LAWSON
1. Rural N. Y. 43:651, fig. 385. 1884. 2. Gard. Mon. 27:282. 1885. 3. Rural N. Y. 44:693. 1885. 4. Gard. & For. 5:414. 1892. 5. Van Lindley Cat. 22. 1892. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 36. 1899. 7. Ont. Dept. Agr. Fr. Ont. 168. 1914. 8. Cal. Com. Hort. Pear Grow. Cal. 7:266, fig. 67. 1918.
Comet. 9. Gard. Mon. 27:144. 1885.
Cometbirne. 10. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 198. 1889.
Of all early pears, the fruit of Lawson best satisfies the eye for bright colors. It is as brightly colored as the brilliant Vermont Beauty or as Mount Vernon. Another outstanding character is the small core, which, though the pears ripen early and quickly, seldom softens unduly. The pears are sometimes nearly or quite seedless. Unfortunately, the fruits are often irregular in shape, and in quality are never more than mediocre. The tree is fairly healthy, vigorous, hardy, and free from blight, and is characterized by its tall, upright growth. Although grown for more than a hundred years in New York, the variety has never made headway in this State, but seems to be attracting much attention on the Pacific slope.
This pear originated on the farm of a Mr. Lawson in Ulster County, New York, about 1800, judging from the appearance of the original tree which was standing in 1900. The variety was introduced toward the end of the nineteenth century under the name Comet by reason of its color, so that it is sometimes known as Lawson Comet. The American Pomological Society added Lawson to its fruit-catalog in 1899.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, dense-topped, very productive; branches slender, zigzag, reddish-brown overlaid with grayish scarf-skin, marked with numerous raised, large lenticels; branchlets slender, very long, with characteristically long internodes, rough, zigzag, marked with numerous large, raised, conspicuous lenticels. Leaves 3¼ in. long, 1¾ in. wide; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandless, serrate; petiole 2 in. long. Flowers early, showy, 1½ in. across, in dense clusters, 6 or 8 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1 in. long, thick.
Fruit ripens in August; large, 2¾ in. long, 3¼ in. wide, varies from obovate-obtuse-pyriform to globular-obtuse-pyriform, with unequal sides; stem ⅞ in. long, thick, curved, woody; cavity very small and narrow, often with a lip drawn up around one side of the stem; calyx partly open; lobes narrow, often reflexed; basin narrow, obtuse, gently furrowed; skin thin, tender, smooth; color pale yellow, overspread on the exposed cheek with a bright red blush; dots numerous, small, greenish or russet, obscure; flesh whitish or often salmon-color, firm, tough, medium juicy, lacking sweetness; quality poor. Core unusually small, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide; seeds short, wide, plump, obtuse, few in number.
