Petre
PearOrigin & History
An American pear raised by John Bartram, proprietor of the Bartram Botanic Garden near Philadelphia, from seed received in a letter from Lord Petre of England about the year 1735 (Hedrick). The original tree was still standing as of the early twentieth century, though Hedrick (1921) described it as "becoming decrepit." Elliott notes that the "Bezi de la Motte" has been disseminated for this variety, somewhat, through the West.
Tree
A moderate grower, not rapid, but producing very regular and abundant crops. Young wood slender, yellowish brown.
Fruit
Size: Medium, sometimes rather large (Downing: "medium size, or rather large"; Elliott: "medium to large"; Thomas and Hedrick: "medium").
Form: Obovate. Hedrick describes it as truncate at both ends. Elliott gives "oblong obovate pyriform." Thomas describes it as "obovate, sometimes slightly obovate-pyriform or truncate-conic, base or stalk end wide or obtuse."
Skin: Pale yellow to greenish-yellow. Downing: "sometimes marked with greenish russet, and sprinkled with russet about the eye." Hedrick: "skin thin, greenish-yellow, with small pale spots." Elliott: "with russet patches." Thomas adds "often slightly russeted, with a reddish-brown cheek" — the reddish-brown cheek is mentioned only by Thomas.
Stem: Stiff and strong, about an inch long, stout at the lower end (Downing), rather stout and largest at base (Elliott). Thomas: "about an inch long, rather stout."
Cavity: Downing describes a "peculiar, abruptly flattened cavity." Elliott: "abrupt." Thomas: "obtuse at bottom."
Calyx: Downing: small. Elliott: medium.
Basin: Narrow and smooth (Downing: "narrow but smooth"; Elliott: "narrow"; Thomas: "small, smooth").
Flesh & Flavor: Whitish to white, fine-grained, buttery, and very melting, with a perfumed, slightly musky, high flavor. Hedrick: "white, soft, juicy and buttery, with a delicious flavor, very slightly musky and vinous." Elliott: "whitish, fine, melting, buttery, perfumed, juicy." Thomas: "fine-grained, sometimes slightly gritty, buttery, melting, rich, sweet, perfumed, often excellent — variable in quality from first to second rate." Thomas alone notes the occasional slight grittiness and the variability in quality.
Quality: Downing: good to very good. Hedrick: very good. Elliott: nearly "best." Thomas: "often excellent — variable in quality from first to second rate."
Core & Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October (Downing, Elliott). Thomas gives "mid-autumn." Hedrick extends the range to mid-September through December.
Uses
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Petre.
An American Pear. The original tree is growing in that interesting place, the old Bartram Botanic Garden, near Philadelphia. The tree is not a rapid grower, but produces very regular and abundant crops. Young wood slender, yellowish brown.
Fruit of medium size, or rather large obovate, pale yellow, sometimes marked with greenish russet, and sprinkled with russet about the eye. Stalk stiff and strong, about an inch long, stout at the lower end, and set in a peculiar, abruptly flattened cavity. Calyx small, set in a narrow but smooth basin. Flesh whitish, fine-grained, buttery, and very melting, with a perfumed, slightly musky, high flavor. Good to very good. October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Petre.
- Mag. Hort. 2:437. 1836.
- Ibid. 3:83. 1838.
This valuable variety was raised by John Bartram, the proprietor of a botanic garden near Philadelphia, from seed received in a letter from Lord Petre of England about the year 1735. The tree still stands, although becoming decrepit. Fruit medium, obovate, truncate at both ends; skin thin, greenish-yellow, with small pale spots; flesh white, soft, juicy and buttery, with a delicious flavor, very slightly musky and vinous; very good; mid-Sept. to Dec.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Petre.
American. Originated in the old Bartram Botanic Garden, near Philadelphia, Pa. Tree, moderate grower, with slender, yellowish brown shoots, abundant bearer. Fruit, medium to large, oblong obovate pyriform, pale yellow, with russet patches ; stem, rather stout, largest at base ; cavity, abrupt; calyx, medium; basin, narrow; flesh, whitish, fine, melting, buttery, perfumed, juicy, nearly "best." October. The "Bezi de la Motte" has been disseminated for this variety, somewhat, through the West.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Petré. Medium size, obovate, sometimes slightly obovate-pyriform or truncate-conic, base or stalk end wide or obtuse; surface pale yellow, often slightly russeted, with a reddish-brown cheek; stalk about an inch long, rather stout, cavity obtuse at bottom; basin small, smooth; flesh fine-grained, sometimes slightly gritty, buttery, melting, rich, sweet, perfumed, often excellent—variable in quality from first to second rate. Ripens at mid-autumn. Growth moderate, shoots rather slender, yellowish.