Le Conte
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Le Conte
Origin / History
Le Conte originated in America and is probably a hybrid between the Chinese Sand pear and a European sort (Hedrick 1921), making it similar in parentage to Kieffer, which it greatly resembles in both tree and fruit. Budd & Hansen (1914) describe it more briefly as a "Chinese seedling." It is supposed to have been carried from Philadelphia to Georgia about 1850 by Major Le Conte, and has since been extensively cultivated in the southern States for northern markets. Hedrick's 1922 Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits states more simply that Le Conte "is supposed to have originated near Philadelphia about 1850." In 1885 it was recommended by the Georgia Horticultural Society for cultivation in the middle region of that State. The American Pomological Society added Le Conte to its fruit-catalog in 1883.
Tree
Medium in size, vigorous, upright, very productive, and a regular bearer (Hedrick 1921). Hedrick (1922) adds that the tree is also slow-growing. Branches strongly zigzag, brownish-red mingled with green and covered with scarf-skin (Hedrick 1921 says "covered"; Hedrick 1922 says "nearly covered"). Branchlets thick, reddish-brown mingled with green, smooth, pubescent on the new growth which later becomes glabrous, with numerous very small, conspicuous, raised lenticels (Hedrick 1921). Budd & Hansen (1914) describe the tree only as "vigorous" and "exceedingly productive… at the South; of no value North," echoing Thomas (1903). The Central Experimental Farm catalogue (1900), reporting on a tree planted Spring 1890, calls it "a vigorous grower and free bearer." In the South, the trees are often, if not usually, propagated from cuttings. The trees are more susceptible to blight than those of Kieffer.
Leaf-buds: Small, short, pointed, appressed (Hedrick 1921).
Leaves: 3½ inches long; Hedrick 1921 gives 1⅜ inches wide and describes them as long-ovate or long-oval; Hedrick 1922 gives 1¾ inches wide and describes them as ovate or oval. Leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely serrate; petiole pale green, glabrous.
Flower-buds and flowers: Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free, arranged singly on very short spurs (Hedrick 1921). Flowers open very early, in dense clusters; Hedrick 1921 gives 1½ inches across, 7 to 10 buds in a cluster; Hedrick 1922 gives 1¼ inches across, 10 buds in a cluster. Pedicels 1 inch long, slender, lightly pubescent, pale green (Hedrick 1921).
Fruit
Size: Large (Thomas 1903; Budd & Hansen 1914; Hedrick 1921). Hedrick 1921 gives 3 7/16 inches long, 2⅞ inches wide; Hedrick 1922 gives 3⁹⁄₁₆ inches long, 2¾ inches wide. The Central Experimental Farm (1900) calls the fruit "of medium size" — a marked disagreement with the other sources. Uniform in size and shape (Hedrick 1921).
Form: Roundish-oval, tapering at both ends, ribbed, symmetrical (Hedrick 1921); round-oval, tapering at both ends, ribbed, symmetrical (Hedrick 1922). Budd & Hansen (1914) describe it as roundish, oblong, turbinate pyriform. The Central Experimental Farm (1900) calls it "bell shaped."
Stem: 1½ inches long, very thick, often curved (Hedrick 1921, 1922).
Cavity: Obtuse, very shallow and narrow, smooth, slightly furrowed and wrinkled, often compressed.
Calyx: Partly open; lobes usually dehiscent, separated at the base, short, narrow, acute.
Basin: Usually very deep, abrupt, gently furrowed.
Skin: Thick, tough, smooth (Hedrick 1921); thick, tough, smooth or sometimes roughened, dull (Hedrick 1922). Color pale yellow (Hedrick 1921, 1922; Central Experimental Farm 1900). Budd & Hansen (1914) add "with red on sunny side." Occasionally marked with russet. Dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, firm, granular, stringy, tender, juicy, sweet, with a strong and disagreeable flavor; quality poor (Hedrick 1921). Hedrick 1922 gives the flesh as "white, firm, rather granular and stringy, tender, juicy, sweet, with a strong and disagreeable flavor; quality poor." Budd & Hansen (1914), by contrast, describe the flesh as "melting, sweet, perfumed, vinous, quality only good." Thomas (1903) rates the quality as "moderate." Hedrick further notes that "the fruits are rather poorer in quality than those of Kieffer, if that be possible for an edible fruit."
