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The Imperiia Project: a spatial history of the Russian Empire

Pear varieties

In his treatise Commercial Fruit Cultivation of Crimea (1912), Lev Platonovich Simirenko explained that most of the pear trees growing on the peninsula were wild. Some varieties were widely known to locals (such as the Bozdurgan, Kabak-armud, Shagin-girey, and Nar-armud), but many trees went unidentified. And the pears of the mountain gardens? Their names had been lost long ago.

If cultivators were to make the most of the climate and soil, Simirenko continued, they would have to move from wild to commercial gardening techniques. And they would need to adopt the "new" (mainly French and Belgian) varieties familiar to consumers.

After all, the market, not the soil, determined the value of the pear.

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A tree identified in Belgium in the second half of the 18th century. In the right circumstances (warm and sheltered locations), this pear is delicious; but less than ideal conditions yield pears for cooking. Crimean gardeners complain that the Winter Master requires too much moisture and protection. The fruit fall easily in the wind - a problem in Crimea. The editor writes that whenever one sees gorgeous Winter Masters on the table you can be sure they are from France. Russian-grown Winter Masters are few in number. Yet a correspondent writes from St. Petersburg to point out that in general, Crimean pears increasingly compete with French pears and their progress is such that the latter "might soon be a memory."
The Saint Germaine (Сен Жермен) originated near Paris and enjoys renown throughout Europe. The Sary Sinap and Saint Germaine "are the alpha and omega of Crimean orchardry" and there isn't a garden in Crimean where the Saint Germaine does not grow. It fetches anywhere from 2 rubles 50 kopeks to 4 rubles per pood. Moscow fruit sellers reported that the highest quality fruit came from Alushta and Kuru Uzen, Karasubazar and Bahcesaray.
The Ardanpon (Hardenpott) was identified in 1750. In the late 19th century it was well-established in Crimea and the most profitable (and tasty) of all winter pears. In Crimea it was known as the Ferdinand, and was often sent to the Moscow markets from the Kacha valley and from Alushta and Kuru Uzen. (St. Petersburg markets sold French pears.) This chromolithograph is based on a pear sent for the purposes of the Atlas in 1896 from Alushta. It weighed 422 grams.