Yat
PearYat Pear
Origin/History
Originated in Holland. Brought to England from Holland about 1770 by Thomas Harvey (Hedrick). It is not to be confused with the Grise-Bonne. Known under numerous Continental names including Beurré Gris d'Été, Beurré Gris d'Été de Hollande, Gute Graue, and various Dutch and German designations. Quality has been assessed very differently across authorities: rated of little value by Downing, of first quality by Mas, as highly estimable by the Germans, and as an excellent early pear by Hogg (Hedrick).
Tree
Tree large, vigorous, hardy, and very productive (Hedrick). Downing describes the tree simply as vigorous. Young wood reddish yellow brown (Downing).
Fruit
Size and Form: Variable in size (Hedrick). Downing and Thomas describe the fruit as small; Hedrick gives small to above medium. Form obovate-pyriform (Downing, Hedrick), ranging to oblong-turbinate (Hedrick); Thomas describes it as turbinate.
Stem: Rather long, slender, obliquely inserted without depression, and often inserted by a fleshy protuberance (Hedrick).
Cavity: Stem inserted without depression (Hedrick). Not otherwise described in sources.
Calyx: Small, open (Hedrick).
Basin: Shallow (Hedrick).
Skin: Ground color green (Downing, Hedrick). Downing describes some large, round, light-colored specks with brown russet developing in the sun. Hedrick describes the skin as thickly covered with russet, sprinkled with numerous gray specks, sometimes colored brownish-red when exposed to the sun. Thomas describes it simply as brown russet.
Flesh and Flavor: White, tender, juicy (Downing, Hedrick). Downing adds sweet; Hedrick describes the flesh as melting, with a rich, sugary, and highly perfumed flavor. Thomas confirms juicy and perfumed. The fruit rots quickly (Downing); Thomas specifies it rots at the core.
Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.
Season
August and September (Hedrick). Downing and Thomas give September.
Uses
Not described in sources.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in sources.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Yat.
Yutte. Graue Sommer Butterbirne. Beurré Gris d'Été. Jutjesbirne. De Hollande. Jut-peer. Gute Graue. Jutte.
Originated in Holland, of little value. Tree vigorous. Young wood reddish yellow brown.
Fruit small, obovate pyriform, green, with some large, round, light-colored specks, brown russet in sun. Flesh white, tender, juicy, sweet. Rots quickly. September.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Yat.
- Lindley Guide Orch. Card. 351. 1831. 2. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:762, fig. 1869. Cute Graue. 3. Liegel Syst. Anleit. 124. 1825. Beurre Gris d'Ete de Hollande. 4. Mas Le Verger 2:85, fig. 41. 1866-73. Beurre Gris d'Ete. 5. Guide Prat. 70, 245. 1876.
This pear is said to have been brought to England from Holland about 1770 by Thomas Harvey. It is not to be confused with the Grise-Bonne. Tree large, vigorous, hardy, very productive. Fruit variable, small to above medium, obovate-pyriform to oblong-turbinate, green, thickly covered with russet, sprinkled with numerous gray specks, sometimes colored brownish-red when exposed to the sun; calyx small, open, set in a shallow basin; stem rather long, slender, obliquely inserted without depression and often by a fleshy protuberance; flesh white, tender, melting, juicy with a rich, sugary and highly perfumed flavor; rated as of little value by Downing, of first quality by Mas, as highly estimable by the Germans, and as an excellent early pear by Hogg; Aug. and Sept.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Yat. Small, turbinate, brown russet; juicy, perfumed—rots at core. September.