Core and seeds: Core very large, closed, axile, with meeting core-lines. Calyx-tube short, wide, broadly conical. Seeds large, wide, long, very plump, acute — Hedrick 1921 specifies 2 in each carpel; Hedrick 1922 says "average in each carpel."
Season
Mid-summer (Thomas 1903; Budd & Hansen 1914). Hedrick (1921, 1922) gives the season as "ripe late October to November." The fruits sometimes rot badly at the core, and should usually be harvested as soon as they attain full size.
Uses
Much grown in the South for the northern market (Budd & Hansen 1914; Hedrick 1921). Profitable at the South but of no value at the North (Thomas 1903). Hedrick judges that "there is a place for Le Conte in the South, and possibly on parts of Long Island, if a pear is wanted for culinary purposes only." The Central Experimental Farm (1900) calls it "a handsome cooking pear."
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Le Conte succeeds better in warm climates and light soils than Kieffer does (Hedrick 1921, 1922). Planted Spring 1890 at the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, BC, under test (Central Experimental Farm Bulletin No. 3, 1900).
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 40 catalogs (1881–1918) from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington
- Hutchison Nursery , James Hutchison, Oakland , California — 1881
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884
- Fancher Creek Nursery , Fresno , California — 1886
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- W.R. Strong & Co. , Capital and Orange Hill Nurseries (Robert Williamson, prop.), Sacramento , California — 1886
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1888
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1889
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1890
- William H. Moon Co. , Morrisville, Bucks County , Pennsylvania — 1890
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1891
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891 — listed as LeConte
- Puyallup & Yakima Nurseries , Puyallup, Washington (Lock Box 191) and North Yakima , Washington — 1892 — listed as LeConte
- Rogers Nursery Co. , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1893
- Glen St. Mary Nurseries (G.L. Taber , Proprietor), Glen St. Mary , Florida — 1893 — listed as LeConte
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1895
- The Lovett Company , Little Silver , New Jersey — 1896
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1897
- The Salem Nursery (John A. Francis , Proprietor), Salem , Virginia — 1897
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- Reading Nursery , Jacob W. Manning, Proprietor, Reading , Massachusetts — 1898
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1898
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1899
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1901
- S.L. Watkins , Grizzly Flats, El Dorado County , California — 1901
- Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901 — listed as Le Conte, or Chinese Pear
- Mountain Grove Nurseries (Tippin & Moore , Proprietors; Geo. T. Tippin, J. W. Tippin, J. C. Moore), Mountain Grove , Missouri — 1901 — listed as LeConte
- Forestville Nurseries , T.J. True, Forestville , California — 1902
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904 — listed as LeConte
- Wm. J. Corse (successor to Robert Sinclair / Sinclair Nurseries) , Baltimore , Maryland — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912 — listed as LeConte
- Fancher Creek Nurseries , George C. Roeding, Fresno , California — 1918
View original book sources (5)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Le Conte. Large, yellow, moderate in quality; exceedingly productive, vigorous and profitable at the South; of no value North. Mid-summer.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Le Conte. — Large, roundish, oblong, turbinate pyriform; color yellow with red on sunny side. Flesh melting, sweet, perfumed, vinous, quality only good. Much grown at the South for the northern market. Season, midsummer. Chinese seedling.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)LE CONTE
- Ca. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 8, 29. 1878. 2. La. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 303. 1879. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 38. 1883. 4. Gard. Mon. 27:282. 1885. 5. Ga. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 55. 1885. 6. Black Cult. Peach & Pear 234. 1886. 7. Cornell Sta. Bul. 332:484. 1913. 8. Ont. Dept. Agr. Fr. Ont. 169. 1914.
