Dempsey

Pear

Dempsey

Origin / History

A Canadian pear, a seedling of Bartlett (Budd and Hansen, 1914). Hedrick (1921, citing Ont. Dept. Agr. Fr. Ont. 155, 1914) gives it as produced from a seed of Bartlett fertilized with Duchesse d'Angouleme. Listed in the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, B.C., Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900).

Tree

Vigorous and upright grower, but a shy producer (Agassiz catalogue, 1900). Planted Spring 1890 at Agassiz, B.C.

Fruit

Size: Large.

Form: Oblong, obovate, pyriform; oblong-obovate-pyriform (Hedrick).

Stem: One inch long, in a fleshy base.

Cavity: Without much show of cavity.

Calyx: Not described in source.

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Smooth (Hedrick). Yellowish green to greenish yellow, with a brownish-red cheek in the sun.

Dots: Not described in source.

Flesh and flavor: White, fine-grained, tender, juicy, melting to quite melting, "almost melting" (Hedrick). Sweet; flavor "delicious" (Hedrick). Quality "very good" (Budd and Hansen); "of fine quality" (Agassiz catalogue).

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Late autumn to October and November. October is the earliest date given (Agassiz catalogue); Hedrick gives October and November.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 7 catalogs (1900–1912) from Illinois, Oregon, Washington

Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish, Washington (on Yakima Indian Reservation) - [undated; companion to the 1912 "Sixth Edition" descriptive catalogue; same cover design and incorporated 1903 date; dated as c.1912]

View original book sources (3)

Dempsey. — Large, oblong, obovate, pyriform; color yellowish green with brownish-red cheek; stem one inch long in a fleshy base without much show of cavity. Flesh white, fine-grained, tender, quite melting, sweet, very good. Season late autumn. A seedling of Bartlett. Canada.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

Dempsey.

i. Ont. Dept. Agr. Fr. Ont. 155. 1914.

A Canadian pear produced from a seed of Bartlett fertilized with Duchesse d'Angouleme. Fruit large, oblong-obovate-pyriform, smooth, yellowish-green with brownish-red cheek in sun; flesh white, fine-grained, tender, almost melting, with sweet, delicious flavor; Oct. and Nov.

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

Planted Spring 1890. Tree a vigorous and upright grower, but a shy producer. Fruit large, oblong, pyriform. Skin greenish yellow. Flesh white, juicy, melting, sweet, of fine quality. Season October.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)