Pater Noster
PearPater Noster
Origin and History
An old pear of unknown origin. It appears in Van Mons' catalog of fruits cultivated from 1798 to 1823, and was listed in his 1823 catalog. The name Paul Thielens has been erroneously associated with it (Downing). It was also described in the Annales de Pomologie Belge in 1858, indicating European recognition as an established variety by the mid-nineteenth century.
Fruit
Size and Form: Above medium to large, frequently large. Variable in form — Downing describes the range as obovate obtuse pyriform to irregular obovate acute pyriform; Hedrick describes it as oblong or long-turbinate, slightly obtuse, contorted and bossed. Both sources agree the form is irregular and variable.
Skin: The two sources differ on color. Downing describes the skin as greenish yellow, mottled and shaded in sun with red, and netted, patched, and dotted with russet brown — a complex, russeted surface. Hedrick describes it simply as clear olive-yellow, with no mention of red or russet. These may reflect different conditions of culture or ripening stage; the russet netting and red shading described by Downing should be considered possible identification features.
Stem: Stout, usually planted with a fleshy lip at its insertion (Downing).
Basin: Shallow, uneven (Downing).
Flesh: White, fine-grained. Both sources describe it as melting; Hedrick qualifies this as melting or semi-melting. Watery in texture (Hedrick). Juice abundant and saccharine (Hedrick).
Flavor: The sources agree on a vinous character but differ in degree: Downing calls it "slightly vinous"; Hedrick describes the juice as "very vinous, acidulous, with an agreeable aroma." The acidulous note and the aromatic quality are from Hedrick alone. Overall quality rated Good to Very Good by Downing; First by Hedrick.
Season
Downing gives October–November; Hedrick gives November. Likely a late-October to November variety, with Downing's October date possibly reflecting an earlier-ripening strain or warmer conditions.
Uses
A dessert pear of good to first quality, suited to fresh eating in the autumn-to-early-winter window.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)PATER NOSTER.
Paul Thielens, erroneously.
An old variety, of which the origin appears unknown. It was in Van Mons' catalogue in 1823.
Fruit large, variable in form, from obovate obtuse pyriform to irregular obovate acute pyriform, greenish yellow, mottled and shaded in sun with red, netted, patched, and dotted with russet brown. Stalk stout, usually planted with a lip. Basin shallow, uneven. Flesh white, juicy, melting, slightly vinous. Good to very good. October, November.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Pater Noster.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 532. 1857. 2. Ann. Pom. Belge 6:33, fig. 1858.
Mentioned in the Van Mons catalog of fruits cultivated from 1798 to 1823. Fruit above medium, and often large, variable in form, oblong or long-turbinate, slightly obtuse, contorted and bossed, clear olive-yellow; flesh white, fine, melting or semi-melting, watery; juice abundant, saccharine, very vinous, acidulous, with an agreeable aroma; first; Nov.