Plants in the Hortus

Many of the plants described here were listed in the catalogues of plants published by Sir William Macarthur in 1843, 1845, 1850 and 1857 and in an unpublished catalogue dated 1861. A large number of additional plants were identified from correspondence, gardening notebooks and other documents surviving in the archives. The Hortus attempts to describe all the plants grown in the gardens at Camden Park and those grown in horticultural enterprises such as orchards and vineyards and includes plants grown outside the gardens in the park-like environs of the Camden Park estate. The Hortus plants served a wide range of purposes in the 19th century household; as ornament, living fences, fibre, dyestuffs, medicines, food and drink from the garden, orchard and vineyard and many others.

Pyrus communis ‘Chaumontel’

‘Fruit large, of an oblong, and somewhat irregular figure, having some slightly obtuse angles, which, more or less, extend from the stalk to the crown; generally about three inches and a half long, and three inches broad. Eye small, deeply sunk in a very angular basin. Stalk short, inserted in a rather deep angular cavity. Skin a little scabrous, yellowish green on the shaded side, but of a brown or purplish colour when fully exposed to the sun and highly ripened. Flesh melting, and full of a sugary and highly perfumed juice. In eating from November till January or February. It succeeds on both the Pear and the Quince.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.395/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Colmar d’Arenberg’

‘Fruit large, obovate, uneven, and bossed in its outline. Skin lemon coloured, marked with spots and patches of russet. Eye rather small and partially closed, set in a very deep round cavity. Stalk short, and rather slender, deeply inserted. Flesh yellowish-white, coarse-grained, half-melting, juicey, and briskly flavoured. A fine-looking but very coarse pear, ripe in October.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.197/1860].

Pyrus communis ‘Colmar Preul’

See Pyrus communis L. var. ‘Passe Colmar’ for a description and details. ‘Colmar Preul’ is a synonym of this pear.

Pyrus communis ‘Colmar’

‘Fruit pretty large, of a pyramidal turbinate figure; about three inches and a quarter long, and two inches and three quarters in diameter. Eye large, and deeply hollowed. Stalk an inch long, rather thick, bent, inserted in a tolerably deep, oblique cavity. Skin smooth, green, with a few yellowish grey specks; as it becomes mature, it turns more yellow, and has sometimes a little colour on the sunny side. Flesh greenish white, very tender, and full of a saccharine, rich, highly-flavoured juice. In eating from November till January.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.397/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Crasanne’

‘Fruit above the middle size, of a roundish turbinate figure, about two inches and a half deep, and a little more in diameter. Eye small, and placed in a deep narrow basin, something like the eye of an apple. Stalk one inch and a quarter long, crooked, slender, and inserted in an open shallow cavity. Skin greenish yellow, thinly covered with a reticulated grey russet. Flesh extremely tender, buttery, and full of a rich saccharine juice. Ripe the beginning of November, and will keep till Christmas.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.355/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Crawford’

I have found no record of a pear called ‘Early Crawford’. The information given here is for the Scottish pear ‘Crawford’ which could be synonymous as this is an early pear. ‘Fruit below medium size, obovate. Skin greenish-yellow, changing to pale yellow, with sometimes a tinge of brownish-red next the sun. Eye open. Stalk an inch long. Flesh white, buttery, juicy, sweet, and with a musky flavour. Ripe in the middle of August.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.179/1860].

Pyrus communis ‘Doyenné Marbré’

Fruit; medium sized, oval, curved. Skin; pea green ripening to yellowish, thickly dotted, sometimes grey or green. Flesh; yellowish, tender, buttery, melting, slightly gritty at the core, sweet, rich and highly flavoured. Produces a vigorous tree and is an abundant bearer. An excellent late pear. Ripening December to March. [Herefordshire Pomona].

