Reliance

Pear

Reliance Pear

Origin/History

Introduced by P. J. Berckmans to the Georgia State Horticultural Society and accepted by that Society in 1890. Hedrick (1921) states it was raised from seed sown in 1857, and named Reliance "because it bears every year." Thomas (1903) describes it as a Van Mons' seedling.

Tree

Vigorous and prolific. (Thomas)

Fruit

Size: Hedrick describes the fruit as small; Thomas describes it as medium.

Form: Oblate. (Thomas)

Skin: Brownish-red, russeted. (Thomas)

Flesh/Flavor: Fine-grained, melting, juicy. (Thomas) Hedrick rates it as a dessert pear almost as good as Seckel, and grades the quality as very good; Thomas grades it good.

Stem, Cavity, Calyx, Basin, Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Summer. (Hedrick)

Uses

Dessert. (Hedrick)

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 2 catalogs (1901) from Arkansas, Illinois

Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901

View original book sources (2)

Reliance, i. Ga. Hart. Soc. Rpt. 24. 1890. Introduced by P. J. Berckmans to the Georgia State Horticultural Society and accepted by that Society in 1890. It was raised from seed sown in 1857, and named Reliance "because it bears every year." Fruit small; a dessert pear almost as good as Seckel, rated as very good; summer season.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

Reliance. Medium, oblate, brownish-red, russeted; flesh fine-grained, melting, juicy, good. A Van Mons' seedling. Tree vigorous, prolific.

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