Talmadge
PearTalmadge
Origin / History
Chance seedling in the garden of Levi Talmadge, Northford, Connecticut (Downing). Hedrick gives it as a chance seedling of Seckel. Cited in the Horticulturist, 1870, and in the American Pomological Society Report, 1881.
Tree
Hardy, vigorous, symmetric; head spreading, very symmetrical. Attains double the size of the Seckel (Hedrick). An early and abundant bearer (Downing); very productive (Hedrick).
Fruit
Size: Rather small (Downing). Larger and more uniform than Seckel (Hedrick).
Form: Obovate (Downing). Almost identical in form with Seckel (Hedrick).
Stem: Long, inclined.
Cavity: Medium.
Calyx: Small, open.
Basin: Small, regular.
Skin: Yellow, more or less netted and patched with russet. Russet ground the same as Seckel, with slightly less ruddy coloring than Seckel (Hedrick).
Dots: Not described in source.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white to whitish, half fine, juicy, melting; sweet, slightly aromatic. Inferior to Seckel (Hedrick).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September (Downing). Ripens with Seckel (Hedrick).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Talmadge.
Northford Seckel.
A chance seedling in the garden of Levi Talmadge, Northford, Conn. Tree hardy, vigorous, symmetric; an early and abundant bearer.
Fruit rather small, obovate; skin yellow, more or less netted and patched with russet; stalk long, inclined; cavity medium; calyx small, open; basin small, regular; flesh whitish, half fine, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly aromatic. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Talmadge.
i. Horticulturist 25:125. 1870. Northford Seckel. 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 123. 1881.
Originated in the garden of Levi Talmadge at Northford, Conn., as a chance seedling of Seckel. Tree hardy and vigorous, with spreading head, very symmetrical, attaining double the size of the Seckel, very productive. Fruit larger and more uniform than Seckel, almost identical in form, with the same russet ground, slightly less ruddy coloring; flesh white, juicy, melting; inferior to Seckel; ripens with Seckel.