Bonne du Puits Ansault.

Originated at Angers, France, in the nursery of Andre Leroy; for specimens of this and several other new varieties, we are indebted to Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y. Tree moderately vigorous, very productive.

Bonne du Poits Ansault.

Fruit medium or below, roundish oblate, inclining to obtuse pyriform, surface a little rough, uneven; skin light greenish yellow, mostly covered with a thin light russet; stalk short; cavity medium, uneven; calyx small, closed; basin deep, rather narrow; flesh white, fine, juicy, melting, sweet, vinous, and rich; very good. September.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

ANSAULT

1. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 36. 1883. 2. Can. Hort. 24:454, fig. 2169. 1901. Bonne du Puits-Ansault. 3. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:486, fig. 1867. 4. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 1st App. 123, fig. 1872. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 34. 1877.

Well grown, the fruits of Ansault rival those of Seckel in quality. In particular, the flesh is notable, and is described by the term buttery, so common in pear parlance, rather better than that of any other pear. The rich sweet flavor, and distinct but delicate perfume contribute to make the fruits of highest quality. Unfortunately, the pears are not very attractive in appearance. They are small, and the green coat, nearly covered with russet dots and markings, is dull, though enlivened somewhat at full maturity by a rich yellow. The tree in good pear soils is vigorous, productive, bears annually, and is not more subject to blight than that of the average variety. While not at all suitable for commercial orchards, Ansault should find a place in every collection of pears for home use.

The pear Bonne du Puits-Ansault was raised from seed in the nurseries of M. André Leroy, Angers, France. The parent tree bore fruit in 1863, and M. Leroy states that the name which it bears is that of the enclosure where it was first raised. It was propagated in 1865. The American Pomological Society first listed this variety in its catalog in 1877, and in 1883 shortened the name to its present form.

Tree large, upright-spreading, hardy, very productive; trunk stocky, shaggy; branches thick, dull brownish-red, tinged with green and heavily covered with greenish scarf-skin, with numerous raised lenticels; branchlets long, reddish-brown, with traces of gray scarf-skin, smooth, glabrous, with few inconspicuous, small, slightly raised lenticels.

Leaf-buds plump, pointed, nearly free. Leaf-scars prominent. Leaves numerous, 2½ in. long, 1½ in. wide, ovate or broadly oval, leathery; apex abruptly pointed; margin finely serrate, with small, reddish, sharp-pointed glands; petiole 1 in. long, slender, glabrous. Fruit-buds large, conical, plump, free; flowers 1½ in. across, in dense clusters, 7 to 9 flowers in a cluster; pedicels ¾ in. long, thick, greenish, lightly pubescent.

Fruit ripe in late September and early October; medium in size, 2½ in. long, 2¼ in. wide, uniform, obtuse-obovate-pyriform, irregular; stem ¾ in. long, short, thick; cavity obtuse, russeted, furrowed, ribbed; calyx partly open, large; lobes acute; basin somewhat abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled; skin roughened with russet markings and dots; color pale yellow, considerably russeted about the basin and cavity with russet dots, with scattered flecks and patches of russet; dots numerous, small, russet; flesh tinged with yellow, granular at the center, melting and tender, buttery, very juicy, sweet, aromatic; quality good to very good. Core closed, axile, the core-lines clasping; calyx-tube long, narrow, funnel-shaped; seeds rather short, plump, obtuse.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

Bonne du Puits Ansault. Rather small, roundish-oblate, greenish-yellow; juicy, melting, rich; very good. September. Great bearer. French. New.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Ansault. — Medium to large, roundish oblate, pyriform; stalk half to one inch long in shallow cavity; color yellow, mostly covered with russet. Flesh white, juicy, tender, buttery, melting, and aromatic; quality fair to good. Season, early autumn. France.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

ANSAULT. The fruits of Ansault rival those of Seckel in quality. In particular, the flesh is notable, being described by the term "buttery" rather better than that of any other pear. The rich sweet flavor and distinct but delicate perfume contribute to making the fruits of highest quality. Unfortunately, the pears are small, and the green coat, nearly covered with russet dots and markings, is dull, though enlivened somewhat at full maturity by a rich yellow. The tree is vigorous, productive, bears annually, and is not more subject to blight than that of the average variety. While not at all suitable for commercial orchards, Ansault should find a place in every collection of pears for home use. This variety was raised from seed in the nurseries of M. Andre Leroy, Angers, France. The parent tree bore fruit first in 1863.

Tree large, upright-spreading, hardy, very productive; branches thick, dull brownish-red, with numerous, raised lenticels. Leaves numerous, 2¾ inches long, 1½ inches wide, ovate or broadly oval, leathery; apex abruptly pointed; margin finely serrate, with small, reddish, sharp-pointed glands; petiole 1¼ inches long, slender, glabrous. Flowers 1¼ inches across, in dense clusters, 7 to 9 flowers in a cluster.

Fruit ripens in late September and early October; medium in size, 2½ inches wide, uniform, obtuse-obovate-pyriform, slightly irregular; stem ¾ inch long, short, thick; cavity obtuse, russeted, furrowed, slightly ribbed; calyx partly open, large; lobes acute; basin abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled; skin roughened with russet markings and dots; color dull greenish-yellow changing to pale yellow, considerably russeted about the basin and cavity with russet dots, with scattered flecks and patches of russet; dots numerous, small, russet; flesh tinged with yellow, granular at the center, melting and tender, buttery, very juicy, sweet, aromatic; quality good to very good; core closed, axile, the core-lines clasping; calyx-tube long, narrow, funnel-shaped; seeds short, plump, obtuse.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)