Without a picture, I'm guessing that it is Black Spot. Black Spot usually affects roses, but it can also affect pears, quinces and medlars. My Seckel pears often get black spot, and fungicide sprays work well to control the disease.

Keepitlow:

I am also guessing, without seeing the spots, but pear psylla is also a possibility. Psylla is a complex insect cycle, beginning with a small fly, and ending up depositing honeydew on the leaves and fruit that eventually becomes covered with black mildew. A couple of heavy applications of oil spray in the dormant season, with very complete coverage, especially in the crotches of branches, will usually eliminate overwintering psylla. I have seen it in the past on my trees, but dormant sprays have eliminated it completely. You can Google "pear psylla" and read about the life cycle of this insect problem that eventually becomes a fungal problem.

Do you ever spray your pear tree with anything, either a fungicide or insecticide control, and if so, what and when do your spray? If you don't spray pears at all, one or another problem is going to get you eventually.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Another guess. Scab. (Another name for black spot of pears, and not the same disease as black spot of roses which, roses, and only roses, get.)

Can you post pictures?

Contrary to what some may think, Black Spot (Diplocarpon sp.) does not only affect roses. It is also a common disease of pear, quince, hawthorn, indian hawthorn, firethorn, contoneaster, aronia, juneberries, loquat, medlar, photinia, mountain ash, and many other plants.

Thanks for the help. No, I don't spray a thing. I hope to use copper spray next season with at least one application to all my fruit trees before the buds open.

One question, Don mentioned earlier that Neem oil was useless. Is there another oil spray you are referring to Don to use?