North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Anton Callaway <marillen@earthlink.net>]

The data on fireblight susceptibility of 'Wilder Early' are mixed.  I rather 
expected my trees to perish quickly when I first grafted them.  They were a 
trial, a calculated risk.  To my surprise, they've survived one fireblight 
epiphytotic in 2004 (although they weren't blooming, so naturally less 
susceptible) and have continued to thrive here in Piedmont North Carolina for 
6 years now.  

>From my experience with dozens of other risky European pears, it is likely 
>that some future epiphytotic will wipe them out, but I'll enjoy them in the 
>meantime.  I don't consider a pear to be truly resistant until it's survived 
>at least one epiphytotic when the trees are in bloom.

I do follow cultural practices to reduce the susceptibility of the trees to 
fireblight, but that won't save a highly susceptible cultivar.

Anton
Zone 7/8 - the last of the 'Wilder Early' pears harvested, nectarines, figs, 
peaches & plums ripening; no rain for 2 weeks

-----Original Message-----
>From: Kieran &/or Donna <holycow@frontiernet.net>
>Sent: Jul 2, 2009 12:07 AM
>To: Anton Callaway <marillen@earthlink.net>, North American Fruit Explorers 
><nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
>Subject: Re: [NAFEX] pear flavor just off the tree
>
>The problem with early pears is much like that of early apples, that their 
>metabolism is so fast that they are likely to be going overripe by the time 
>they are ripe.  This is mentioned in an article on the Dabney pear grown in 
>Tennessee, and I am seeing it in this pear that I assume is the famous 
>"Early Harvest".
>    Wilder Early was killed outright in one of the European pear collections 
>attacked by fireblight.  I'm glad I didn't order it.  Where exactly are you, 
>Anton?     Donna
>
>
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