Pulsifer
PearPulsifer
Origin / History
American, a native of Illinois. Dr. John Pulsifer of Hennepin, Illinois, planted a pear seed in his garden in the spring of 1843. It produced a tree bearing, in Hedrick's words, "fruit of great merit." Hedrick's first cited reference is the Horticulturist, volume 8, page 460, with a figure, 1853.
Tree
Upright and vigorous; hardy (Hedrick). Shoots dark olive (Elliott) or greenish and rather erect (Thomas); young wood light yellow brown (Downing). An early bearer, productive (Elliott) to prolific (Hedrick).
Fruit
Size: Small to medium, most placings below medium. Thomas alone allows "medium or rather small."
Form: Pyriform, obtuse pyriform (Elliott) or obovate pyriform (Downing). Thomas calls it Madeleine- or Rostiezer-shaped.
Stem: Short, curved and slightly sunk (Thomas). Downing alone calls the stalk medium.
Cavity: Small (Downing).
Calyx: Small and open (Elliott); partially open (Downing).
Basin: Shallow, small, uneven.
Skin: Pale or dull yellow to dull golden-yellow, with traces of russet. Thomas says it is only sometimes slightly russeted. Downing describes the russet as slightly netted and patched, and Hedrick as an open network of slight russet covering the fruit. Sometimes shaded with crimson in the sun (Downing).
Dots: Thickly sprinkled with russet-brown dots (Downing).
Flesh and flavor: White or whitish, juicy, melting, sweet, and "delicious" (Hedrick). Downing finds it "a little coarse" and "slightly vinous." Thomas says it is "of a very good flavor" when well ripened, and Elliott gives it "very good." Hedrick calls it "much like Louise Bonne de Jersey, but superior to it." Downing rates it merely "Good."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
August, from early to the middle of the month.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Figured by Thomas, Fig. 688.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)PULSIFER.
American. Native of Illinois. Tree, upright, vigorous ; shoots, dark olive ; early and productive bearer. Fruit, below medium, pyriform obtuse, dull yellow, with traces of russet ; stem, short ; calyx, small, open ; flesh, white, melting, juicy, sweet ; "very good." Early August.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Pulsifer.
Raised by Dr. John Pulsifer, of Hennepin, Ill. An upright and vigorous grower. Young wood light yellow brown.
Fruit small, obovate pyriform. Skin pale yellow, slightly netted and patched with russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet brown dots, sometimes shaded with crimson in the sun. Stalk medium. Cavity small. Calyx partially open. Basin small, uneven. Flesh whitish, a little coarse, juicy, melting, slightly vinous. Good. August.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Pulsifer. Medium or rather small, pyriform, Madeleine or Rostiezer-shaped; skin dull yellow, sometimes slightly russeted; stalk short, curved, slightly sunk; basin shallow; flesh juicy, melting, and when well ripened of a very good flavor. Middle of August. Shoots greenish, rather erect. Illinois. Fig. 688.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Pulsifer.
i. Horticulturist 8:460, fig. 1853.
Dr. John Pulsifer of Hennepin, Ill., in the spring of 1843 planted in his garden a pear seed which produced a tree bearing fruit of great merit. An early and prolific bearer, hardy, vigorous. Fruit hardly medium, pyriform, dull golden-yellow, covered with an open network of slight russet; flesh white, melting, juicy, sweet, and delicious, much like Louise Bonne de Jersey, but superior to it; Aug.