Rostiezer
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Rostiezer
Origin / History
The origin of the Rostiezer is unknown, but it is undoubtedly a German pear. It was received from the nurseries of Messrs. Baumann (A. N. Baumann), of Bollwiller (Bollweiler), Alsace, on the Rhine, whose collection contained several other varieties whose names are confined to their catalogue. Robert Manning of Salem, Massachusetts, imported it in 1834 or 1835, and it first fruited in 1837 or 1838. The late Mr. Manning introduced this fine pear to the notice of cultivators, briefly describing it in the Book of Fruits (1st series, 1838, No. 23) as one of a number of new varieties obtained from France, and subsequently giving a fuller account in the Magazine of Horticulture (vol. vi. p. 89). From specimens received from him in 1840, Hovey fully described it in the same work (vol. ix. p. 135), accompanied with a correct outline engraving. Since then it has been considerably disseminated, though its merits did not appear to be fully appreciated until the late 1840s. Budd & Hansen and Hedrick both note that it is often received from Colorado and Utah (the west) as the "Early Seckel." Classified as foreign / of European origin. At the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC, it was planted Spring 1890.
Tree
Vigorous, strong, and healthy in growth, of erect growth while young but assuming, in a few years, an irregular, spreading, and partially drooping habit (Hovey). Elliott describes it as a strong, upright grower with large foliage and dark olive-colored wood, and an early, free, abundant bearer. Downing notes that the young trees produce but few shoots of strong growth and require severe shortening to bring them into a fine symmetric form; healthy and vigorous in habit, an early and most profuse bearer. The Central Experimental Farm at Agassiz BC reports the tree as a medium grower. The fruit is produced in clusters; usually bears the fourth or fifth year. Succeeds well upon the quince or pear stock.
Wood. Clear reddish brown, dotted with russet specks, strong, stout, and short-jointed; old wood slightly rough, dull reddish brown, with prominent whitish specks. Color of the young wood is dark olive brown (Downing); dark olive-colored (Elliott); shoots dark, large (Thomas).
Buds. Medium size, shortly pointed, diverging, with rather prominent shoulders. Flower-buds medium size.
Leaves. Medium size, roundish ovate, generally broadest near the middle, and tapering to each end; thick, dull dark green, somewhat incurved at the edges, and finely but rather obtusely serrated; petioles moderately stout, about one and a half inches long. Thomas describes the leaves as broad; Elliott notes large foliage.
Flowers. Medium size; petals cupped.
Fruit
Size. Rather small to medium, scarcely as large as the Madeleine; in large specimens, about two inches long, and one and three quarter inches in diameter (Hovey). Below medium (Elliott, Central Experimental Farm); medium or below (Downing, Hedrick); small to medium (Budd & Hansen); rather small, sometimes medium (Thomas).
Form. Hovey: regular, pyramidal, full at the crown, tapering regularly to a point at the stem. Elliott: obovate pyriform. Downing: obovate oblong pyriform. Thomas: conic-pyriform, approaching obovate, nearly Madeleine-shaped, regular. Budd & Hansen: obovate, oblong pyriform. Hedrick: pyriform, regular in form. Central Experimental Farm: oblong, pyriform.
Stem / Stalk. Very long, about one and a half inches, slender, slightly knobby, and obliquely inserted on one side, with a slight cavity beneath (Hovey). Long, slender, without depression (Elliott). Long and slender, curved, and inserted with very little depression (Downing). An inch and a half to two inches long, slender, scarcely sunk (Thomas). One and one-half to two inches long, slender, inserted in slight cavity (Budd & Hansen).
Cavity. Slight cavity beneath the obliquely inserted stem (Hovey); without depression (Elliott); inserted with very little depression (Downing); scarcely sunk (Thomas); slight cavity (Budd & Hansen).
Calyx / Eye. Eye rather large, open, scarcely depressed, surrounded with uneven angles or projections; segments of the calyx short (Hovey). Calyx medium, open (Elliott). Calyx open, persistent (Downing).
Basin. Very shallow (Elliott); small and corrugated (Downing); little or none (Thomas); slight (Budd & Hansen).
Skin. Slightly rough, dull russety green, broadly tinged with dull red, somewhat russeted on the sunny side, and covered with dark greenish specks (Hovey). Dull green, reddish brown cheek in sun; whitish specks, and traces of thin russet (Elliott). Dull yellow green, mixed with reddish brown on the sunny side (Downing). Dull brownish green, with a dark, dull, reddish brown cheek to the sun, with whitish specks, and traces of thin russet (Thomas). Yellowish green with reddish brown on sunny side, and traces of thin russet (Budd & Hansen). Grass-green on the shaded side, reddish on the exposed face and sprinkled with small gray dots (Hedrick). Yellowish green, with dull red on the sunny side (Central Experimental Farm).
