Pope's Scarlet Major
PearPope's Scarlet Major
Origin/History
Originated on Long Island, New York. Recorded as early as 1837 (Magazine of Horticulture 3:15, 1837). Cited subsequently in Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (834, 1869).
Tree
Not described in sources.
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as "rather large"; Hedrick gives "nearly large." Both describe the form as obovate.
Skin: Yellow ground, with a bright red blush or cheek on the exposed side.
Flesh: White, breaking in texture, and rather dry.
Flavor/Quality: Poor (Downing); very indifferent (Hedrick).
Stem, Cavity, Calyx, Basin, Core, Seeds: Not described in sources.
Season
Conflicting: Downing places it at the last of August; Hedrick gives October. These two sources disagree substantially on ripening time.
Uses
Not described in sources. The uniform assessment of poor quality implies limited culinary or commercial value.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in sources.
Other
Not described in sources.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Pope's Scarlet Major.
Origin, Long Island, N. Y.
Fruit rather large, obovate, yellow, with a bright red cheek. Flesh white, breaking, and rather dry. Poor. Last of August.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Pope Scarlet Major,
- Mag. Hort. 3:15. 1837.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 834. 1869.
Origin, Long Island, N.Y. Fruit nearly large, obovate, yellow, blushed on exposed side with bright red; flesh white, breaking, rather dry; very indifferent; Oct.