Tree medium in size, spreading and drooping, open-topped, hardy, an uncertain bearer; trunk shaggy; branches stocky, roughish, reddish-brown nearly covered with gray scarf-skin, marked with many lenticels; branchlets slender, willowy, light brown, with a slight reddish tinge, smooth, glabrous, with few small, slightly raised, obscure lenticels. Leaf-buds small, short, sharply pointed, free or slightly appressed. Leaves 2-1/4 in. long, 1-1/4 in. wide, narrow, short, oval, leathery; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 2-1/4 in. long, slender, pale green or yellowish, sometimes with a tinge of pink; stipules light greenish-yellow, with a pink tinge. Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free, arranged singly on very short spurs; blossoms open very late; flowers 1-1/4 in. across, in dense clusters, 7 or 8 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1/2 in. long, pubescent, greenish. Fruit in season, late December to February; large, 3 in. long, 2-1/4 in. wide, uniform in size, ribbed, oblong-obovate-pyriform, with unequal sides; stem 3/4 in. long, thick, curved; cavity small, obtuse, shallow, narrow, furrowed, occasionally lipped; calyx large, open; lobes separated at the base, narrow, acute; basin shallow, narrow, abrupt, usually smooth, symmetrical; skin thick, tough, rough, dull; color light yellow, often with a faint orange-red blush on the exposed cheek, with nettings and markings of russet; dots numerous, small, grayish and russet-colored, conspicuous; flesh yellowish-white, granular around the core, melting, buttery, very juicy, sweet, aromatic, with a musky flavor; quality good. Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds wide, plump, acute. [Illustration: COLUMBIA] COLUMBIA =1.= _Mag. Hort._ =2=:37. 1836. =2.= Kenrick _Am. Orch._ 159. 1841. =3.= _Mag. Hort._ =9=: 252, fig. 15. 1843. =4.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 430, fig. 198. 1845. =5.= _Horticulturist_ =1=:20, 480, fig. 9. 1846-47. =6.= Hovey _Fr. Am._ =2=:17, Pl. 1851. =7.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 66. 1862. =8.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =1=:589, fig. 1867. =9.= _Pom. France_ =4=: No. 140, Pl. 140. 1867. =10.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 725. 1869.