Belle de Bruxelles
Pear
Belle de Bruxelles
Origin/History
Not described in source.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and Form: Acute pyriform (Downing). Both sources agree on the pyriform shape; Thomas describes the form simply as pyriform without the "acute" qualification. On size, the sources conflict: Downing's introductory sentence characterizes it as "a large and handsome fruit" but the description proper states "fruit medium"; Thomas calls it "Large."
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Pale yellow, with a soft red cheek when fully exposed (Downing). Thomas describes the color simply as yellow, without mention of the red cheek.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh white, sweet, and slightly perfumed (Downing). Both sources characterize quality as poor; Thomas calls it "sweet, poor."
Core and Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Middle of August (Downing).
Uses
An ornamental or novelty fruit of poor eating quality. Downing calls it "a large and handsome fruit, of poor quality." Thomas is more blunt: "a handsome, worthless sort."
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Belle de Bruxelles.
Belle d'Aout. Gros Muscadille. Beurre de Bruxelles. Petit Certeau. Bellisime d'Automne. Muscat Rouge. Beauty of Brussels. Muscadelle. Vermilion des Dames. De Coq. Vermilion. Vermilion d'Automne. Des Dames.
A large and handsome fruit, of poor quality.
Fruit medium, acute pyriform. Skin pale yellow, with a soft red cheek when fully exposed. Flesh white, sweet, and slightly perfumed. Middle of August.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Belle de Bruxelles, or Belle d'Août. Large, pyriform, yellow; sweet, poor. A handsome, worthless sort.