Prince's St. Germain
Pear
Prince's St. Germain
Origin/History
Originated at the Prince Nurseries, Flushing, Long Island, raised from the seed of the old St. Germain. Elliott (1865) notes the raising occurred "nearly fifty years since" from the time of his writing, placing the origin in the early nineteenth century.
Tree
Downing describes the tree as a moderately vigorous grower and an abundant bearer. Elliott characterizes it as hardy, thrifty, and very productive, noting the fruit keeps well and requires no more care to ripen than apples. Both sources agree the young wood (shoots) is reddish brown; Downing specifies "dull reddish brown."
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium in size. Downing describes the form as obovate, inclining to oval pyriform. Elliott describes it as oblong obovate pyriform.
Stem: Downing: an inch or more long, a little curved. Elliott: long and slender, noting that his illustration shows only a portion of the stem's full length.
Cavity: The sources conflict. Downing describes a medium, uneven cavity. Elliott describes it as slight and narrow.
Calyx: Downing: large, open, firm, and nearly without divisions. Elliott: with broad segments without divisions.
Basin: Downing: smooth, nearly flat. Elliott: regular, even, not deep.
Skin: Downing: nearly covered with brownish russet over a green ground, becoming dull red next the sun. Elliott: green and pale yellow marbled, and covered nearly with brownish russet specks. (Downing alone notes the dull red coloration on the sun-exposed side.)
Flesh: Downing: yellowish white, juicy, melting. Elliott: white, juicy, melting.
Flavor: Sweet, somewhat vinous, and very agreeable (Downing); sweet, vinous (Elliott).
Core: Small (Elliott only).
Seeds: Oblong ovate (Elliott only).
Season
Downing: November to March. Elliott: December to March.
Uses
Quality rated Very Good by Downing. Both sources emphasize good keeping character.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Thomas (1903) lists the variety at p. 544 but provides no descriptive text.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1864) from Oregon
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell's Prairie, Marion County , Oregon — 1864 — listed as Princes St. Germain
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Prince's St. Germain.
Brown St. Germain. New St. Germain.
Originated with William Prince, Flushing, Long Island. Tree moderately vigorous grower, and an abundant bearer of fruit, in quality very good, and possessing a good keeping character. Young wood dull reddish brown.
Fruit of medium size, obovate, inclining to oval pyriform. Skin nearly covered with brownish russet over a green ground, and becoming dull red next the sun. Stalk an inch or more long, a little curved, and placed in a medium uneven cavity. Calyx large, open, firm, and nearly without divisions, set in a smooth, nearly flat basin. Flesh yellowish white, juicy, melting, with a sweet, somewhat vinous, and very agreeable flavor. Very good. November to March.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Prince's St. Germain.
New St. Germain.
Raised from the seed of the old St. Germain, nearly fifty years since, at the Prince Nurseries, Flushing, L. I. Tree, hardy, thrifty, very productive; the fruit keeps well, and requires no more care to ripen than apples; shoots, reddish brown.
Fruit, medium, oblong obovate pyriform; color, green and pale yellow marbled, and covered nearly with brownish russet specks; stem, long, slender, (our drawing shows only a portion of it); cavity, slight, narrow; calyx, with broad segments without divisions; basin, regular, even, not deep; core, small; seeds, oblong ovate; flesh white, juicy, melting, sweet, vinous. December to March.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Prince's St. Germain, p. 544.