Lycurgus

Pear

Origin & History

Originated with George Hoadley of Cleveland, Ohio, from seed of Winter Nelis. Elliott specifies the seed was collected from fruit grown on a Winter Nelis tree in close proximity to a tree of Martin Sec, and notes that the fruit has the outward form and russet yellow skin closely resembling Martin Sec, with the melting, juicy, sprightly texture of Winter Nelis but the sweet saccharine of Martin Sec. Hedrick gives the originator's name as George Hood rather than Hoadley. First noted in the Horticulturist (vol. 12, p. 365, 1857).

[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — Thomas describes Lycurgus as "a supposed seedling of the Seckel," contradicting the three other sources which unanimously identify it as a seedling of Winter Nelis. Thomas's description also diverges significantly in flesh color (greenish-white vs. yellowish), flesh texture (a little coarse vs. melting and juicy), and skin color (dark dull green vs. greenish-yellow). These cumulative differences suggest Thomas may have been describing a different variety or a mislabeled specimen. His details are included below with attribution.]

Tree

A moderate, rather spreading grower, productive. Young wood dark rich olive brown (Downing).

Fruit

Size: Small; Elliott says below medium.

Form: Generally oblong pyriform. Elliott adds that the fruit is occasionally oblong obovate pyriform. Thomas describes it as pyriform, approaching obovate, narrowing off to the crown.

Stem: Medium length, a little curved, set with little or no depression (Downing). Elliott describes the stem as usually three-fourths inch long, slender, set without depression, with a slight lip on one side. Thomas describes it as short, slender, twisted, not sunk.

Cavity: Little or no depression.

Calyx: Open. Downing describes the segments as short and erect. Elliott describes the calyx as large in proportion to the size of the fruit, open, with segments connected. Thomas describes it as large, slightly sunk.

Basin: Small, uneven (Downing). Elliott says shallow.

Skin: Greenish yellow, mostly covered with a thin brownish russet, with many large grayish dots. Elliott describes the color as rich dull yellow, overspread with brownish yellow russet. Thomas describes it as dark, dull green, rough, russeted.

Flesh & Flavor: Yellowish, juicy, melting, sweet, rich, a little aromatic, and slightly perfumed. Rated "Very good" and "one of the best in quality of late winter pears" (Downing). Elliott describes the flesh as yellowish, hard and of breaking texture until fully ripe, when it becomes melting, juicy, and extremely sweet, with a spicy, sprightly, and slightly vinous character. Thomas describes the flesh as greenish-white, a little coarse, rich, very high-flavored.

Core & Seeds: Core compact; seeds large; capsules close (Elliott).

Season

December to February. Elliott gives January.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes & Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Downing rates quality as "Very good." Hedrick calls it "one of the best in quality of late winter pears."

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

Lycurgus.

Originated with George Hoadley, of Cleveland, O., from seed of Winter Nelis. It is one of the best in quality of late Winter Pears. The tree is a moderate, rather spreading grower, productive. Young wood dark rich olive brown.

Fruit small, oblong pyriform, greenish yellow, mostly covered with a thin brownish russet, many large grayish dots. Stalk medium length, a little curved, set with little or no depression. Calyx open. Segments short, erect. Basin small, uneven. Flesh yellowish, juicy, melting, sweet, rich, a little aromatic, and slightly perfumed. Very good. December to February.

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

Lycurgus.

i. Horticulturist 12:365. 1857. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 806, fig. 1869.

Originated with George Hood, Cleveland, Ohio, from seed of Winter Nelis. The tree is productive, and of rather spreading growth. Fruit small, oblong-pyriform, greenish-yellow, much covered with thin brownish-russet, many large grayish dots; flesh yellowish, juicy, melting, sweet, rich, rather aromatic, having some perfume; first, one of the best in quality of late winter pears; Dec. to Feb.

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

Lycurgus.

A variety originated by Geo. Hoadley, Esq., of Cleveland, from seed of the Winter Nelis, collected from fruit grown on a Winter Nelis tree in close proximity to a tree of Martin Sec. The fruit has outward form, and russet yellow skin, closely resembling the Martin Sec, and its texture melting and juicy and sprightly, as the Winter Nelis, but with the sweet saccharine of the Martin Sec.

Fruit, below medium, generally oblong pyriform, occasionally oblong obovate pyriform; color, rich dull yellow, overspread with brownish yellow russet; stem, usually three-fourth inch long, slender, set without depression, and one side a slight lip; calyx, large in proportion to the size of fruit, open; segments, connected; basin, shallow; flesh, yellowish, hard, and of breaking texture, until fully ripe, when it becomes melting, juicy, and extremely sweet, with a spicy, sprightly, and slightly vinous character; core, compact; seeds, large; capsules, close. January.

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

Lycurgus. Small, pyriform, approaching obovate, narrowing off to the crown; dark, dull green, rough, russeted; stalk short, slender, twisted, not sunk; calyx large, slightly sunk; flesh greenish-white, a little coarse, rich, very high-flavored. December. A supposed seedling of the Seckel.

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