Monarch

Origin / History

Monarch is an English pear raised by Thomas Andrew Knight at Downton Castle, England, in 1830 (Hedrick; Bunyard; Herefordshire Pomona). Knight believed it originated from the seed of the Autumn Bergamot (Herefordshire Pomona; Bunyard gives the parentage as "probably from a seed of the Autumn Bergamotte"). In Knight's own words, recorded in the Transactions of the Horticultural Society, 2nd Series, Vol. I, p. 107: "I named it the 'Monarch,' under conviction that for the climate of England, it stands without an equal; and because it first appeared in the first year of the reign of our most excellent monarch" (William IV, 1830) (Herefordshire Pomona). The Herefordshire Pomona notes that since first introduction its estimation greatly increased and it came to be "universally admitted to be one of our most valuable pears." It also notes that Monarch became such a favourite that many of Knight's other seedling pears came to be called the Monarch, producing "a complete confusion as to the real variety" in Herefordshire — for which reason the Pomona reproduced an exact outline of the original coloured representation from the Horticultural Society's Transactions.

In the United States, Downing reports that this English pear "has not proved of much value at the North," though "in the Southern States it promises well." Elliott (1865), citing it as foreign, describes it as "a variety requiring very high culture."

In Vol. II, 2nd Series, p. 68 of the Transactions, Knight added that in 1834 he had a sufficient quantity of Monarch pears to ascertain the specific gravity of its juices, which was 1096 — "that is fifteen above the Stire apple, and about the same which a solution of 2lbs. 6oz. of sugar would give to 8lbs of water. The taste and flavour of the juice appear to me to be very delightful" (Herefordshire Pomona).

Tree

Vigorous, hardy, and productive (Downing). Very hardy, forming a handsome pyramid, but with wood that is slender and straggling (Herefordshire Pomona). Knight himself described the whole character of the tree as "wild and uncultivated, and the young wood very thorny" (Herefordshire Pomona, quoting Knight). Bunyard reports growth "rather spreading, making a round headed tree." Veitch's catalogue (1911) describes it as "very vigorous" with shoots erect to the top of the tree. The wood is of a light olive color (Elliott).

Fertility good (Bunyard). Usually an excellent bearer, though in some situations it is capricious; its greatest imperfection is its liability to lose its fruit from wind before ripening, and it therefore requires a sheltered situation (Herefordshire Pomona). Described as "a good-bearing sort" and "a good attractive bearer" (Veitch). The Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC (1900, planted Spring 1893) reports it as "a medium grower and productive."

Bunyard describes the leaf as small, roundish, dark, a little upfolded, shallow crenate, turning orange-red. He further notes a distinguishing winter feature, also quoted in Hedrick: "Tree easily recognized in winter by its very large oval buds, which stand out like those of a red currant."

Fruit

Size: Medium (Downing; Hedrick; Central Experimental Farm; Veitch). The Herefordshire Pomona gives the dimensions as two and three-quarter inches long by two and a quarter inches wide. Elliott describes it as "large." Bunyard gives "small to medium." Veitch describes it as "a medium-sized handsome pear."

Form: Roundish (Downing; Herefordshire Pomona); globular (Hedrick); round conical, even (Bunyard); obovate (Herefordshire Pomona, additional entry, "Monarch Pear" plate); obovate oblong (Elliott).

Stem / Stalk: Three-quarters of an inch long, inserted in a small cavity, frequently without depression (Herefordshire Pomona). Short (Elliott; Herefordshire Pomona additional entry — "stalk short, rather thick"). Rather short, stout (Bunyard).

Cavity: Small, frequently without depression (Herefordshire Pomona).

Calyx / Eye: Small and open, set in a shallow undulating basin (Herefordshire Pomona). Open (Elliott; Bunyard — "open in a shallow basin"). Placed in a shallow depression (Herefordshire Pomona additional entry).

Basin: Shallow, undulating (Herefordshire Pomona); shallow (Bunyard); a shallow depression (Herefordshire Pomona additional entry).

Skin: Yellowish green, very much covered with brown russet, and strewed with grey russet specks; usually with a tinge of brownish red next the sun (Herefordshire Pomona). Yellowish, much speckled with brown, with a tinge of brownish red next the sun (Herefordshire Pomona additional entry). Yellowish green, with brown russet and many gray russet specks (Downing). Yellowish-green, much covered with brown-russet and strewed with gray-russet specks (Hedrick). Skin rough; colour yellow-green, covered with brown russet (Bunyard). Yellowish brown, tinged with red, dotted with gray (Elliott). Yellowish green (Central Experimental Farm). "Of good color, though sometimes coarse" (Veitch).

Flesh and Flavor: Yellowish, buttery, melting, and very juicy, with a rich, sprightly, sugary, and agreeably perfumed flavour (Herefordshire Pomona). Yellowish, melting, buttery, rich and sugary; slightly musky, but not disagreeably so — "an excellent pear" (Herefordshire Pomona additional entry). Yellowish, melting, sweet, agreeable; quality "good" (Downing). Yellowish, buttery, melting and very juicy, with a rich, vinous, sugary, and agreeably-perfumed flavor; rated "first, one of the most valuable" (Hedrick). Yellow, melting and delicious flavour (Bunyard). Yellowish white, melting, juicy (Elliott). White, juicy, buttery, sweet (Central Experimental Farm). Melting and juicy (Veitch).

Core / Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

January (Elliott; Herefordshire Pomona additional entry). January and February (Herefordshire Pomona main entry; Bunyard — "Dessert, January to February"). December and January (Downing; Hedrick). December to March (Central Experimental Farm). The Herefordshire Pomona notes a distinctive storage trait: "The Monarch, unlike most other pears, does not become mealy by being allowed to grow yellow on the tree; on the contrary, it is improved by being allowed to mature in this way" (quoting Knight).

Uses

Dessert (Bunyard). The Herefordshire Pomona deems the fruit "so excellent that it deserves to have a proper place found for it in every garden."

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source, but the Herefordshire Pomona notes that in Herefordshire many of Knight's other seedling pears came to be called "the Monarch," creating confusion as to the real variety — a problem of misapplied naming rather than true subtypes.

Other

Knight measured the specific gravity of the juice in 1834 at 1096 — fifteen above the Stire apple, and roughly equivalent to the gravity given to 8 lbs of water by a solution of 2 lbs 6 oz of sugar (Herefordshire Pomona, quoting Knight, Trans. Hort. Soc., 2nd Series, Vol. II, p. 68). The Herefordshire Pomona figures the variety on Plate IV, with an additional exact outline reproduced from the coloured figure in the Transactions of the Horticultural Society, 2nd Series, Vol. I, p. 107, to settle the question of the true variety against the many seedlings misnamed for it.