Dempsey
PearDempsey
Origin/History
Dempsey is a Canadian pear. Budd & Hansen (1914) describe it as a seedling of Bartlett; Hedrick (1921) gives fuller parentage, stating it was produced from a seed of Bartlett fertilized with Duchesse d'Angouleme. It is listed in the Ontario Department of Agriculture's Fruits of Ontario (1914).
Tree
According to the Central Experimental Farm at Agassiz, BC (1900), where a tree was planted in the spring of 1890, Dempsey is a vigorous and upright grower but a shy producer.
Fruit
Size and Form
Large. The form is oblong, obovate, and pyriform (Budd & Hansen; Hedrick); Hedrick additionally notes the surface is smooth. The Agassiz catalog describes the form more briefly as oblong, pyriform.
Stem
The stem is approximately one inch long and set in a fleshy base (Budd & Hansen).
Cavity
There is little show of cavity at the stem end (Budd & Hansen).
Calyx
Not described in source.
Basin
Not described in source.
Skin
Budd & Hansen and Hedrick describe the ground color as yellowish green, with a brownish-red cheek on the sun-exposed side. The Agassiz catalog gives the color as greenish yellow, without mention of a cheek.
Flesh and Flavor
Flesh is white and fine-grained (Budd & Hansen; Hedrick). It is tender and melting — Budd & Hansen say "quite melting," Hedrick "almost melting," and the Agassiz catalog simply "melting." The Agassiz catalog additionally notes the flesh is juicy. Flavor is sweet across all three sources; Hedrick characterizes it as "sweet, delicious," Budd & Hansen as "very good," and the Agassiz catalog as "fine quality."
Core and Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
October and November (Hedrick). The Agassiz catalog places it in October; Budd & Hansen describe it as late autumn.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
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)
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)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.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)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.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)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.