Tree very large and vigorous, upright-spreading, dense-topped, rapid-growing, hardy, medium in yield; trunk very thick; branches very stocky, grayish-brown, sprinkled with numerous large lenticels; branchlets thick, long, glossy, smooth, glabrous, with numerous rather small, raised, conspicuous lenticels. Leaf-buds large, long, conical, free. Leaves 2-1/4 in. long, 1-3/8 in. wide; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; petiole 1-3/4 in. long. Flower-buds large, conical, free. Fruit ripens in September and October; medium in size, 2-3/8 in. long, 2-1/8 in. wide, obovate-obtuse-pyriform; stem 1/2 in. long, thick, usually curved, fleshy at the point of insertion in the fruit; cavity obtuse, shallow, slightly furrowed, occasionally lipped; calyx partly open; lobes separated at the base, short, narrow, acute; basin shallow, gently furrowed, usually symmetrical; skin granular, tender, roughish; color yellow, sprinkled and netted with russet, with a thin brownish-red blush on the exposed cheek; dots numerous, grayish or russet, small, conspicuous; flesh white, granular, tender and melting, sweet, aromatic; quality good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds wide, long, plump, acute. [Illustration: KOONCE] KOONCE =1.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 159. 1889. =2.= _Ibid._ 55. 1895. =3.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 44. 1897. =4.= Budd-Hansen _Am. Hort. Man._ =2=:251. 1903. =5.= _Chico Nur. Cat._ 12. 1904. =6.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 41. 1909. =7.= Ont. Dept. _Agr. Fr. Ont._ 168. 1914. Koonce is a popular early variety grown rather commonly in nearly every pear region in the United States. It is listed by nearly all nurserymen. Its tree-characters are more notable than those of its fruits. The trees make a splendid showing in the nursery and are hardy and productive in the orchard, although of but medium size and rather straggling at maturity. The pears are better in quality than those of Early Harvest or Lawson, with which it often competes, but are hardly as attractive in appearance, being rather small and often irregular in shape. The color is unusually bright, especially on the red cheek. The pears decay quickly after maturity and are suitable only for home and local markets. This pear originated in southern Illinois but no one seems to know by whom, or at what time, or in what locality in the State. The variety has been grown for more than thirty years. The American Pomological Society added Koonce to its list of fruits in 1909. Tree medium in size and vigor, upright-spreading, scraggly, open-topped, hardy, productive; trunk shaggy; branches zigzag, dark brownish-red, covered with thick grayish scarf-skin, with few lenticels; branchlets thick, long, with long internodes, dull light brown, smooth, glabrous, sprinkled with small, raised, elongated lenticels.