Central Experimental Farm places the season at the last of August, consistent with Hovey's range.
Uses
A fine early pear of superior quality, valuable for the season it occupies, when the supply of fine kinds is not abundant.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
- Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852) — listed as THE DEARBORN'S SEEDLING PEAR.
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 19 catalogs (1864–1901) from Alabama, California, Illinois, Oregon
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell's Prairie, Marion County , Oregon — 1864
- Hutchison Nursery , James Hutchison, Oakland , California — 1881
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884
- Fancher Creek Nursery , Fresno , California — 1886
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- W.R. Strong & Co. , Capital and Orange Hill Nurseries (Robert Williamson, prop.), Sacramento , California — 1886
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1888
- California Nursery Co. , Niles , California — 1889
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1889
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1890
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1891
- Sherwood Hall Nursery Co. , Timothy Hopkins (Menlo Park Nurseries), San Francisco / Menlo Park , California — 1893
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1895
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1897
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- S.L. Watkins , Grizzly Flats, El Dorado County , California — 1901
View original book sources (2)
— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)THE DEARBORN'S SEEDLING PEAR.
Dearborn's Seedling. New England Farmer, vol. x. p. 59.
This fine early pear, though among the first American varieties which were brought to the notice of cultivators, is just beginning to be properly appreciated. It has many valuable qualities. The tree is a vigorous and healthy grower, the fruit of fair size, and of superior quality, and it comes at a season when the supply of fine kinds is not abundant. Until the introduction of the Bloodgood, Tyson, and Rostiezer, it was the only excellent pear ripening between the Jargonelle and the Williams's Bon Chretien.
The Dearborn's Seedling originated in the garden of Gen. H. A. S. Dearborn, of Roxbury, the first president of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, about thirty years ago. It was found growing in a border of shrubs, in a cluster of syringa and rose bushes, and when about five years old, Gen. Dearborn concluded to remove it to a small nursery for the purpose of using it as a stock; but, in the attempt to replant it, it was found to have only a single tap root of great length; and as it was doubtful whether the shortening of this root might not cause its death, Gen. Dearborn concluded to let the tree remain until it came into bearing, and ordered the earth to be replaced. In 1830, it produced one pear; and in 1832, thirty-five.
The tree is supposed to have sprung from a seed accidentally dropped where it stood, as there were no pear trees in the vicinity of it at that time, or for many years previous. It grew rapidly, and in such regular form, that there was no occasion to attempt improving it by pruning. In 1831, Gen. Dearborn sent some of the pears to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, with a letter describing the fruit; and it was justly pronounced a valuable acquisition.
Dearborn's Seedling is a very free growing variety; upright, regular, and handsome in form, and rather tardy in coming into bearing; it succeeds, however, very well upon the quince, and produces good crops of fine and fair sized fruit. Our drawing is from specimens produced upon the quince.
Tree. — Vigorous, erect, and rather tall, running up with long shoots, extending horizontally till within eighteen or twenty inches of the ends, which are turned upwards and very erect.
Wood. — Reddish brown, freckled with small fawn-colored specks; old wood, dull grayish brown; buds, small, short, rounded, erect: Flower-buds medium size, ovate, with slightly woolly scales.
Leaves. — Medium size, ovate, rounded at the base, shortly pointed, smooth, undulated, and little folded at the edges, with conspicuous nerves beneath, and finely and regularly serrated; petioles medium length, about one and a quarter inches, somewhat slender.
Flowers. — Medium size; petals round, cupped.
Fruit. — Medium size, about two inches long, and two inches in diameter: Form, roundish, inclining to obovate, largest in the middle, rounded at the crown, and narrowing little to the stem: Skin, fair, smooth, thin, pale green, becoming of a beautiful lemon yellow when mature, with a large fawn-colored blotch at the base of the stem, and the surface dotted with minute russety specks: Stem, rather long, about an inch and a quarter in length, moderately slender, smooth, curved, and obliquely inserted in a very small cavity: Eye, rather small, open, and slightly depressed; segments of the calyx short, thick, projecting: Flesh, yellowish white, fine, melting, buttery, and juicy: Flavor, rich, sugary, delicately perfumed, and delicious: Core, medium size: Seeds, medium size, long, pointed, and dark brown.
Ripe from the early part of August to the first of September.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1890. Tree a strong grower and a regular bearer. Fruit small, roundish, pyriform. Skin smooth, light yellow. Flesh white, juicy, melting, sweet, quality good. Season last of August.