Osband's Summer
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Osband's Summer
Origin/History
Osband's Summer is an American variety, native to Wayne County, New York (Elliott; Downing; Budd & Hansen). Hedrick locates its origin more precisely in the vicinity of Palmyra, Wayne County, N. Y., about 1840. It was at first known as Summer Virgalieu and so published in the Genesee Farmer in 1845 or 1846 (Hedrick). Early pomological references include the Horticulturist 1:211, fig. 59, 1846, and Leroy's Dict. Pom. 2:492, fig., 1869 (Hedrick). Budd & Hansen note it is widely grown across the continent. At the Central Experimental Farm in Agassiz, BC, trees were planted Spring 1890 under their fruit-tree test program.
Tree
Moderately vigorous, upright, an early and prolific bearer; young wood rich yellow brown (Downing). At the Central Experimental Farm in Agassiz, BC, however, the tree is described as a strong grower but a shy bearer — conflicting with Downing's report of prolific bearing.
Fruit
Size
Below medium (Elliott); small (Downing; Budd & Hansen; Hedrick; Central Experimental Farm).
Form
Ovate obovate pyriform (Elliott); roundish ovate obovate pyriform (Downing); roundish, obovate pyriform (Budd & Hansen); obovate-pyriform (Hedrick); roundish, ovate, pyriform (Central Experimental Farm).
Stem
Medium length, inserted in a shallow, uneven cavity (Elliott); of medium length, rather strong, inserted in an abrupt cavity (Downing); three-quarters to one inch long, inserted in abrupt cavity (Budd & Hansen). Elliott and Downing/Budd & Hansen differ on cavity character — shallow and uneven (Elliott) versus abrupt (Downing; Budd & Hansen).
Cavity
See Stem above. Downing and Hedrick note traces of russet around the stalk/stem; Budd & Hansen note russet in the cavity.
Calyx
Open, with long, straggling segments (Elliott); open (Downing). Downing and Hedrick note russet around the calyx; Budd & Hansen note russet in the basin.
Basin
Broad and shallow (Downing; Budd & Hansen).
Skin
Rather thick (Elliott). Clear yellow, with small green dots, and rarely a slight red cheek in the sun (Elliott); clear yellow, thickly dotted with small greenish and brown dots, with a warm cheek on the side of the sun, and some traces of russet, particularly around stalk and calyx (Downing); yellow with numerous greenish and brown dots, rosy cheek in the sun, and russet in basin and cavity (Budd & Hansen); clear yellow, thickly dotted with small greenish and brown dots, with a warm cheek on the side next the sun and with some traces of russet especially around the stem and calyx (Hedrick); yellow, with many small brownish dots (Central Experimental Farm).
Flesh/Flavor
Yellowish white, rather coarse grained, juicy; promises "valuable" (Elliott). White, juicy, melting, with a rich sugary flavor and pleasant musky perfume; very good (Downing). White, juicy, melting, with rich sweet flavor; very good (Budd & Hansen). White, juicy, melting, with a rich sugary flavor and agreeable perfume of musk; first in quality and appearance (Hedrick). White, juicy, melting, with a rich sweet flavour (Central Experimental Farm). Sources broadly agree on white, juicy, melting flesh of rich sugary/sweet flavor; Downing and Hedrick additionally specify a musky perfume; Elliott alone characterizes the texture as rather coarse grained.
Core/Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Early September (Elliott); ripens early in August (Downing); early in Aug. (Hedrick); season early August (Central Experimental Farm). Sources disagree on ripening: Elliott places it in early September, while Downing, Hedrick, and the Central Experimental Farm all place it in early August.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Osband Summer
- Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921) — listed as Osband Summer
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 8 catalogs (1886–1904) from Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Virginia
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- Glen St. Mary Nurseries (G.L. Taber , Proprietor), Glen St. Mary , Florida — 1893
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- The Salem Nursery (John A. Francis , Proprietor), Salem , Virginia — 1897
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
View original book sources (5)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Osband's Summer.
Osband's Favorite, | Summer Vergalieu, of some.
American. Native of Wayne Co., N. Y. Fruit, below medium, ovate obovate pyriform, clear yellow, small green dots, and rarely a slight red cheek in sun ; skin, rather thick ; stem, medium, inserted in a shallow, uneven cavity ; calyx, with open, long, straggling segments ; flesh, yellowish white, rather coarse grained, juicy ; promises " valuable." Early September.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Osband's Summer.
Osband's Favorite. Summer Virgalieu.
Origin, Wayne County, N. Y. Tree moderately vigorous, upright, an early and prolific bearer. Young wood rich yellow brown.
Fruit small, roundish ovate obovate pyriform, clear yellow, thickly dotted with small greenish and brown dots, with a warm cheek on the side of the sun, and some traces of russet, particularly around stalk and calyx. Stalk of medium length, rather strong, inserted in an abrupt cavity. Calyx open, set in a broad, shallow basin. Flesh white, juicy, melting, with a rich sugary flavor and pleasant musky perfume. Very good. Ripens early in August.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Osband Summer.—Small, roundish, obovate pyriform; color yellow with numerous greenish and brown dots; rosy cheek in the sun, and russet in basin and cavity; stalk three-quarters to one inch long, inserted in abrupt cavity; basin broad, shallow. Flesh white, juicy, melting, with rich sweet flavor very good. Widely grown across the continent. New York.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Osband Summer,
- Horticulturist 1:211, fig. 59. 1846.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:492, fig. 1869.
Originated in the vicinity of Palmyra in Wayne County, N. Y., about 1840 and was at first known as Summer Virgalieu and so published in the Genesee Farmer in 1845 or 1846. Fruit small, obovate-pyriform, clear yellow, thickly dotted with small greenish and brown dots, with a warm cheek on the side next the sun and with some traces of russet especially around the stem and calyx; flesh white, juicy, melting, with a rich sugary flavor and agreeable perfume of musk; first in quality and appearance; early in Aug.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1890. Tree a strong grower but a shy bearer. Fruit small, roundish, ovate, pyriform. Skin yellow, with many small brownish dots. Flesh white, juicy, melting, with a rich sweet flavour. Season early August.