Flesh / Flavor. Rather coarse, yellowish, very melting and juicy; flavor rich, sugary and sprightly, with a delicious spicy perfume (Hovey). Juicy, melting, sweet, perfumed (Elliott). Juicy, melting, somewhat buttery, exceedingly sugary, vinous, aromatic, and pleasantly perfumed (Downing). Juicy, melting, sweet, with a very high, perfumed flavor, of high excellence (Thomas). Juicy, melting, sweet, perfumed; quality best (Budd & Hansen). Greenish-white, fine, melting, rather granular below the core; juice very abundant, vinous, acidulous, very saccharine, with a most delicate flavor; first [quality] (Hedrick). Juicy, melting, sugary, with a very fine flavour (Central Experimental Farm). As a summer or early autumn pear, it is scarcely equalled in its spicy and luscious flavor, partaking much of the character of the Seckel; Downing remarks that in flavor it is only equalled by the Seckel, which ripens six weeks later; Thomas: "For rich flavor, it has scarcely an equal among summer pears."
Core / Seeds. Core small (Hovey, Elliott); seeds small, pale brown (Hovey); seeds ovate pointed (Elliott); flesh rather granular below the core (Hedrick).
Season
Ripe the last of August and beginning of September (Hovey). Last of August (Elliott, Hedrick, Central Experimental Farm). Middle of August to middle of September (Downing). Ripens late in summer (Thomas). A summer or early autumn pear; the list of first-rate early pears is extremely limited, but with such additions as the Rostiezer and Tyson, the season between the ripening of the Madeleine, or the Doyenne d'Été and the Williams's Bon Chrétien, would be well supplied with some of the richest pears (Hovey).
Uses
Like the Seckel, it is a small and somewhat indifferent looking fruit, but, from its other fine qualities, holds the highest rank among the choicest pears. Highly esteemed as a dessert/summer pear of the first quality ("first"; "best"; "of high excellence"; "quality best").
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Hovey's account is accompanied by a correct outline engraving reproduced from his earlier 1840 description; Thomas references Fig. 690. Hovey's engraving is from a tree in Mr. Manning's collection, in full bearing, eight or nine years old.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as Rostiezek
- Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852) — listed as The Rostiezer Pear
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1864–1900) from Oregon
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell's Prairie, Marion County , Oregon — 1864
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (7)
— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)THE ROSTIEZER PEAR.
Rostiezer. Manning's Book of Fruits, 1st series, 1838, No. 23.
The late Mr. Manning introduced this fine pear to the notice of cultivators. It was one among a number of new varieties obtained from France, and he briefly described it in the Book of Fruits, as above quoted. Subsequently, and after further trial, he gave an account of it in the Magazine of Horticulture, (vol. vi. p. 89,) and, from specimens received from him in 1840, we fully described it in the same work, (vol. ix. p. 135,) accompanied with a correct outline engraving, which we have now reproduced. As a summer or early autumn pear, it is scarcely equalled in its spicy and luscious flavor, partaking much of the character of the Seckel. Like the latter variety, it is a small and somewhat indifferent looking fruit, but, from its other fine qualities, holding the highest rank among the choicest pears.
The origin of the Rostiezer is unknown. It was received from the nurseries of Messrs. Baumann, of Bollwiller, on the Rhine, and it is undoubtedly a German pear, introduced by them, — as their collection contains several other varieties whose names are confined to their catalogue. Mr. Manning imported it in 1834 or '35, and it first fruited in 1837 or '38. Since then, it has been considerably disseminated, but its merits do not appear to have been fully appreciated until the last four or five years. The list of first-rate early pears is extremely limited, but, with a few such additions as the Rostiezer and Tyson, the season, between the ripening of the Madeleine, or the Doyenne d'Ete and the Williams's Bon Chretien, would be well supplied with some of the richest pears.
The Rostiezer, we have already remarked, is a rather small pear, being scarcely as large as the Madeleine. The tree, however, is an abundant bearer, the fruit being produced in clusters. It is of vigorous, strong, and healthy growth, but with a spreading and irregular habit, and usually bears the fourth or fifth year. It succeeds well upon the quince or pear stock.
