An old pear tree growing in the orchard at the James Cant Ranch, an early 20th century sheep ranch now a museum at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Kimberly, Oregon. The orchard's "Pear No. 3" was tentatively identified as the lost cultivar 'Rostiezer' by Shaun Shepherd and Joanie Cooper, fruit identification specialists from the Home Orchard Society of Portland, Oregon in mid-August, 2012. "Rostiezer. Origin uncertain. It was, however, received from A.N. Baumann, Bollweiler, Alsace, by R. Manning, Salem, Massachusetts in 1834 or 1835. Often called 'Early Seckel' in the west. Fruit medium or below, pyriform, regular in form, grass-green on the shaded side, reddish on the exposed face and sprinkled with small gray dots; flesh greenish-white, fine, melting, rather granular below the core; juice very abundant, vinous, acidulous, very saccharine, with a most delicate flavor; first; last of August." -- U.P. Hedrick, 1921, The Pears of New York
curator note: A cultivar named 'Early Seckel' (PI 541184) was introduced in 1935 by the New York State Agriculture Experiment Station. Neither the John Day Fossil Bed Pear No. 3 or the description of 'Rostiezer' is the same as the New York 'Early Seckel'.
"The Rostiezer is, we believe, a German pear, and was received from the nursery of the brothers Baumann, of Bolwiller, on the Rhine. It is likely to prove a capital variety. It bears abundantly. Fruit of medium size, oblong-pyriform. Skin a dull yellowish-green, with a reddish-brown cheek, and whitish dots, light russet. Stalk very long, nearly two inches, irregular, slender, set with very little depression. Calyx open, but little sunk. Flesh juicy, a little coarse, but very melting, sweet and delicious, with a rich perfume. August and September." -- A.J. Downing, 1846, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America.