Rogue Red. Originated in Medford, Oregon, by F.C. Reimer, E. Degman, and V. Quackenbush, S. Oregon Experiment Station. Introduced in 1969. Comice x [Seckel x Farmingdale seedling 122]; cross made in 1947; selected in 1955; tested as 5-235. Fruit: similar in shape to Comice; skin is covered with 60% to 80% red blush; flesh quality excellent; late winter variety to supplement Anjou, Packham's Triumph and El Dorado; harvest period coincides with Comice and Bosc, but may be ripened any time up to May; following cold storage, variety is ripe and ready to eat after 7 to 10 days at room temperature; storage scald has not been observed, and virtually no bruises or skin abraisions appear. Tree: unusually upright; vigorous; productivity moderate, but regular; foliage light green and rolled; compatible with French and quince rootstocks; moderately susceptible to fire blight; symptoms of stony pit have been found when grafted on infected trees; blooming period overlaps Anjou and Bartlett; pollen of Bartlett, Bosc, and Comice twice as effective as Anjou. --Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties.A promising pear variety, 'Rogue Red,' was released March 28, 1969, by Oregon State University. The variety originated from an original cross by F.C. Reimer and a second cross in 1947 by E. Degman and V. Quackenbush, of the Southern Oregon Experiment Station in Medford, Oregon. 'Rogue Red' [Comice x (Seckel x Farmingdale sdlg #122)] was first harvested and evaluated in 1955. This selection has been tested each subsequent year with respect to harvest date, storage and shelf life, color, and dessert quality. This high quality, attractive red pear appears promising for the late winter market. Also, 'Rogue Red' could be used to extend the gift box market after Comice season. Although this new variety cannot be expected to replace any existing variety, it could supplement the varieties now grown in Oregon. Trees of 'Rogue Red' are vigourous, upright in growth, with foliage light green and rolled. Bark is red on year-old shoots, but brown-gray on older wood. Trees are moderately productive and bear regularly. Fruit is large, 3 1/2 inches long, 3 inches wide, obovate-acute-pyriform, with a moderately long tapering neck. Uniform in shape; stem is 3/4 inch long, woody and curved, fleshy at the base. Skin is thick, smooth except for russet markings, dull greenish color, becoming greenish yellow, with a conspicuous reddish blush covering 60-80 percent of the fruit surface. Flesh is white, fine grained with some stone cells, melting, tender, very juicy under proper storage, very sweet with a distinctive flavor, and very good dessert quality. As a scion, 'Rogue Red' is compatible with P. communis and Cydonia (quince) rootstock. The young shoots of the variety are susceptible as Comice to fire blight. Stony pit symptoms have been found on the fruit when grafted on trees infected with stony pit virus. The bloom period falls between that of Anjou and Bartlett, overlapping both. However, Bartlett pollen is more effective than Anjou in setting fruit. 'Rogue Red' is ready for harvest when a Magness-Taylor pressure tester (5/16 in. plunger) registers 13-15 lbs. on pared fruit. this harvest period coincides with that of Comice and Bosc. At maturity the juice of the 'Rogue Red' pear contains 15-20% soluble solids and 170-240 mg. of titratable acids per 100 ml., which is as high as other winter pear varieties. The 'Rogue Red' pear ripens after cold storage in 7-10 days at temperatures of 65-70 F. However, unlike many winter pears, cold storage is not required preceding the ripening process. Harvested fruit take about 15 days to ripen at room temperature without previous cold storage. Storage scald, a physiological surface break-down of the fruit, has not been observed. Almost no bruises or skin abrasions appear on the fruit after normal handling... --P. Lombard, M. Thompson and Q. Zielinski. 1969. Fruit Varieties and Horticultural Digest 23(4):71-72.