THE DIX PEAR.

Dix. New England Farmer, vol. viii. p. 161, 1830.

Few, if any, of our native pears hold a higher rank than the Dix. The large size, beautiful appearance, and exquisite flavor of its fruit, added to the vigor and hardiness of the tree, its productiveness, constant bearing, and period of maturity, give it a combination of qualities which but few varieties possess. When originally brought into notice, in 1829, it was pronounced "one of the very best autumn pears, which might, with the greatest safety, be introduced into our gardens;" and twenty years' experience have fully confirmed the correctness of that opinion.

The Dix originated in Boston, in the garden of Madame Dix, in compliment to whom it was named, about thirty-five years ago. The tree sprung from seed near the house, and grew so rapidly, that, in 1829, it had attained the height of twenty-three feet, with a stem ten inches in diameter; it still stands in the same spot, and has now become a very large tree. It first began to bear in 1825, but did not produce a full crop till 1829, since which time it has continued to bear abundant crops of fine fruit.

The Dix is very late in coming into bearing, and, on this account, cultivators have often rejected it in making a selection of fine pears. The average period of its fruiting is eight or ten years, occasionally in four or five, but oftener twelve and upwards. It has, however, the good quality of constant bearing after it has attained a fruiting state, and the pears ripen off as freely as the Baldwin apple. It does not succeed upon the quince unless double-worked.

The Dix is one of the most marked varieties in the nursery. The wood is almost as yellow, smooth, and slender, as a willow; but the tree has an erect and upright habit, and in time forms a large and fine head.

Tree.—Vigorous, upright, with rather long and slender annual shoots, occasionally thorny, horizontal at first, but erect at the ends; as the branches become older they assume a rather straggling habit.

Wood.—Clear light yellow, smooth and glossy, with very minute dots, slender and rather long-jointed; old wood, pale olive yellow; buds, medium size, roundish ovate, slightly diverging, with very prominent shoulders: Flower-buds, medium size.

Leaves.—Small, ovate, light green, broadest in the middle, tapering to each end, little recurved on the midrib, slightly wavy, and somewhat reflexed at the edges, with a smooth and glossy surface, and very finely serrated; petioles long, about two inches in length, slender.

Flowers.—Medium size, petals narrow.

Fruit.—Large, about four inches long and three and a half in diameter: Form, oblong, inclining to pyramidal, regular, largest in the middle, tapering to an obtuse point at the stem: Skin, slightly rough, greenish yellow, becoming pale yellow when mature, broadly tinged with pale red in the sun, and mottled with dots of a deeper shade, often russeted around the crown, and regularly and thickly covered with large distinct russet specks: Stem, medium length, about an inch long, rather stout, curved, and inserted in a shallow cavity, formed by swellings and projections of the fruit, highest on one side: Eye, medium size, open and slightly sunk in a very shallow, plaited or furrowed basin; segments of the calyx short, stiff, projecting: Flesh, yellowish white, coarse, melting, and juicy: Flavor, rich, sugary, slightly vinous, perfumed and delicious: Core, rather large: Seeds, small.

Ripe in November, and keeps four or five weeks.

— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)

Dix.

American. Origin, Boston, Mass. Tree, hardy, vigorous, young shoots, pale yellow, upright, slender, unproductive while young, well suited to extensive orcharding. Fruit, large, oblong pyriform; skin, little rough, yellow, with russet dots, and around the stem: stem, set obliquely, raised one side, short, stout, thickest at each end; calyx, small; basin, shallow; core, marked with a dark gritty circle, extending toward the stem; flesh, yellowish white, melting, a little harsh, juicy, sweet. October and November.

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

Dix.

Dix. Lewis, erroneously, of the French.

The Dix is, unquestionably, a fruit of the highest excellence, and deserves the attention of all planters. It is one of the hardiest of pear-trees, but the tree does not come into bearing until it has attained considerable size. The young branches are dull olive yellow brown, upright, and slender. The original tree stands in the garden of Madam Dix, Boston. It bore for the first time in 1826.

Fruit large, oblong, or long pyriform. Skin roughish, fine deep yellow at maturity, marked with distinct russet dots, and sprinkled with russet around the stalk. Calyx small for so large a fruit. Basin narrow, and scarcely at all sunk. Stalk rather stout, short, thicker at each end, set rather obliquely, but with little or no depression. Flesh not very fine-grained, but juicy, rich, sugary, melting, and delicious, with a slight perfume. Very good to best. October and November.

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

Dix. Large, long pyriform, body round-ovate, tapering slightly to the often oblique and slightly flattened and obtuse crown; yellowish green, becoming deep yellow; dots numerous, distinct; stalk an inch and a quarter long, stout at each end, slightly sunk; basin small; flesh rather granular, rich, juicy, sweet, often excellent, sometimes rather acid. The fruit often cracks. Middle and late autumn. A tardy bearer. Shoots yellow, rather slender, often thorny; leaves flat. A native of Boston, Mass. Fig. 700.

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

Dix. — Large, oblong, or long pyriform; color deep yellow at maturity, with russet dots and russet around the stem; skin somewhat rough; stem short, stout, thickened at each end, and set obliquely with slight depression at top of neck; basin narrow and very shallow. Flesh a trifle coarse, but juicy, rich, sugary, melting, delicious, very good to best. Fruit often cracks except in drier inland climates with less moisture of air. Massachusetts.

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

Dix.

1. Prince Pom. Man. 1:142. 1831. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 737, fig. 1869.

Originated in the garden of Madame Dix, Boston, Mass.; it bore first in 1826. Fruit large, oblong or long-pyriform; skin rough, green, the exposed fruit becoming deep yellow when ripe, marked with distinct russet dots and sprinkled with russet around the stalk; flesh melting, rich, juicy, of a fine flavor and by some thought to be superior to the St. Germain; very good to best; Oct. and Nov.

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