Michaelmas Nelis

Origin / History

Michaelmas Nelis is a seedling of Winter Nelis, raised by chance in a cottage garden near Gravesend, England. It was found and introduced by Messrs. Bunyard, nurserymen of Maidstone, England. Bunyard's Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920) gives the introduction date as 1900; Hedrick's Pears of New York (1921) records it as 1901. The variety received an Award of Merit at a meeting of the Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society in October 1902. According to Bunyard, it was originally called Michaelmas Nelis.

Tree

Growth upright spreading, forming a well-spurred tree. Leaves very down-curved, held nearly flat, serrate; they turn a beautiful scarlet in autumn.

Fruit

Size

Medium in size, measuring 2½ inches by 2½ inches (Bunyard). Hedrick likewise describes the fruit as medium. The Thomas Rivers catalogue (1914) describes it as large, which conflicts with both book sources; this entry appears fragmentary and should be treated with caution (see note below).

Form

Bunyard describes the fruit as round, slightly conical. Hedrick describes it as pyriform and very shapely. These accounts are in some tension; Bunyard's hands-on account gives the rounder reading.

Stem

Stout, approximately ½ inch long, set in a deep cavity (Bunyard).

Cavity

Deep (Bunyard).

Calyx / Eye

Open, set in a shallow, even basin (Bunyard).

Basin

Shallow and even (Bunyard).

Skin

Slightly rough in texture (Bunyard). Color described by Bunyard as yellowish green, almost entirely covered with cinnamon-colored dots and nettings. Hedrick describes the skin as light greenish and somewhat russety. Both accounts agree on the greenish ground color with a russeted or dotted-netting surface pattern.

Flesh and Flavor

Flesh melting and remarkably juicy (both sources agree). Flavor described as excellent or delicious by both sources. Sweet (Bunyard). Very little grit (Hedrick). Regarding flesh color, Bunyard describes it as yellow; Hedrick describes it as white. These accounts conflict directly and both are from authoritative sources.

Core / Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

Mid to late September (Bunyard). End of September (Hedrick). Both sources agree on a late-September ripening window.

Uses

Dessert fruit. Bunyard notes it is at its best condition before the flesh turns yellow, implying it should be eaten promptly at ripeness. The Rivers catalogue describes the variety's appearance and flavor as very excellent and commends its productiveness.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Bunyard closes his account with a strong personal recommendation: "A most excellent fruit in best condition before it turns yellow."

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[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — the Thomas Rivers catalogue entry (1914) appears to be a garbled or severely truncated OCR fragment: "...large; handsome; very excellent fruit; dark, greenish in quality. Its very excellent appearance flavour and productive" — the text begins mid-entry and ends mid-sentence. The "large" size descriptor conflicts with "medium" in both Bunyard and Hedrick. The flavor and color language is broadly consistent with those sources. The legible fragments have been incorporated above with appropriate attribution, but the size claim from this source should not be relied upon.]