Ott

Pear

Ott

Origin / History

Ott is a seedling of the Seckel. It originated with Samuel Ott, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Dr. Brinckle of Philadelphia introduced it to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in the summer of 1848 (Hedrick). Downing called it "an excellent little pear, somewhat variable." Budd and Hansen report it "much grown in Delaware."

Tree

Moderately vigorous and very productive (Downing). Shoots rather erect, brownish green (Thomas). Young wood reddish olive-brown (Downing). Leaves like Seckel (Thomas).

Fruit

Size: Small.

Form: Roundish obovate, or short Seckel-form (Thomas); Elliott calls it roundish. Globular-obovate and regular, largest about the middle, rounding off to the calyx end and narrowing to the stem, where it is obtuse (Hedrick).

Stem: Medium to long, curved, one to one and one-quarter inches long; Thomas gives an inch and a fourth. Elliott calls it medium and a little curved; Downing calls it long and curved.

Cavity: Small to very small, a slight depression.

Calyx: Rather large, open; reflexed (Elliott).

Basin: Round, open, shallow.

Skin: Slightly rough (Hedrick). Greenish yellow; dull green changing to yellow when mature (Hedrick). Russeted in part, partially netted with russet, from little to considerable russeting. Reddish on the sunny side, the cheek faint red, mottled red, or bronzy-red (Hedrick). Elliott and Thomas say the red cheek appears rarely; Budd and Hansen say a mottled red cheek is often present.

Dots: Russet specks intermixed with some greenish spots (Hedrick).

Flesh and flavor: Yellowish (Elliott) or greenish white and coarse (Hedrick). Melting, juicy to very juicy, sugary, rich, perfumed, and aromatic, with a spicy aroma and a rich flavor closely resembling that of its parent the Seckel. Elliott calls it "slightly aromatic."

Most authors who give a verdict rate it "very good"; Downing gives "good to very good." Elliott writes that it is "by many Eastern pomologists classed as 'best'," but the specimens he had "have not merited more than to be classed 'very good.'"

Core and seeds: Core below medium; seeds blackish (Elliott).

Season

August. It ripens quite early, by the first or middle of August; Hedrick gives the end of August.

Uses

Elliott believed it "will prove valuable as a standard orchard sort at the Southwest."

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Thomas illustrates it as Fig. 694. Hedrick cites Mag. Hort. 14:424, 1848, and Downing Fr. Trees Am. 826, 1869.

Book Sources

Described in 5 period pomological works

View original book sources (5)

Ott.

American. Native of Montgomery Co., Pa. This is by many Eastern pomologists classed as "best;" specimens we have had, have not merited more than to be classed "very good." Fruit, small, roundish, greenish yellow, with little russet, and rarely faint red cheek in sun; stem, medium, a little curved; calyx, rather large, open, reflexed; core, below medium; seeds, blackish; flesh, yellowish, melting, juicy, slightly aromatic. August. We believe this pear will prove valuable as a standard orchard sort at the Southwest.

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

Ott.

A seedling of the Seckel; originated with Samuel Ott, Montgomery Co., Pa. Tree moderately vigorous, very productive. Young wood reddish olive-brown.

Fruit small, roundish obovate, greenish yellow, partially netted with russet, reddish on the sunny side. Stalk long and curved, inserted in a slight depression. Calyx open, in a round, open basin. Flesh melting, sugary, rich, perfumed, and aromatic. Ripe middle of August. An excellent little pear, somewhat variable. Good to very good.

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

Ott.* Small, roundish-obovate, or short Seckel-form; greenish-yellow, russeted in part, rarely a mottled red cheek; stalk an inch and a fourth long, cavity small; calyx rather large, basin shallow; flesh melting, rich, perfumed, aromatic, closely resembling that of its parent the Seckel. Ripens quite early, or by the first or middle of August. Shoots rather erect, brownish-green, leaves like Seckel. Origin, Montgomery County, Pa. Fig. 694.

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

Ott. — Small, roundish obovate in form; color greenish yellow with considerable russeting, and often a mottled red cheek; stalk one to one and one-quarter inches long, inserted in very small cavity. Flesh melting, rich, perfumed, with rich flavor like that of its parent the Seckel, very good. Much grown in Delaware.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

Ott.

Mag. Hort. 14:424. 1848.

Downing Fr. Trees Am. 826. 1869.

Ott is a seedling of Seckel and was originated by Samuel Ott, Montgomery County, Pa., and introduced to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society by Dr. Brinckle of Philadelphia in the summer of 1848. Fruit small, globular-obovate, regular, largest about the middle, rounding off to the calyx end and narrowing to the stem where it is obtuse; skin slightly rough, dull green changing to yellow when mature, some russet, bronzy-red on the sunny side and dotted with russet specks intermixed with some greenish spots; flesh greenish-white, coarse, melting, very juicy, rich, sugary, with a spicy aroma resembling the Seckel; very good; end of Aug.

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