Pyrus communis ‘Duchesse d’Angoulême’

‘Fruit large, roundish-oblong, tapering towards the stalk, with an extremely uneven knobby surface, usually measuring about three inches and a half each way, or four inches deep, and three inches and a half in diameter, but sometimes much larger. Eye deeply sunk in an irregular hollow. Stalk an inch long, stout, deeply inserted in an irregular cavity. Skin dull yellow, copiously and irregularly spotted with broad russet patches. Flesh rich, melting, very juicy, and high-flavoured, with a most agreeable perfume. Ripe in October and November.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.372/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Easter Beurré’

‘Fruit large, roundish oblong, broadest towards the eye, nearly four inches long, and three inches and a half in diameter. Eye small with a connivent calyx, sunk in a moderately deep depression. Stalk short, thick, sunk in a deep obtuse-angled cavity. Skin green, thickly mottled with small russetty dots; when ripe becoming yellowish, and coloured with brown, somewhat streaky, on the sunny side. Flesh whitish, inclining to yellow, perfectly buttery and melting, and extremely high-flavoured. In eating from November till May.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.393/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Élisa d’Heyst’

‘Fruit above medium size, large irregular-oval, widest in the middle and tapering towards the eye and the stalk. Skin smooth and shining, yellowish-green, clouded with russet about the stalk, and covered with russet dots. Eye closed, set in a deep, irregular basin. Stalk half an inch long, stout, and inserted without depression. Flesh melting, juicy, sugary, and richly flavoured. Ripe in February and March.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.185/1860].

Pyrus communis ‘Fondant de Noél’

‘Fruit medium sized, turbinate. Skin yellow next the sun, covered with traces of russet and numerous russet dots, sometimes tinged with red on the side. Eye closed, set in a broad, shallow basin. Stalk long, obliquely inserted by the side of a fleshy lip. Flesh melting, juicy, sweet, and well flavoured. December and January.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.188/1830].

Pyrus communis ‘Fondante de Malines’

Fruit; large, even, handsomely shaped, obtusely obovate. Skin; smooth, uniform, deep golden yellow, mottled with cinnamon russet, deeper yellow and mottles crimson next the sun. Flesh; white, buttery, melting, juicy, sweet with a good perfume. Produces a hardy, vigorous tree and is an abundant bearer. A good dessert pear. Ripe November to December. [Herefordshire Pomona]. Rivers’ gives a later ripening, January to February [Rivers’ Catalogue of Fruit for 1853 and 1854].

Pyrus communis ‘Gansell’s Bergamot’

‘Fruit ovate, very much flattened at the crown, of a very regular figure, quite destitute of angles, about three inches deep, and three inches and a half in diameter. Eye small, with a very short calyx. Stalk short and fleshy, thickening on the back of its bent part. Skin dull brown, like that of the Brown Beurre, a little marked with dashes of a deeper colour. Flesh white, melting, very sweet, rich, and high flavoured. Ripe the middle of November, and will keep good a month.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.380/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Glou Morceau’

‘Fruit very like the Beurre d'Aremberg, but larger, more oval, not so turbinate in its shape, about four inches long, and three inches and a half in diameter. Eye small, -deeply sunk, in an uneven oblique hollow. Stalk an inch long, rather deeply inserted in an oblique cavity. Skin pale dull olive green, a little inclining to yellow, and covered with numerous grey russetty specks, with russetty blotches round the stalk. Flesh whitish, firm, very juicy, but a little gritty at the core. Ripe in November, and will keep till February or March.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.400/1831].

Pyrus communis ‘Golden Beurré’

‘Fruit large, of an oblong figure, about four inches long, and three inches in diameter, tapering to the stalk. Eye small, with a converging calyx, placed in a shallow depression. Stalk three quarters of an inch long, rather stout, and thickening obliquely into the fruit. Skin greenish yellow, appearing through a covering of thin russet, coloured more or less with brown or red on the sunny side. Flesh white, with some greenish veins through it, melting, buttery, juicy, rich and excellent. Ripe in October, and will keep good only a few weeks.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.367/1831].

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