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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] NOT 20th Century!

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  • From: "Donna &/or Kieran" <holycow@cookeville.com>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] NOT 20th Century!
  • Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:04:48 -0500

Dear all, 
     I apologize to any of you who might have planted 20th Century on my advice.  I used the 1903 planting date to ID the trees, not knowing that there were other contenders for the honor.  I showed a pear off my tree to a nurseryman from McMinnville who'd gotten an identical selection from a N. Ala orchard, and was also convinced that it was 20th Century.  Just hours after that confirmation, I found the 1926 painting of the 'Pineapple' pear on the Corvallis site, which is a dead ringer for what I have.  Considering that the variety was brought to the US by someone in Commadore Perry's fleet in the 1850's, there was plenty of time to get to Tennessee by 1903.  It would also explain why it doesn't keel over from blight the way Ethan Natalson says 20th Century does in Houston.  He also tells me that they use the name 'Pineapple' for a different pear in TX, which would explain why the actual photos of what they are growing at Corvallis under that name look NOTHING like the historic painting.  If you'll look up the name online, you can find one nursery selling the round green kind that the nurseryman and I have, and two nurseries selling the long brown kind.  I wouldn't be surprised if my greenish pineapple type is what Hartwell Cook found that Ethan says looks like 20th Century but doesn't blight.  Of course, all this will take time to grow the trees and compare.  Or if I get to the trees in time, I might try to send some to Ethan. 
    For those I have actually sent scions to, just change the name to Pineapple pear.  For those who bought trees, you might want to whack them and graft on something that will actually survive in the southeast.    Donna



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