Diller

Pear

Origin/History

A pear of disputed origin. Hedrick reports it was approved at the American Pomological Congress in 1852, where it was reported to have been imported from Germany by the Diller family many years previously, but was considered by others to be a native of Pennsylvania. Downing calls it simply "a Pennsylvania Pear." Elliott likewise describes it as "probably a native of Pennsylvania." Elliott notes it must not be confounded with the Dillen, a foreign variety.

Tree

A slow and poor grower (Downing). Elliott describes the tree as moderately vigorous, with short-jointed, reddish brown wood, and a regular and abundant bearer. Young wood light brownish yellow (Downing).

Fruit

Size: Below medium (Downing, Hedrick). Medium (Elliott). Rather small (Thomas).

Form: Nearly globular (Downing). Globular-ovate (Hedrick). Ovate obovate, angular (Elliott). Round (Thomas).

Skin: Yellowish, sprinkled and patched with russet (Downing). Cinnamon-russet (Hedrick). Golden yellow, sprinkled, and, in sun, mostly covered with light cinnamon russet (Elliott). Yellowish (Thomas).

Stem: Long, inserted in a very slight cavity by a fleshy ring (Downing).

Cavity: Very slight (Downing).

Calyx: Closed, set in a rather broad, shallow basin (Downing). Open (Elliott).

Basin: Rather broad, shallow (Downing). Shallow (Elliott).

Core/Seeds: Core small; seeds long, black, pointed (Elliott).

Flesh/Flavor: Whitish, coarse, and granular, juicy, buttery, melting, with a very sweet, aromatic perfumed flavor. Good to very good (Downing). Somewhat granular, whitish, buttery, melting; juicy with a fine aromatic flavor; good to very good (Hedrick). Yellowish white, buttery, sugary; "very good" or "best" (Elliott). Granular; juicy, sweet, perfumed (Thomas).

Season

Last of August and first of September (Downing). August and September (Hedrick). September (Elliott). Early September (Thomas).

Uses

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

Diller.

A Pennsylvania Pear. Tree a slow and poor grower. Young wood light brownish yellow.

Fruit below medium, nearly globular. Skin yellowish, sprinkled and patched with russet. Stalk long, inserted in a very slight cavity by a fleshy ring. Calyx closed, set in a rather broad, shallow basin. Flesh whitish, coarse, and granular, juicy, buttery, melting, with a very sweet, aromatic perfumed flavor. Good to very good. Ripe last of August and first of September.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Diller.

Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 36. 1852.

Downing Fr. Trees Am. 736. 1869.

This pear was approved at the American Pomological Congress in 1852, where it was reported to have been imported from Germany by the Diller family many years previously, but considered by others to be a native of Pennsylvania. Fruit below medium, globular-ovate, cinnamon-russet; flesh somewhat granular, whitish, buttery, melting; juicy with a fine aromatic flavor; good to very good; Aug. and Sept.

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

Diller.

Probably a native of Pennsylvania. Tree, moderately vigorous ; wood, short-jointed, reddish brown, a regular and abundant bearer. Fruit, medium, ovate obovate, angular, golden yellow, sprinkled, and, in sun, mostly covered with light cinnamon russet ; calyx, open ; basin, shallow ; core, small ; seeds, long, black, pointed : flesh, yellowish white, buttery, sugary ; "very good," or "best." September. It must not be confounded with the Dillen, a foreign variety.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Diller. Rather small, round, yellowish; granular; juicy, sweet, perfumed. Early September.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)