Walker
PearWalker
Origin / History
Walker is a seedling of Van Mons, his No. 135, sent under that number to Robert Manning, of Salem, Mass., in 1834-5. Thomas gives it as Belgian.
Tree
Tree a vigorous, healthy grower, of upright habit. Young wood grayish.
Fruit
Size: Large.
Form: Oblong pyriform.
Stem: Long, curved, fleshy at base or insertion.
Cavity: Slight, the stalk set by a ring.
Calyx: Open or partially closed. Segments long (Elliott); short, erect (Downing).
Basin: Small, shallow.
Skin: Greenish yellow, or lemon yellow marbled with light sea-green (Elliott); sometimes a shade of crimson in the sun. Slight nettings and patches of russet (Downing).
Dots: Thickly sprinkled with brown dots.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, coarse to a little coarse, juicy, half melting; Elliott alone calls it crisp. Flavor vinous, a little astringent; sweet (Thomas). Quality good to very good: "Good to very good" (Downing); "very good" (Elliott); "good" (Thomas).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September to October. Most authors give October; Elliott alone gives September.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Walker.
Fruit, large, oblong pyriform, lemon yellow, marbled with light sea-green; stem, curved, fleshy at base ; calyx, open ; long segments; basin, shallow ; flesh, coarse, crisp, juicy ; "very good." September.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)WALKER.
No. 135, Van Mons.
This is a seedling of Van Mons', and sent to Robert Manning, of Salem, Mass., in 1834-5, under number. The tree is a vigorous, healthy grower, upright habit. The young wood grayish.
Fruit large, oblong pyriform. Skin greenish yellow, sometimes a shade of crimson in the sun. Slight nettings and patches of russet, and thickly sprinkled with brown dots. Stalk long, fleshy at insertion, in a slight cavity by a ring. Calyx open or partially closed. Segments short, erect. Basin small. Flesh white, a little coarse, juicy, half melting, vinous, a little astringent. Good to very good. October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Walker. Large oblong, pyriform, greenish-yellow; a little coarse; half melting, sweet, good. October. Belgian.