Plants in the Hortus

Pyrus communis ‘Beurré d’Hardenpont’

For details of this pear see Pyrus communis L. var. ‘Glou Morceau’. It has been included here under its earlier name of ‘Beurré d’Hardenpont’ for completeness.

Pyrus communis ‘Beurré de Capiaumont’

‘Fruit middle-sized, turbinate, regularly tapering to the stalk, about three inches and a quarter long, and two inches and a half in diameter. Eye not at all sunk, but level with the extremity. Stalk scarcely half an inch long, inserted without any cavity. Skin a fine clear cinnamon, fading into yellow in the shade, and acquiring a rich bright red in the sun. Flesh yellowish, melting, buttery, very rich, and highly flavoured. Ripe the middle of October, and will keep for two or three weeks.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.368/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Beurré de Wetteren’

‘Fruit large, roundish, inclining to turbinate, widest in the middle and tapering obtusely towards each end, uneven in its outline. Skin bright green and shining; dull red on the side next the sun, and covered with large russet spots. Eye open, deeply set. Stalk an inch long, stout, and deeply inserted. Flesh yellowish, coarse-grained, and soon becomes mealy. A showy and peculiar-looking pear, but of no value. Ripe in October.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.168/1860].

Pyrus communis ‘Beurré Diel’

‘Fruit large, about the size and figure of the summer Bon-chretien, without the protuberances of that variety: it is much swollen a little above the middle, going off to the eye either abruptly or gradually, and tapering straight to the stalk, without any contraction of figure; when fully grown, it is four inches and a half long, and three inches and a half in diameter. Eye close, in a deep hollow, surrounded by knobs, ribs, or broad protuberances. Stalk one inch and a half long, strong, bent, woody, inserted in a deep, irregularly and obtusely angled cavity. Skin bright green when first gathered, changing in a short time to a bright orange, with a little trace of russet. Flesh clear white, a little gritty towards the core, but otherwise perfectly tender and melting, juicy, with a delicious, rich, aromatic, saccharine flavour. In eating from November till January.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.393/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Beurré Léon Leclerc’

‘Fruit medium sized, obovate. Skin smooth, of a lemon-yellow colour, having a tinge of red on one side, and covered with numerous large russet specks. Eye very small and open, set in a narrow and deep basin. Stalk an inch long, inserted in an uneven and rather deep cavity. Flesh white, melting and juicy, sweet and well flavoured, but without any particular aroma. End of October.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.165/1860].

Pyrus communis ‘Beurré Rance’

‘Fruit about the same size as that of the Saint Germain, and not much unlike it in shape; oblong, and tapering to the stalk; about three inches and a half long, and three inches in diameter. Eye small, open with a very short calyx, scarcely or but very slightly sunk. Stalk one inch and a half long, rather slender, inserted without any cavity; in some specimens it is diagonally inserted under a broad elongated lip. Skin dark green at all times, even when most ripe, sprinkled with many russetty specks. Flesh greenish white, melting, rather gritty at the core, but of a delicious rich flavour. The fruit generally shrivels in ripening. In eating from December till March or April.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.409/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Beurré Stappaerts’

Probably the pear called ‘Beurré Stappaerts’ in the Pears of New York. ‘A seedling of Van Mons. Fruit small to medium, nearly spherical or conic-spherical; skin thick and firm, pale green sprinkled with large, brownish dots regularly spaced, turning to dull, pale yellow and rather golden where exposed to the sun; flesh yellowish-white, semi-breaking; juice moderate in amount, very saccharine, highly perfumed, agreeable; second; Jan. and Feb.’ [Pears of New York p.306].

Pyrus communis ‘Beurré Superfin’

‘Fruit above medium size, roundish-obovate or turbinate. Skin of a beautiful lemon colour, very much covered with thin cinnamon-coloured russet. Eye small and open. Stalk inserted on the apex of the fruit without depression. Flesh very fine grained, buttery, melting, and very juicy, with a brisk piquant flavour, and fine aroma. A first-rate dessert pear, ripe in the end of September and beginning of October.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.185/1860].

