North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[nottke1 <nottke1@earthlink.net>]

mIEKAL,

My 10 years of experience with 2 Ayers pear trees says it is an excellent 
eating, canning, and dessert pear.  Somewhat less susceptible to fireblight 
than the average pear or apple - about 1/4 as many lesions as others.  Also 
less trouble with cedar-pear rust.  Since I live in central North Carolina, I 
can't comment on cold hardiness.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
>Subject: [NAFEX] Ayers Pear
>
>2 sources online say Ayers is fireblight resistant & fairly disease
>free & 2 other sources say the opposite.  Someone says it's easily
>hardy to Zone 3 & references say Zone 5?  Anecdotal info welcome....
>Since it's so high in sugars seems like a good variety to mix with
>perry pears for winemaking.
>
>~mIEKAL