ONTARIO
1. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 200, fig. 1856. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 529. 1857. 3. Horticulturist N. S. 7:112, fig. 1857. 4. Mag. Hort. 23:110, fig. 3. 1857. 5. Mas Le Verger 3: Pt. 2, 85, fig. 139. 1866-73. 6. Horticulturist 23:331, fig. 102. 1868. 7. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 824. 1869. 8. Thomas Am. Fruit Cult. 463, fig. 672. 1897.
This variety was introduced nearly seventy years ago with the expectation that the crop would follow that of Bartlett and be in as great demand. While the variety did not come up to expectations, it seems to have been too good to discard, and is to be found in many collections in New York. The fruits are of the type of Bartlett, but are smaller and usually lack the blush found on the fruits of Bartlett. The trees are very satisfactory. The variety fails chiefly in the small size of the fruits, although these are not as small as the rather poor specimens illustrated in the accompanying plate, which were grown on the grounds of this Station where the pears run below the average.
This variety was raised from seed of Canandaigua in the nurseries of W. and T. Smith, Geneva, Ontario County, New York, and was first introduced at the meeting of the American Pomological Society, Rochester, New York, in 1856.
Tree large, vigorous, upright, open-topped, hardy, productive; trunk stocky; branches thick, roughish, dull reddish-brown, overspread with dark ash-gray scarf-skin, marked by small lenticels; branchlets thick, very short, with short internodes, light brown mingled with green, smooth, glabrous, with small, raised, conspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, free. Leaves 2 in. long, 1½ in. wide, oval, thin, leathery, slightly curled under along the margins; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandular toward the apex, very finely serrate; petiole 1½ in. long. Flower-buds small, short, conical or pointed, plump, free, singly or in small clusters on short branches or very short spurs; flowers 1⅛ in. across, in a scattering raceme, from 8 to 10 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1¼ in. long, slender, pubescent, light green.
Fruit in season from the middle to the last of September; medium in size, 2½ in. long, 1⅞ in. wide, uniform in size and shape, oblong-pyriform, with sides usually unequal; stem ¾ in. long, thick; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, often russeted and lipped; calyx open; lobes separated at the base, narrow, acute; basin shallow to medium, obtuse, gently furrowed, sometimes compressed; skin smooth, dull; color pale yellow, with small patches and streaks of light-colored russet; dots numerous, very small, russet, obscure; flesh whitish, with a yellow tinge at the core, granular, firm but tender, juicy, sweet, slightly aromatic; quality good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.
