Fruit late, ripening period of medium length; one and five-eighths inches by one and three-eighths inches in size, oval or slightly ovate, halves unequal; cavity shallow, narrow, abrupt; suture shallow, a distinct line; apex roundish or slightly pointed; color purplish-red over a yellow ground, covered with bloom of medium thickness; dots numerous, small, light russet, conspicuous; stem glabrous, adhering to the fruit; skin thin, tender, separating readily; flesh golden-yellow, dry, firm but tender, sweet, not high in flavor; fair in quality; stone clinging but not tenaciously, one inch by five-eighths inch in size, irregularly and broadly ovate, flattened, roughish, slightly compressed and necked at the base, blunt or acute at the apex; ventral suture narrow, winged, strongly furrowed; dorsal suture acute or faintly furrowed.
BARTLETT
Prunus triflora × Prunus simonii
1. Cal. State Bd. Hort. 53. 1897. 2. Vt. Sta. Bul. 67:7. 1898. 3. Burbank Cat. 1899. 4. Can. Hort. 25:411. 1902. 5. Ga. Sta. Bul. 68:6. 1905. 6. De Vries Plant Breeding 226. 1907.
Bartlett was grown by Burbank from a cross of Prunus simonii with Delaware, the latter one of his earliest hybrids. The originator disposed of the variety in 1899 and it immediately became popular with nurserymen and was soon offered for sale in all parts of the United States. Fruit-growers have not received it so well, however, and most of those who have tried it have discarded it or hold the variety as a curiosity. The fruit is attractive in appearance and the Bartlett pear flavor is agreeable, but the skin cracks badly in this State and the flesh is too soft for shipping. The tree with its stiff, upright branches resembles a Lombardy poplar and with its bright, glossy green foliage is an attractive ornamental. It is still further peculiar in bearing thick clusters of flowers at the ends of lateral spurs.
Tree lacking in size and vigor, upright, open-topped, not very hardy, productive; branches rough, with numerous fruit-spurs; branchlets slender, short, glabrous throughout the season; leaf-buds plump; leaves folded upward, oblanceolate, one and one-half inches wide, three and one-quarter inches long, thin; margin finely serrate, in two series, eglandular or with small, dark glands; petiole slender, with from one to four small glands; blooming season early, long; flowers appearing before the leaves.
Fruit very early; one and three-eighths inches by one and one-quarter inches in size, long-cordate to slightly oval, dark purplish-red over yellow, covered with thick bloom; skin tender, bitter; flesh yellow, not very juicy, tender, sweet, with a peculiar but pleasant flavor; of good quality; stone clinging, seven-eighths inch by one-half inch in size, elongated-ovate, narrow, blunt at the base, long drawn out at the apex, the surfaces rough.
BASSETT
Prunus maritima