KINGSESSING.

Leech's Kingsessing.

American. Native of Kingsessing township, near Philadelphia. Tree, upright, vigorous, somewhat thorny ; young shoots, yellowish green or brownish olive, gray dots. This, when better known, will, we think, take position in first class. It is, however, not a very early bearer, and on Quince, requires double working. Fruit, large, or above medium, obovate, sometimes obtuse pyriform, sea-green, with patches of dark green ; stem, stout, fleshy at base : calyx, small ; basin, shallow; flesh, buttery, delicate; "best." Last August.

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

KINGSESSING.

Leech's Kingsessing.

Originated in the family burying-ground of Isaac Leech, near Philadelphia. Tree upright and of vigorous growth, with dark olive yellow brown shoots. Buds broadly shouldered, prominent.

Fruit large, obtuse pyriform, greenish yellow, thickly sprinkled with minute green or gray dots. Stalk medium or long, curved, and fleshy at its insertion in a broad, uneven cavity. Calyx set in a large, irregular, corrugated basin. Flesh whitish, somewhat coarse and granular, juicy, buttery, and melting, with a sweet perfumed flavor. Good to very good. September.

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

Kingsessing.* Large, broad, obovate, or Doyenné form, approaching pyriform; greenish-yellow, thickly dotted; stalk medium or long, curved; cavity broad, uneven; calyx closed; basin shallow, irregular; flesh granular, buttery, melting, with a sweet, very good flavor. September. Shoots rather erect, greenish; leaves recurved. Pennsylvania. A tardy bearer. Fig. 663.

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

Kingsessing. — Large, obtuse pyriform; color greenish yellow with numerous small green or gray dots; stem quite long, curved, and fleshy at insertion in broad uneven cavity; basin large, irregular, corrugated. Flesh whitish, quite coarse, juicy, buttery, melting sweet, perfumed, very good. Grown in Ohio and the southeastern States. Pennsylvania.

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

KINGSESSING

1. Mag. Hort. 13:450. 1847. 2. Ibid. 19:453, 516, fig. 32. 1853. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 231. 1858. 4. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 795. 1869.

A summing up of the characters of Kingsessing, as is so often the case with varieties of fruits, makes it appear a most desirable sort. Nevertheless, its culture does not make headway. Growers rate it as a "good pear," but will not grow it, for the reason, no doubt, that it has no outstanding characters for any region, season, or purpose. As the pears grow on the grounds of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station they are a little under size for a good commercial fruit, and while the sweet, perfumed flavor is pleasant, it lacks individuality. The variety is grown chiefly along the Atlantic Coast from Long Island to Maryland.

This is a natural seedling which sprang up in the family burial ground of Isaac Leech, Kingsessing, a suburb of Philadelphia, about 1833. The tree first fruited about 1843. Dr. Brinckle, who introduced the variety, thought from its close resemblance to Chapman that it was probably a seedling from it, or of its parent, the Petre, as trees of both these varieties stood in the vicinity of the Kingsessing. The American Pomological Society placed Kingsessing on its fruit-list in 1858 but dropped it in 1899.

Tree very large and vigorous, upright-spreading, dense-topped, rapid-growing, hardy, medium in yield; trunk very thick; branches very stocky, grayish-brown, sprinkled with numerous large lenticels; branchlets thick, long, glossy, smooth, glabrous, with numerous rather small, raised, conspicuous lenticels.

Leaf-buds large, long, conical, free. Leaves 2½ in. long, 1⅜ in. wide; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; petiole 1⅜ in. long. Flower-buds large, conical, free.

Fruit ripens in September and October; medium in size, 2½ in. long, 2⅜ in. wide, obovate-obtuse-pyriform; stem ⅝ in. long, thick, usually curved, fleshy at the point of insertion in the fruit; cavity obtuse, shallow, slightly furrowed, occasionally lipped; calyx partly open; lobes separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin shallow, gently furrowed, usually symmetrical; skin granular, tender, roughish; color yellow, sprinkled and netted with russet, with a thin brownish-red blush on the exposed cheek; dots numerous, grayish or russet, small, conspicuous; flesh white, granular, tender and melting, sweet, aromatic; quality good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds wide, long, plump, acute.

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

KINGSESSING. A summing up of the characters of Kingsessing makes it appear a most desirable sort. Nevertheless, its culture does not make headway. Growers rate it as a "good pear" but will not grow it, for the reason that it has no outstanding characters for any region, season or purpose. The pears are a little under size for a good commercial fruit, and while the sweet, perfumed flavor is pleasant it lacks individuality. The variety is grown chiefly along the Atlantic Coast from Long Island to Maryland. This is a natural seedling which sprang up in the family burial ground of Isaac Leech, Kingsessing, Pennsylvania, about 1833.

Tree very large and vigorous, upright-spreading, dense-topped, rapid-growing, hardy; trunk very thick; branches very stocky, grayish-brown, sprinkled with numerous large lenticels. Leaves 2¾ inches long, 1⅜ inches wide; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; petiole 1¼ inches long. Fruit ripens in September and October; medium in size, 2¼ inches long, 2⅛ inches wide, obovate-obtuse-pyriform; stem ¾ inch long, thick, usually curved, fleshy at the point of insertion in the flesh; cavity obtuse, shallow, slightly furrowed, occasionally lipped; calyx partly open; lobes separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin shallow, gently furrowed, usually symmetrical; skin granular, tender, roughish; color dull yellow, sprinkled and netted with russet, a thin brownish-red blush spreading over the exposed cheek; dots numerous, grayish or russet, small, conspicuous; flesh white, granular, tender and melting, sweet, aromatic; quality good; core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds wide, long, plump, acute.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)