Knight's Monarch. Foreign. A variety requiring very high culture ; wood, light olive color. Fruit, large, obovate oblong, yellowish brown, tinged with red, dotted with gray ; stem, short ; calyx, open ; flesh, yellowish white, melting, juicy. January.

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

Plate IV. MONARCH, pear [Syn : Knight's Monarch.]

This pear was the favourite seedling of Mr. Thomas Andrew Knight. Of its parentage he was not quite sure, but he believed it to have originated from the seed of the Autumn Bergamot. " I named it the ' Monarch,' says Mr. Knight, " 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). Trans. Hort. Soc., 2nd Series, Vol. I, p. 107.

Description.—Fruit; medium sized, roundish, two inches and three quarters long, by two and a quarter wide. Skin ; yellowish green, very much covered with brown russet, and strewed with grey russet specks. It has usually a tinge of brownish red next the sun. Eye ; small and open, set in a shallow undulating basin. Stalk ; three quarters of an inch long, inserted in a small cavity, frequently without depression. Flesh ; yellowish, buttery, melting, and very juicy ; with a rich, sprightly, sugary, and agreeably perfumed flavour. Season ; January and February.

The official report on the merits of the Monarch from fruit grown in the gardens of the Horticultural Society has already been given in full in the Introduction of this work (see page 43.) with Mr. Knight's comments upon it. Since this time its estimation has greatly increased and it is now universally admitted to be one of our most valuable pears.

The tree is very hardy, and forms a handsome pyramid, but its wood is slender and straggling. It is usually an excellent bearer, but in some situations it is capricious. Its greatest imperfection is the liability to lose its fruit from the wind before it is ripe. It requires therefore a sheltered situation ; but the fruit is so excellent that it deserves to have a proper place found for it in every garden.

The Monarch has indeed become so great a favourite that every one likes to think he has it in his orchard. Many of Mr. Knight's other seedling pears have thus been called the Monarch until in Herefordshire a complete confusion as to the real variety has taken place. For this reason, in addition to the coloured figure, an exact outline is also added of the coloured representation of the Monarch, as given in the " Transactions of the Horticultural Society, 2nd Series, Vol. I, p. 107," with the section at the head of the preceding page.

[Additional entry in this volume: "Monarch Pear", pp. 90–90]

Monarch Pear.—(With coloured figure.)

Fruit middle-sized, obovate; stalk short, rather thick; eye open, placed in a shallow depression. Skin yellowish, much speckled with brown, and having a tinge of brownish red next the sun. Flesh yellowish, melting, buttery, rich and sugary; slightly musky, but not disagreeably so. An excellent pear. Season, January.

Remarks.—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. I named it 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.) The whole character of the tree is wild and uncultivated, and the young wood very thorny.

And in Vol. II. 2nd Series, p. 68. Mr. Knight adds, I had this year (1834) a sufficient quantity of Monarch pears to enable me 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.

— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)

Knight's Monarch.

Monarch.

An English Pear, raised by Thomas Andrew Knight, which has not proved of much value at the North. In the Southern States it promises well. Tree vigorous, hardy, and productive.

Fruit medium, roundish, yellowish green, with brown russet and many gray russet specks. Flesh yellowish, melting, sweet, agreeable. Good. December, January.

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

MONARCH. Her. Pom., L, 4. F. Monarque de Knight. Dessert, January to February, small to medium, round conical, even. Skin, rough. Colour, yellowgreen, covered with brown russet. Flesh, yellow, melting and delicious flavour. Eye, open in a shallow basin. Stem, rather short, stout. Growth, rather spreading, making a round headed tree; fertility good. Leaf, small, roundish, dark, a little upfolded, shallow crenate, turns orange red. Origin, raised by T. A. Knight, probably from a seed of the Autumn Bergamotte in 1830, and named in honour of William IV. It can be easily recognised in winter by its very large oval buds, which stand out like those of a red currant.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Monarch.

1. Hogg Fruit Man. 312. 1866.
2. Bunyard Handb. Hardy Fr. 188. 1920. Knight Monarch.
3. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 796. 1869.

Raised by Thomas Andrew Knight, Downton Castle, Eng., in 1830.

Bunyard says: "Tree easily recognized in winter by its very large oval buds, which stand out like those of a red currant."

Fruit medium, globular, yellowish-green, much covered with brown-russet and strewed with gray-russet specks; flesh yellowish, buttery, melting and very juicy, with a rich, vinous, sugary, and agreeably-perfumed flavor; first, one of the most valuable; Dec. and Jan.

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

Planted Spring 1893. Tree a medium grower and productive. Fruit of medium size. Skin yellowish green. Flesh white, juicy, buttery, sweet. Season December to March.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)

medium, rather handsome, a good-bearing sort; shoots erect to top of the tree and very vigorous. a medium-sized handsome pear; flesh melting and juicy; a good attractive bearer; fruit of good color, though sometimes coarse.

— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)