Swan's Orange
Pear
SWAN'S ORANGE PEAR
Origin/History
The variety traces its history to 1806, when scions were carried from Farmington, Connecticut, by Mr. Henry Case of Onondaga, New York. In 1808, Mr. Case removed his tree to Liverpool, England, where it remained until its death in 1823. Prior to its death, scions had been distributed among local cultivators, including Deacon Joseph Swan of Onondaga Hollow. Approximately ten years before publication of this account (c. 1842), Mr. Swan's son, who resided in Rochester, exhibited some of the pears in that city for display. On account of the fruit's great beauty and superior quality, the Horticultural Society, in compliment to Mr. Swan, bestowed upon it the name Swan's Orange—its true origin then being wholly unknown.
The variety's excellence became well known around Rochester only within a few years of publication, and more recent still was general cultivation of the variety by other growers. Specimens sent from Rochester measured as large as twelve inches in circumference and thirteen ounces in weight.
Tree
The whole aspect of the tree denotes vigor and health. Growth is very vigorous and upright, forming a handsome head; on young trees the lateral shoots are horizontal. The variety grows well upon either the pear or quince stock. A tree grafted in 1843 had reached nine feet in height and was bearing fruit at the time of this description.
Wood, Buds, and Foliage
Wood is clear olive in color, stout, rather short-jointed, and dotted with large grayish specks; old wood becomes dark olive. Buds are large, long, tapering to the point, diverging, with prominent shoulders; flower-buds are medium size.
Leaves are large, oblong, tapering to the end, thick, and deep green, with the midrib recurved, little wavy, and partially folded. They possess prominent nerves and coarse, rather deep serratures. Petioles are medium length and stout.
Flowers
Flowers are medium size; petals are yellowish white, obovate, and flat.
Fruit
Form and Size: Fruit is large, measuring about four and a half inches long and three and a half inches in diameter. The form is oblong obovate, little uneven and irregular—of the Bon Chretien shape. The fruit is largest in the middle, narrowing to the crown, which is small, and tapering to the stem, near which it is suddenly contracted on one side.
Skin: Very fair and smooth; greenish yellow in color, becoming bright yellow when mature, with a few remaining traces of green. The skin is smoothly russeted around the eye, faintly tinged with blush on the sunny side, and regularly covered with large, round, russet specks.
Stem: Rather short, about three quarters of an inch in length, moderately stout, grayish brown with white specks. The stem is slightly fleshy at the base, curved, and obliquely inserted in a very shallow, contracted cavity with a swollen lip or projection on one side.
Eye: Medium size, closed, and rather deeply sunk in a large, round, smooth basin. Calyx segments are broad, fleshy, and partially reflexed.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh is white, fine, very melting, buttery, and juicy. Flavor is rich, sugary, sprightly, vinous, and delicious, with a most agreeable and high perfume.
Core and Seeds: Core is small and very close. Seeds are remarkably small and very dark.
Season and Storage
Ripe in October. Will keep from three to four weeks in storage.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The variety is regarded as possessing all the hardy and vigorous qualities of the hardiest native pear varieties of America. According to this source, while the Van Mons Leon le Clerc has justly obtained a high reputation and has been called the "best pear in the world," Swan's Orange, considered in all its qualities, far surpasses it. No pear of recent introduction claims so high a rank as Swan's Orange, being unequalled in excellence and unsurpassed in its beauty.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)THE SWAN'S ORANGE PEAR.
Swan's Orange. Genesee Farmer, vol. vii. p. 25. Onondaga, Horticulturist, vol. i. p. 322. Onondaga Seedling, of some Collections in Western New York.
No pear of recent introduction can claim so high a rank as the Swan's Orange. Possessing all the hardy and vigorous qualities of our hardiest native varieties, the fruit is not only of the largest size, but unsurpassed in its beauty, and unequalled in excellence. The Van Mons Leon le Clerc has obtained, and justly, a high reputation, and has been designated as the "best pear in the world;" yet Swan's Orange, considered in all its qualities, far surpasses it; and, if that epithet belongs to any variety, it is to the last named pear.
In the Magazine of Horticulture, (vol. xiii. p. 243,) we have given a full account of this fine fruit, in which its history has been traced back to 1806, at which period scions were carried from Farmington, Conn., by Mr. Henry Case, of Onondaga, N. Y. In 1808, Mr. Case removed his tree to Liverpool, where he then resided, but it died in 1823. Previous to its death, however, scions had been distributed; and, among those who received them, was Dea. Joseph Swan, of Onondaga Hollow. About ten years ago, Mr. Swan's son, who resided in Rochester, carried some of the pears to that city for exhibition, and, from its great beauty as well as superior quality, the Horticultural Society, in compliment to Mr. Swan, called it Swan's Orange, its origin then being wholly unknown.
It was not, however, until within a very few years, that its excellence became well known around Rochester, and more recent still that cultivators have generally become acquainted with it. Last autumn, some beautiful specimens were sent us from Rochester, the largest of which measured twelve inches in circumference, and weighed thirteen ounces.
The whole aspect of the tree denotes vigor and health: it grows well upon either the pear or quince stock.
Tree. — Very vigorous, upright in its growth, forming a handsome head; on young trees the lateral shoots are horizontal. Our vignette is from a tree grafted in 1843, now nine feet high, and bearing fruit.
Wood. — Clear olive, stout, rather short-jointed, and dotted with large, grayish specks; old wood dark olive; buds large, long, tapering to the point, diverging, with prominent shoulders: Flower-buds medium size.
Leaves. — Large, oblong, tapering to the end, thick, deep green, recurved on the midrib, little wavy, partially folded, with prominent nerves, and coarse, rather deep serratures; petioles medium length, stout.
Flowers. — Medium size; petals yellowish white, obovate, flat.
Fruit. — Large, about four and a half inches long, and three and a half in diameter: Form, oblong obovate, little uneven and irregular, or Bon Chretien-shaped; largest in the middle, narrowing to the crown, which is small, and tapering to the stem, near which, on one side, it is suddenly contracted: Skin, very fair, smooth, greenish yellow, but becoming of bright yellow when mature, leaving a few traces of green; smoothly russeted around the eye, faintly tinged with blush on the sunny side, and regularly covered with large, round, russet specks: Stem, rather short, about three quarters of an inch, moderately stout, grayish brown, with white specks, slightly fleshy at the base, curved, and obliquely inserted in a very shallow, contracted cavity, with a swollen lip or projection on one side: Eye, medium size, closed, and rather deeply sunk in a large, round, smooth basin; segments of the calyx broad, fleshy, and partially reflexed: Flesh, white, fine, very melting, buttery and juicy: Flavor, rich, sugary, sprightly, vinous and delicious, with a most agreeable and high perfume: Core, small, very close: Seeds, remarkably small, and very dark.
Ripe in October, and will keep from three to four weeks.