Pitmaston Duchess

Pear

Pitmaston Duchess

Origin / History

English (Thomas, 1903, who lists it as "Pitmaston Duchesse" and marks it "New"). Planted at the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, B.C., in spring 1893 and carried in the Bulletin No. 3 (1900) catalogue of fruit trees under test. Listed in Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911).

Tree

Strong grower (Agassiz). Requires rather a warm position for producing fine fruit; a good bearer; when grown against a wall (Veitch).

Fruit

Size: Large (Thomas, Agassiz); Veitch alone gives medium size.

Form: Obtuse pyriform, uneven (Thomas); obovate, pyriform (Agassiz).

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Not described in source.

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Yellow, with some red and a little russet.

Dots: Not described in source.

Flesh and flavor: Yellowish, juicy, buttery, melting, rich, vinous, with a pleasant flavor. Thomas calls it half melting, Veitch melting. Thomas's verdict: "good."

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

October.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 1 period pomological work

Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 13 catalogs (1897–1917) from England, Washington

Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1910
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1911
James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1914
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1915
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1916
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1917

View original book sources (3)

Pitmaston Duchesse. Large, obtuse pyriform, uneven, yellow, with some red and russet; half melting, vinous; good. October. English. New.

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

Planted Spring 1893. Tree a strong grower. Fruit large, obovate, pyriform. Skin yellow with a little russet. Flesh yellowish, juicy, buttery, with a pleasant flavour. Season October.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)

medium size, melting, juicy and rich; requires rather a warm position for producing fine fruit; a good bearer; when grown against a wall.

— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)

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