Bloodgood (Early Beurre of some). The Bloodgood is the highest flavored of all early pears, and deserves a place even in the smallest garden. It was named from the circumstance of its having been brought into notice about 1835, by the late James Bloodgood, nurseryman, Flushing, L.I. The sort was brought to that nursery as a new variety, without a name however, by some person on Long Island, unknown to Mr. B., who was never able afterward to trace its history further. The tree is rather short jointed, with deep reddish brown wood, grows moderately fast, and bears early and regularly. The fruit, like that of all early pears, is better if ripened in the house. It surpasses every European variety of the same season, and together with the Dearborn's Seedling, another native sort, will supplant in all our gardens the Jargonelle, and all inferiour early pears. Fruit of medium size, turbinate, inclining to obovate, thickening very abruptly into the stalk. Skin yellow, sprinkled with russet dots, and net-work markings, giving it a russetty look on one side. Calyx strong, open, set almost without depression. Stalk obliquely inserted, without depression, short, dark brown, fleshy at its base. Flesh yellowish-white, buttery and melting, with a rich, sugary, highly aromatic flavour. The thin skin has a musky perfume. Core small. Ripe from 25th July to the 10th of August. -- A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America, 1846. Bloodgood has long been a standard summer pear in America. It surpasses any European associate of its season in both fruit- and tree-characters. In particular, the fruits are meritorious for flesh of fine texture, which, though a little granular, is melting and juicy, and ha a rich, sweet, perfumed flavor. Complaints appear in the horticultural press that the quality is always poor if the fruit is not picked as soon as full grown and ripened indoors. The season in New York is August. The trees are resistant to blight, healthy, bear young and regularly, are long-lived, and attain large size, although in some situations they are but medium in size. The variety has little or no value in commercial plantations, but is prized in every collection for home use.
The origin of this pear is unknown, but it is suposed to be a native of New York. It seems to have been brought to notice about 1835 by James Bloodgood of the nursery firm of Bloodgood and Company, Flushing, Long Island. According to Robert Manning, the variet was listed in Prince's Catalogue for 1837 as Early Beurre. After being introduced by Bloodgood and company, it was speedily recognized as one of the most valuable native sorts. The variety was placed upon the fruit catalog-list of the American Pomological Society in 1848. -- U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York, 1921.
Scions for NCGR Corvallis were collected on 17 February, 2004, at the Bybee Howell Pioneer Orchard, Howell Territorial Park on Sauvie Island west of Portland, Oregon. This orchard was established by Larry L. McGraw and the Home Orchard Society in 1973 on the grounds of the restored James F. Bybee House to represent and preserve Pacific Northwest heirloom fruit varieties. -- J. Postman, 2005