Lucy Duke
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Lucy Duke (Pear)
Origin & History
Lucy Duke originated around 1880 in Beaufort County, North Carolina, grown by Mrs. Lucy Duke from seed of a Bartlett pear received from California. The variety was formally introduced around 1892 by J. Van Lindley of Pomona, North Carolina. Based on tree characteristics and fruit form, the parentage is believed to be Bartlett × Winter Nelis.
Tree
Tree medium to large, with variable vigor, upright becoming slightly spreading, dense-topped, and hardy. The trunk is shaggy. Branches are thick and zigzag, marked by numerous elongated lenticels. Branchlets are strongly curved with short internodes, dark brownish-red mingled with green and mottled with scarf-skin; they are smooth and glabrous, bearing small, elongated to roundish, conspicuous, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds are small, short, and pointed; plump and usually free. Leaf-scars are prominent. Leaves are 3 inches long and 1½ inches wide, thin, with margin occasionally glandular and finely serrate or entire; petiole is 1⅛ inches long and slender.
Flower-buds are large, long, pointed, and plump; flowers open late and emit an unpleasant odor; flowers are 1⅛ inches across; pedicels are 1⅛ inches long.
Bearing & Productivity: The tree is only moderately vigorous and exhibits irregular bearing. It is relatively free from blight.
Fruit
Season: Ripens late October through November.
Size & Form: Medium size, acute-pyriform to oblong-pyriform, symmetrical.
Stem: Short, thick, and curved.
Cavity: Obtuse, shallow, narrow, russeted, often wrinkled and occasionally lipped.
Calyx: Large, open, rounded, with a deeply-set center.
Basin: Obtuse, smooth, and symmetrical.
Skin: Very tough, roughened with thick russet. Color is greenish-yellow, usually entirely overspread with solid, dark russet, changing to golden russet on the cheek exposed to the sun, with mottlings and flecks of russet. Dots are numerous, small, russet, and obscure.
Flesh & Flavor: Yellowish-white, fine, melting, rich, juicy, and sweet. The flesh is described as having a rich, juicy, spicy character that makes it one of the best pears. Charles Downing deemed it "not quite so fine as a first-class Seckel, but I must aver it is not far behind."
Core & Seeds: Core is large, closed, and axile. Calyx-tube is short, wide, and broadly conical. Seeds are large, wide, long, plump, and acute.
Quality: Quality is very good. The fruit resembles Bartlett in form.
Uses & Market Suitability
The pear's thick skin and tough character make it suitable for shipping. The variety can be recommended for home and local markets. However, the trees are too unproductive and too irregular in bearing for commercial orchards.
Assessment: Why Lucy Duke is neglected is difficult to understand, as both tree and fruit are highly praised. The handsomeness of the fruit—combined with its superior flavor and melting texture—makes it a worthy variety for small-scale cultivation and local commerce.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)LUCY DUKE
- Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 153. 1885. 2. W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 65. 1889. 3. Van Lindley Cat. 22, Pl. 1892. 4. N. Y. Sta. Bul. 364:182. 1913.
Why Lucy Duke is neglected is hard to see. Tree and fruit are highly praised. Charles Downing thought the pear "not quite so fine as a first-class Seckel, but I must aver it is not far behind." The pear has a rich, juicy, spicy, melting flesh that makes it one of the best. In form, the fruits resemble those of Bartlett, which is probably one of the parents; they are of but medium size, but are of a beautiful golden-russet color, which makes them as handsome as the handsomest. The skin is thick and the pears stand shipping well. The variety can be recommended for home and local markets, but the trees are a little too unproductive and too irregular in bearing for commercial orchards. The tree is hardy but only moderately vigorous and resembles Winter Nelis, supposed to be the other parent, in habit of growth. The variety is relatively free from blight.
Lucy Duke was grown about 1880 by Mrs. Lucy Duke, Beaufort County, North Carolina, from seed of a Bartlett pear which she had received from California. Its tree-characters are so nearly like those of Winter Nelis that the other parent is supposed to be that variety. Lucy Duke was introduced about 1892 by J. Van Lindley, Pomona, North Carolina.
Tree medium to large, variable in vigor, upright becoming slightly spreading, dense-topped, hardy, productive; trunk shaggy; branches thick, zigzag, marked by numerous elongated lenticels; branchlets strongly curved, with short internodes, dark brownish-red mingled with green, mottled with scarf-skin, smooth, glabrous, with small, elongated or roundish, conspicuous, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, plump, usually free; leaf-scars prominent. Leaves 3 in. long, 1½ in. wide, thin; margin occasionally glandular, finely serrate or entire; petiole 1⅛ in. long, slender. Flower-buds large, long, pointed, plump, free, singly on short spurs; flowers open late, with an unpleasant odor, 1⅛ in. across; pedicels 1⅛ in. long.
Fruit ripens in late October and November; medium in size, acute-pyriform to oblong-pyriform, symmetrical; stem short, thick, curved; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, russeted, often wrinkled and occasionally lipped; calyx large, open, rounded and with a deeply-set center; basin obtuse, smooth, symmetrical; skin very tough, roughened with thick russet; color greenish-yellow, usually entirely overspread with solid, dark russet, changing to golden russet on the cheek exposed to the sun, with mottlings and flecks of russet; dots numerous, small, russet, obscure; flesh yellowish-white, fine, melting, rich, juicy, sweet; quality very good. Core large, closed, axile; calyx-tube short, wide, broadly conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.