Le Conte is a hybrid between the Chinese Sand pear and a European sort, therefore similar in parentage to Kieffer which it greatly resembles in both tree and fruit. The fruits are rather poorer in quality than those of Kieffer, if that be possible for an edible fruit, and the tree is in no way superior to that of its better-known rival, but seems to succeed better in warm climates and light soils. There is, therefore, a place for Le Conte in the South, and possibly on parts of Long Island, if a pear is wanted for culinary purposes only. The fruits sometimes rot badly at the core, and should usually be harvested as soon as they attain full size. The trees are more susceptible to blight than those of Kieffer. In the South, the trees are often, if not usually, propagated from cuttings.
Le Conte originated in America, and is probably a hybrid between the Chinese Sand pear and some native. It is supposed to have been carried from Philadelphia to Georgia about 1850 by Major Le Conte, and has since been extensively cultivated in the southern States for northern markets. In 1885 it was recommended by the Georgia Horticultural Society for cultivation in the middle region of that State. The American Pomological Society added Le Conte to its fruit-catalog in 1883.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, very productive, a regular bearer; branches strongly zigzag, brownish-red mingled with green and covered with scarf-skin; branchlets thick, reddish-brown mingled with green, smooth, pubescent on the new growth which later becomes glabrous, with numerous very small, conspicuous, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 3½ in. long, 1⅜ in. wide, long-ovate or long-oval, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely serrate; petiole pale green, glabrous. Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free, arranged singly on very short spurs; flowers open very early, 1½ in. across, in dense clusters, 7 to 10 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1 in. long, slender, lightly pubescent, pale green.
Fruit ripe late October to November; large, 3 7/16 in. long, 2⅞ in. wide, uniform in size and shape, roundish-oval, tapering at both ends, ribbed, symmetrical; stem 1½ in. long, very thick, often curved; cavity obtuse, very shallow and narrow, smooth, slightly furrowed and wrinkled, often compressed; calyx partly open; lobes usually dehiscent, separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin usually very deep, abrupt, gently furrowed; skin thick, tough, smooth; color pale yellow, occasionally marked with russet; dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous; flesh white, firm, granular, stringy, tender, juicy, sweet, with a strong and disagreeable flavor; quality poor. Core very large, closed, axile, with meeting core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, broadly conical; seeds large, 2 in each carpel, wide, long, very plump, acute.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)LE CONTE. Fig. 88. Le Conte is a hybrid between the Chinese Sand pear and a European sort, therefore of the same parentage as Kieffer which it greatly resembles in both tree and fruit. The fruits are rather poorer in quality than those of Kieffer, if that be possible for an edible fruit, and the tree is in no way superior to that of its better-known rival, but seems to succeed better in warm climates and light soils. There is, therefore, a place for Le Conte in the South, if a pear is wanted for culinary purposes only. The fruits sometimes rot badly at the core, and should usually be harvested as soon as they attain full size. The trees are more susceptible to blight than those of Kieffer. In the South, the trees are often if not usually propagated from cuttings. Le Conte is supposed to have originated near Philadelphia about 1850.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, slow-growing, very productive, a regular bearer; branches strongly zigzag, brownish-red mingled with green and nearly covered with scarf-skin. Leaves 3½ inches long, 1¾ inches wide, ovate or oval, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely serrate; petiole pale green, glabrous. Flowers open very early, 1¼ inches across, in dense clusters, 10 buds in a cluster. Fruit ripe late October-November; large, 3⁹⁄₁₆ inches long, 2¾ inches wide, round-oval, tapering at both ends, ribbed, symmetrical; stem 1½ inches long, very thick, often curved; cavity obtuse, very shallow and narrow, smooth, slightly furrowed and wrinkled, often compressed; calyx partly open; lobes usually dehiscent, separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin usually very deep, abrupt, gently furrowed; skin thick, tough, smooth or sometimes roughened, dull; color pale yellow, occasionally marked with russet; dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous; flesh white, firm, rather granular and stringy, tender, juicy, sweet, with a strong and disagreeable flavor; quality poor; core very large, closed, axile, with meeting core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, broadly conical; seeds large, average in each carpel, wide, long, very plump, acute.
— 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 grower and free bearer. Fruit of medium size, bell shaped. Skin pale yellow. A handsome cooking pear.