Pyrus communis ‘Beurré Thuerlinckx’

‘This is a large, coarse pear, of a roundish-obovate shape, five to six inches long and four or five broad. The flesh is somewhat tender and juicy, but without any aroma, and very soon becomes mealy. Not worth growing. Ripe in November and December.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.168/1860].

Pyrus communis ‘Beurré Van Mons’

‘Tree - of tolerably rapid growth. Shoots - vigorous, upright. Young wood - dusky yellow. Leaves - four or five from one bud, like  White Doyenne or Flemish Beauty. Primary leaves - large, oblong, slightly crenulate; footstalks about an inch and a half long. Secondary leaves - narrow, recurved, folded, with short footstalks. Fruit - medium to large, varying much in form. Skin - rough, greenish-yellow, and nearly covered with yellow russet. Surface - irregular, somewhat knobby. Stalk - an inch and a quarter long, with a fleshy base or lip. Calyx - erect, sometimes open, often placed on a singular fleshy ring. Basin - shallow irregular. Flesh rather coarse, juicy, melting, rich, slightly acid, mingled with sweet, and a peculiarly fine aroma. Season - October to middle of December. It grows very finely on Quince, is a good and regular bearer, and the fruit is equalled by few autumn Pears.’ 

This description, the only one I have seen of a pear called ‘Beurré Van Mons’, (or ‘Mont’ in this publication), appeared in volume 10 of The Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste, edited by P. Barry and published in the USA between 1853 and 1874. 

Pyrus communis ‘Bishop’s Thumb’

‘Fruit long, rather slender, slightly tapering from the crown to the stalk, having an irregular and slightly knobby outline, in the manner of the Calebasse, about three inches and three quarters long, and two inches in diameter. Eye small, open, with slender segments of the calyx, slightly sunk in an uneven hollow. Stalk one inch and a half long, slender, recurved, and obliquely inserted in a two-lipped cavity. Skin dark green, almost wholly covered with an iron-coloured russet, on the sunny side of a dark rufous brown, thickly sprinkled with grey russetty dots. Flesh greenish yellow, melting, with an abundance of rich, saccharine, high-flavoured juice. Ripe the middle to the end of October.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.412/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Black Worcester’

‘Fruit very large, of a roundish turbinate figure usually about four inches long, and three inches and a half in diameter. Eye small, placed in a wide and deep hollow. Stalk half an inch long, stout, inserted in a slight cavity. Skin rough, of an obscure red or brown colour on the sunny side, but more pale on the shaded part. Flesh very hard, course, of an austere taste, but very good when baked or stewed. In use from November till February.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.413/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Brown Beurré’

‘Brown Beurré’ is identical to ‘Golden Beurré’, which see for details. In the pre-Victorian era it was often considered separately and the synonyms given here have been used specifically for the ‘Brown Beurré’.

Pyrus communis ‘Calebasse Grosse’

‘Fruit very large, sometimes measuring six inches long, pyramidal. Skin greenish-yellow, considerably covered with dark grey russet in the shade, and entirely covered with light brown russet on the side next the sun. Eye small, set in a pretty deep basin. Stalk an inch long. Flesh coarse-grained, crisp, juicy, and sweet, ripe in October. Its size is its only recommendation.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.174/1830].

Pyrus communis Catillac’

‘Fruit very large, of a broad turbinate figure, somewhat in the shape of a Quince; usually about three inches and a half or four inches deep, and the same in diameter. Eye small, with a short neat calyx, placed in a deep and wide plaited hollow. Stalk an inch long, stout, curved, and a little obliquely inserted in a very small cavity. Skin yellow, and when well matured in a warm season, of a deep orange, with a red tinge on the sunny side. Flesh hard, with an austere juice. In use from December till April.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.412/1831].