Blossom - Dr Jules sport

This is the section of cordon that appears to be a sport of the parent Dr Jules. Interestingly the blossom on this section appeared later than the true Dr Jules, which has already set.

Foliage colour: Dr Jules' sport

Another interesting instance of colour. The portion of the Dr Jules Guyot cordon that seems to be a bud sport is showing much greater and earlier Autumn colour than the parent.

The Mystery Pear

Finally tasted the mystery pear today. I'm inclined to think it must be a sport of Dr Jules as it has a similar flavour. Sweet, juicy, somewhat coarse and granular but with a distinct flavour of pear drops. Possibly a more buttery quality than the original. Skin - slightly rough like other russeted pears, but reasonably thin with no trace of bitterness though a pleasant acidity. Difficult to make a direct comparison, as I picked my sole Dr Jules a little too early, and this a little too late. Ripened a good 6 weeks later than the parent.

Not sure how marketable it would be as a new variety, this part of the season is not short of nice cultivars, but I will graft it on and make enquiries.

Earlier...

Evaluation: Dr Jules Guyot

The sole-surviving fruit of Dr Jules - those that were left by the squirrels were hollowed out by wasps, just leaving one. 

Sweet, quite dry, slightly floury and not terribly juicy (though this might because the sole fruit was picked too late). Skin fine, no trace of grit or bitterness. Slight taste of pear drops (described as 'slightly musky' elsewhere). Nothing particularly special, but very pleasant. 

Needs to be picked early (at the point where it parts from the spur) and eaten while still quite firm, just as the green starts to yellow, which will be within a few days of picking giving a limited period of storage/use.

Cordon planted 12 years ago, very healthy with no predisposition to scab,  but only two crops set in that time. Only one or two fruits ever survive on each spur, which also limits the size of the potential crop. The main problem with Dr Jules is it's reluctance to crop regularly, which has been the case in both my own orchard, and the one in my parents' garden in South Wales. Curiously, the fruit in Wales was a couple of weeks behind mine in readyness.

Pear: Dr Jules Guyot

Having been away for a week, I was surprised to see that most of the pears had doubled in size in that time. 

War on squirrels

This is another excellent example of squirrel damage on a pear crop, this time on my only crop of Dr Jules in 5 years. Although holes and shallow depressions can also be caused by moth damage, there are clear incisor teeth marks. The trap goes out first thing tomorrow before they ruin the remaining fruitlets.

Dr Jules Guyot: Blossom

This variety has never done particularly well here, only producing blossom a couple of times over the 10 years or so since planting. Probably one of the most disappointing fruit varieties I've grown (along with the Sturmer Pippin which was sent in error by a well-known nursery). My dim recollection of the last time it produced any fruit was that the crop wasn't even particularly early.

The best thing I can say in favour of Dr Jules is that the young fruits are a very decorative dark red. 

Bud break April 4th, full flower 8th, 50% petal drop 12th)