The Book of Pears: The Definitive History and Guide to Over 500 Varieties

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The Book of Pears: The Definitive History and Guide to Over 500 Varieties

by Joan Morgan, 304 pages, 8x10, hardcover.

In our pursuit at Fedco Trees to track down, identify, and propagate the oldest surviving pear trees, we frequently reference the descriptions, colorful watercolors, and identification key found in fruit historian Joan Morgan’s illuminating book. Her comprehensive history of one of our favorite fruits is captivating, from seedlings found in the wild to modern-day cultivars. In collaboration with the UK’s National Fruit Collection, she compiled hundreds of descriptions in the second half of the book. She includes not only the sweet melting pears most of us recognize as dessert fruit, but also astringent varieties better suited for storage or baking; perry pears used for brewing an alcoholic beverage similar to hard cider; and Asian pears, too. Aside from Ulysses Hedrick’s extremely rare classic Pears of New York, this is our go-to reference for pear identification because it contains varieties that were once common at the turn of the century but are quite rare today. I would even go so far as to say that it would be difficult to attempt pear identification without it. Unlike Hedrick’s massive antique, Morgan’s book can easily be brought along fruit exploring without the risk of all the pages falling out. Essential for those who love pears and want to learn more about them. -LC



9508 The Book of Pears: The Definitive History and Guide to Over 500 Varieties
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