Cultivar 138: Bantam

Bantam is a pear cultivar recorded in prairie fruit literature as a Minnesota Fruit Breeding Farm seedling released or noted in 1939, formerly known as Minn. No. 3. Leslie's prairie orchard bulletin describes it as a small to medium pear of very good quality. South Dakota sources show it was considered worth trial in the colder fruit growing parts of the northern plains.[S3] [S1]

The clearest origin note comes from the prairie orchard bulletin, which names Bantam as a Minnesota Fruit Breeding Farm seedling and preserves its earlier selection name, Minn. No. 3.[S3] In South Dakota extension recommendations, it appears under pears "for trial" in Zone II and Zone III. This places it in protected prairie districts and the northern two thirds of the state, not just the mildest fruit belt.[S1] A later South Dakota nursery regulation list also names 'Bantam' among the pear cultivars excepted from a broader restriction statement. This shows it had enough standing to be treated as an allowed named variety rather than only an obscure test number.[S2]

Leslie describes the tree as upright spreading, hardy, healthy, and productive.[S3] The fruit is small to medium, about 2 by 1 1/2 inches, ovate, dark green with a deep red blush, with tender, juicy flesh that is mild and sweet.[S3] Quality is rated very good, and the season is early September.[S3]

The available sources place Bantam firmly in the prairie pear story, but they are thin on some points. No direct parentage is given here, and the South Dakota table treats it as a trial pear rather than a standard widely planted sort.[S1] [S3] Bantam was hardy enough to be named in both prairie orchard description and South Dakota recommendation work. That makes it part of the small but important group of pears tested for the colder interior plains.[S1] [S3]

Summary source basis

• S1: South Dakota Fruit Garden
• S2: Nursery Plants Available from South Dakota Nurseries
• S3: TreeFruitsGrownInPrairieOrchards WRLeslie 1946 HQ

This summary currently draws chiefly from Daniels planting guide, 1950, with 3 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Minnesota Fruit Breeding Farm, 1939, a seedling formerly known as Minn. No. 3.”
— ^[5]

“Listed under Pears in the page's 'List of Varieties Described.'”
— ^[5]

“Flesh tender, juicy, mild, sweet.”
— ^[5]

“Included among the pear cultivars excepted from the restriction statement.”
— ^[4]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• No direct breeding_cross claim text yet.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• The Great New Pear Bantam (Minn. No. 3) The Earliest, Sweetest, Hardiest, and Quickest Fruiter of the PearsDaniels planting guide, 1950, p24
• The Great New Pear Bantam (Minn. No. 3) The Earliest, Sweetest, Hardiest, and Quickest Fruiter of the PearsDaniels planting guide, 1950, p24
• PEARS (See Pears Below) | For Trial | ZONE II Counties in Minne-sota that have North Slopes & Valleys of General Prairie | BantamSouth Dakota Fruit Garden (visual sample pages 9-11), p1
• PEARS (See Pears Below) | For Trial | ZONE II Counties in Minne-sota that have North Slopes & Valleys of General Prairie | BantamSouth Dakota Fruit Garden (visual sample pages 9-11), p1

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context