North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Anton Callaway <marillen@earthlink.net>]

With "partridge in a pear tree" being heard everywhere these days, I've 
accumulated some assorted pear musings & questions.

1.  'Honeysweet' is described by several nurseries as 
"self-pollinating", but "The Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut 
Varieties" (1997) says "...cultivar sets without pollination...".  So is 
it self-fertile (makes seed with it's own pollen) or does it just set a 
lot of parthenocarpic fruit?  Hedrick also described its mother, Seckel, 
as being quite self-fertile.  Is it? or parthenocarpy again?

2.  Another 'Honeysweet' question for Southerners, especially.  The 
Register also says, "...does not defoliate even without spraying for 
leaf-spotting diseases...".  Mine defoliate before anything else with 
terrible leaf problems.  It is dramatic.  I can send photos off-list if 
anyone wants to see.  Anyone else have similar experiences?

3.  Is 'Dabney' self-fertile?

4.  Finally a question 'specially for Ed.  I was reading Brooks Drain's 
"Southern Pear Breeding" (ASHS, 1955) and noticed this footnote on page 
301:  "Records previous to 1941 were kept by ... and H.L. Fackler."  Is 
this kinfolk of yours or are ya'll a pair of unrelated pear experts?

Anton
Zone 8