Philadelphia
Pear
Philadelphia Pear
Origin/History
Originated near Philadelphia. The variety has been erroneously called the Orange Bergamot; it has also appeared under the name Latch.
Tree
Healthy and vigorous. Young shoots light yellowish brown. Productive. Fruit sometimes cracks.
Fruit
Size and Form: Large. Downing describes the form as roundish obtuse pyriform; Thomas describes it as roundish-obovate, broad, remotely approaching the Diel form.
Skin: Yellow, thickly sprinkled with green or gray dots (Downing); Thomas describes the dots simply as thickly dotted. Sometimes netted or partly covered with russet.
Stem/Stalk: Medium length (Downing); stout at its insertion, set in an abrupt cavity.
Calyx: Open (Downing). Set in a broad, uneven basin.
Basin: Broad and uneven.
Flesh and Flavor: Coarse, juicy (Downing), buttery, melting. Flavor sugary (Downing) and slightly perfumed. The two sources diverge slightly on quality: Downing rates it Good; Thomas rates the flavor as very good.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Philadelphia.
Latch. Orange Bergamot, erroneously.
Origin, near Philadelphia. Tree healthy, vigorous. Young shoots light yellowish brown, productive. Fruit sometimes cracks.
Fruit large, roundish obtuse pyriform, yellow, thickly sprinkled with green or gray dots, sometimes netted with russet. Stalk of medium length, stout at its insertion, in an abrupt cavity. Calyx open, set in a broad, uneven basin. Flesh coarse, juicy, buttery, melting, with a sugary flavor, slightly perfumed. Good. September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Philadelphia. Large, roundish-obovate, broad, remotely approaching Diel form; skin yellow, thickly dotted, sometimes partly russeted; stalk stout, cavity abrupt; basin broad, uneven; flesh coarse, buttery, melting, with a very good flavor, slightly perfumed. September.