Tree. — Vigorous, of erect growth while young, but assuming, in a few years, an irregular, spreading, and partially drooping habit. Our engraving is from a tree in Mr. Manning's collection, in full bearing, eight or nine years old.
Wood. — Clear reddish brown, dotted with russet specks, strong, stout, and short-jointed; old wood slightly rough, dull reddish brown, with prominent whitish specks; buds medium size, shortly pointed, diverging, with rather prominent shoulders: Flower-buds medium size.
Leaves. — Medium size, roundish ovate, generally broadest near the middle, and tapering to each end; thick, dull dark green, somewhat incurved at the edges, and finely but rather obtusely serrated; petioles moderately stout, about one and a half inches long.
Flowers. — Medium size; petals cupped.
Fruit. — Medium size; in large specimens, about two inches long, and one and three quarter inches in diameter: Form, regular, pyramidal, full at the crown, tapering regularly to a point at the stem: Skin, slightly rough, dull russety green, broadly tinged with dull red, somewhat russeted on the sunny side, and covered with dark greenish specks: Stem, very long, about one and a half inches, slender, slightly knobby, and obliquely inserted on one side, with a slight cavity beneath: Eye, rather large, open, scarcely depressed, surrounded with uneven angles or projections; segments of the calyx short: Flesh, rather coarse, yellowish, very melting and juicy: Flavor, rich, sugary and sprightly, with a delicious spicy perfume: Core, small: Seeds, small, pale brown.
Ripe the last of August and beginning of September.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)ROSTIEZER.
Foreign. Tree, strong, upright grower, large foliage, dark olive-colored wood ; an early, free, abundant bearer ; succeeds on Quince.
Fruit, below medium, obovate pyriform : color, dull green, reddish brown cheek in sun : whitish specks, and traces of thin russet : stem, long, slender, without depression; calyx, medium, open; basin, very shallow; core, small ; seeds, ovate pointed ; flesh, juicy, melting, sweet, perfumed. Last of August.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)ROSTIEZEK.
A foreign variety, which is scarcely medium in size and has not generally much beauty of color, yet combines an assemblage of excellences that places it in the rank before any other of its season. The young trees produce but few shoots of strong growth, and require severe shortening to bring them into a fine symmetric form. The color of the young wood is dark olive brown. It is healthy and vigorous in its habit, an early and most profuse bearer, and in flavor is only equalled by the Seckel, which ripens six weeks later.
Fruit medium or below, obovate oblong pyriform. Skin dull yellow green, mixed with reddish brown on the sunny side. Stalk long and slender, curved, and inserted with very little depression. Calyx open, persistent. Basin small and corrugated. Flesh juicy, melting, somewhat buttery, exceedingly sugary, vinous, aromatic, and pleasantly perfumed. Best. Middle of August to middle of September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Rostiezer.*
Rather small, sometimes medium in size; conic-pyriform, approaching obovate, nearly Madeleine-shaped, regular; skin dull brownish green, with a dark, dull, reddish brown cheek to the sun, with whitish specks, and traces of thin russet; stalk an inch and a half to two inches long, slender, scarcely sunk; basin little or none; flesh juicy, melting, sweet, with a very high, perfumed flavor, of high excellence. Ripens late in summer. For rich flavor, it has scarcely an equal among summer pears. Shoots dark, large, leaves broad. Fig. 690. Europe.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Rostiezer.—Small to medium, obovate, oblong pyriform; color yellowish green with reddish brown on sunny side, and traces of thin russet; stalk one and one-half to two inches long, slender, inserted in slight cavity; basin slight. Flesh juicy, melting, sweet, perfumed; quality best. It is often received from Colorado and Utah as the "Early Seckel." Europe.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Rostiezer.
i. Manning Book of Fruits 72. 1838. Origin uncertain. It was, however, received from A. N. Baumann, Bollweiler, Alsace, by R. Manning, Salem, Mass., in 1834 or 1835. Often called Early Seckel in the west. Fruit medium or below, pyriform, regular in form, grass-green on the shaded side, reddish on the exposed face and sprinkled with small gray dots; flesh greenish-white, fine, melting, rather granular below the core; juice very abundant, vinous, acidulous, very saccharine, with a most delicate flavor; first; last of Aug.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1890. Tree a medium grower. Fruit below medium in size, oblong, pyriform. Skin yellowish green, with dull red on the sunny side. Flesh juicy, melting, sugary, with a very fine flavour. Season last of August.