Fertility
PearFertility
Origin/History
Raised by T. Rivers, Sawbridgeworth, England, in 1875, from a seed of Beurré Goubault. First figured in the Journal of Horticulture, N.S., 1:555 (1880), and subsequently treated in the Herefordshire Pomona, vol. II, p. 64. Though considered a poor fruit by some authorities — Bunyard quotes Dr. Hogg as finding the flavor like Williams' pear "much subdued" — it was grown in large quantities for market.
Tree
Growth moderate, upright spreading in habit; described by Bunyard as forming a spire-like tree. Fertility is notably great. When worked on Quince rootstock, fruit attains a medium size, but Bunyard notes no improvement in quality results. The Central Experimental Farm at Agassiz, BC (tree planted spring 1893) characterizes it as a medium grower and a free bearer.
Leaves very variable in outline, ranging from round to long oval; margins very sharply and finely serrate. Foliage turns a fine crimson red in autumn.
Fruit
Size and Form: Sources conflict on size: Bunyard calls it small, measuring approximately 2 inches wide by 3 inches tall; both Hedrick and the Central Experimental Farm describe it as medium. Form is described by Bunyard as round conical; Hedrick gives it as obovate, even and regular; the Central Experimental Farm describes it as obovate, pyriform.
Stem: Woody, moderately long, rather stout (Bunyard).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx/Eye: Open, seated essentially on the surface of the fruit, with no apparent basin (Bunyard).
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Sources partially conflict. Bunyard describes the skin as rough, dull yellow in ground color and almost entirely covered with brown russet. Hedrick describes it as entirely covered with a bright cinnamon coat of russet, tinged with orange on the side next the sun. The Central Experimental Farm gives a notably different impression: yellow skin with a blush on the sunny side, implying much less russet coverage.
Flesh/Flavor: Sources are in marked disagreement on quality. Bunyard: flesh yellowish, crisp, juicy, with poor or no flavor — "a poor fruit." The Central Experimental Farm: flesh whitish, juicy, melting, with a pleasant flavor. Hedrick is the most favorable, describing the flesh as semi-melting or crackling, very juicy, sweet, with a rich, highly-perfumed flavor; rated good.
Season
October (Bunyard; Hedrick). The Central Experimental Farm gives the season as the last of September, slightly earlier.
Uses
Market and dessert (Bunyard). Grown in large quantities for market despite the poor opinion held of its flavor by some authorities.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 8 catalogs (1897–1917) from England, Illinois
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- 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
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
View original book sources (3)
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)FERTILITY. Her. Pom., II., 64. Market and dessert. October, small, 2 by 3, round conical. Skin, rough. Colour, dull yellow, almost covered with brown russet. Flesh, yellowish, crisp, juicy, poor or no flavour. Eye, open on surface of fruit. Stem, woody, moderately long, rather stout. Growth, moderate, upright spreading; fertility great. Leaf, very variable, round to long oval, very sharply and finely serrate, turns fine crimson red. Origin, raised by Mr. Rivers about 1875, from a seed of Beurre Goubalt. A poor fruit, but grown in large quantities for market. On Quince it attains a medium size, but with no improvement in quality. Dr. Hogg finds the flavour like Williams "much subdued." Very much! Makes a spire-like tree.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Fertility. 1. Jour. Hort. N. S. 1:555, fig. 1. 1880. 2. Bunyard Handb. Hardy Fr. 174. 1920.
Raised by T. Rivers, Sawbridgeworth, Eng., in 1875, from Beurré Goubault. Fruit medium, obovate, even and regular, entirely covered with a bright cinnamon coat of russet, tinged with orange on the side next the sun; flesh semi-melting or crackling, very juicy, sweet, with a rich, highly-perfumed flavor; good; Oct.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1893. Tree a medium grower and a free bearer. Fruit of medium size, obovate, pyriform. Skin yellow, with a blush on sunny side. Flesh whitish, juicy, melting, with a pleasant flavour. Season last of September.