The corky stuff is stink bug damage. They feed so much that it damages some of the flesh.

Consider thinning the spurs this winter. These trees spur up way more than needed. You can remove 50% and hardly make a dent in the thinning needs. You could cut out 90% of the spurs and still have a huge crop if there is no spring frost damage. Within two years the trees will be heavily spurred again.

Also next spring thin out the flower clusters just as the buds are opening. At the right stage you can knock off 10 or 20 flowers with one flick of your finger. Much easier than thinning fruit. You will still need to thin the remaining fruit but it will be much easier.

My 20th Century cracked badly in the rain. Hosui did not but I haven't been impressed with that fruit.

My favorite Asian pear is Korean Giant also known as Olympic. It can get very large, matures late, and stores a long time. It is much firmer and less juicy than most Asian pears, more to my taste.

Apparently the Stink Bug is new to my area in Maryland. Just in time for my orchard to come into bearing years! Ah, life!

http://www.hgic.umd.edu/content/documents/Stink_Bug_Pest_Alert.pdf

Here is a link that might be useful: Stink Bug

Corky stuff can also come from pear leaf blister mite damage early in the season. I had problems with that this year.

Scott

Thanks for the replies. Here's more info. on what my situation is.

The corky stuff is 1/3 inch whiter areas than the normal flesh with some smaller areas of brown on some. We had zero rain for about 7-8 weeks after the fruit set, so I was guessing that might have caused it. The corky stuff is in almost all Asian pear fruit and goes about 1/3 inch deep into the fruit. By the time I peel it away the pear is mostly gone!! The whole crop is a waste. I've gotten about five pears from seven trees this year. Very disappointing....

Here in southeastern NY the stinkbugs have been brutal on my site and a few others I manage. I'm hoping it's just the very warm summer we're having and not the new normal. My asians are badly cratered- much worse than ever before.

I've never seen leaf blister mite damage on Asian pears, unless they only damage fruit and not leaves on them, which I've never heard of.

I agree with everything Fruitnut said.

Interesting that I am having more damage on Asian pears this year as well. I've also noticed a lot more stink bugs than usual. Oddly enough I haven't seen european hornets this year, though. In addition, not many fruits set on my more mature trees after a good crop last year. One good variety for me not mentioned here is chojuro(AKA the "rum" pear)--relatively small (especially so this year), but highly flavored and less juicy even than KG. It's beginning to ripen now. I wouldn't give up on shinseiki. It has been a flavorful pear and significantly larger than its parent 20th century for me anyway. It's also been much less prone to cracking than 20th century. I also like KG. Its lateness, large size, and storage capacity are important assets. Hosui tends to be very juicy and seems to please a lot of people. I've only had two seasons of shinko (and just a few at that), but it hasn't impressed me much. It's been rather bland for me and prone to cracking. The variety's main selling point seems to be its purported fireblight resistance. All these observations are in my area of course and these varieties could perform quite differently for you.

The corky stuff maybe coming from cedar rust as well it will make white hard corky looking spots in pears and apple. I have not had good success with Housi as the fire blight seems to wipe them out I have lost half of mine to it. My Korean Giants however have done well my three 10 year old trees produced 600lb of pears this year.Another pear I like is Orient it is a hybrid that is very large roundish and is crisp sweet and juicy. and you can't throw fire blight on it.
I will be putting in Shinko this year as well as in our nursery, I have sold some 20th century but all the ones I planted succumbed to fire blight in the early stages.