The Gold Rush: As Other Pears Sleep, Bartletts Head to Market.

Focuses on the Sacramento Delta's Bartlett pear district in north-central California. Observation that Bartlett is the oldest major fruit variety in the U.S.; Problems for growers, including competition and a decline in the industry; Perception of Bartlett as a summer pear; History of the Bartlett; Comments of pear growers; Mention of genetically red-skinned Bartletts; Overview of the pear industry; Topic of ripening.