Amour
PearAmour
Origin/History
An old pear of obscure origin. It was described as early as 1768 by M. Duhamel du Monceau in Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (2:236), where it appeared under the name Tresor. The variety was also treated by Leroy in Dictionnaire de Pomologie (1:120, fig., 1867). Duhamel styled it the largest of all pears, and considered it sufficiently sweet to be eaten raw by those whose taste is not too exacting, but very good for cooking and far superior to the Catillac and Pound pears.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Very large — Duhamel considered it the largest of all pears.
Form: Downing describes the form as oblong obovate pyriform. Hedrick (drawing on Duhamel) describes it as resembling the quince in form, much swelled at the middle and extremely mammillate at each pole.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Rough to the touch. The two sources give somewhat differing color descriptions: Downing describes the skin as dull yellowish green, turning brownish in the sun; Hedrick describes it as dull yellow, dotted, striped, and mottled with fawn, and showing some brownish spots.
Flesh and Flavor: The sources conflict substantially on flesh character. Downing describes the flesh as white, coarse, harsh, and astringent — fit only for cooking. Hedrick (via Duhamel) describes it as white, semi-melting, free from grit, juicy, very saccharine, and well perfumed, rating it second for dessert and first for the kitchen.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Downing gives the season as December to March. Hedrick gives November to February.
Uses
Both sources rate Amour highly as a cooking pear. Downing considers it good for stewing and valued only for that purpose, describing the raw flesh as harsh and astringent. Hedrick rates it first for the kitchen, superior to the Catillac and Pound pears for cooking, but also notes (following Duhamel) that it is second quality for dessert and sufficiently sweet to be eaten raw by those not too exacting in taste.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Tresor. Trésor d'Amour. Amour. Poire d'Amour. Treasure. Love Pear.
An old Pear, valued only for cooking.
Fruit very large, oblong obovate pyriform. Skin rough, dull yellowish green, brownish in sun. Flesh white, coarse, harsh, astringent. Good for stewing. December to March.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Amour. 1. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:120, fig. 1867.
Tresor. 2. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:236. 1768.
M. Duhamel du Monceau styled this the largest of all pears and sufficiently sweet to be eaten raw by those whose taste is not too exacting, but very good for cooking and far superior to the Catillac and Pound pears. Origin obscure. Fruit very large; form like that of the quince, much swelled at the middle, extremely mammillate at each pole; skin rough to the touch, dull yellow, dotted, striped and mottled with fawn and showing some brownish spots; flesh white, semi-melting, free from grit, juicy, very saccharine and well perfumed; second for dessert, first for the kitchen; Nov. to Feb.