Note 32 — Chapter V · MINOR VARIETIES OF PEARS (continued 5)

Henry Waggoman Edwards, at one time Governor of Connecticut, was a pioneer American pear breeder credited with making the first systematic attempt to grow new pears in this country. He was a grandson of the eminent theologian, Jonathan Edwards, was born at New Haven, Conn., in 1779, graduated at Princeton College in 1797, studied law at the Litchfield School and almost immediately entered into public life shortly to become prominent and famous in state and nation. He served Connecticut with honors as its Governor, and in the nation he distinguished himself as Representative in the House from Connecticut, Speaker of the House and as Senator. But it is as a pomologist that his career is of concern to the reader. Always interested in pomology, and no doubt especially interested in pears through the spectacular work of Van Mons, he planted pear seeds in the fall of 1817 with the aim of obtaining new and superior varieties of this fruit. Great success did not attend his attempts at pear breeding, but Governor Edwards made a start in work which Manning, Wilder and a score of others were to carry forward with more striking results. Out of many seedlings, at least five were named and were grown for a longer or shorter time by the pear-growers of a century ago. These are Elizabeth, Calhoun, Dallas, Henrietta and Citron, all described among the minor varieties of this text. While hardly to be considered among the foremost pomologists of the country, Governor Edwards is in the front rank of the lesser men whose combined work has done so much to give weight and impulse to American pomology.