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Belle de Noel

Pear
USDA watercolor illustration of Belle de Noel

USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection

Belle de Noel

Origin/History

Listed by Elliott (1865) as "Foreign," with no further geographic or parentage detail. Thomas (1903) treats "Belle de Noël; or, Belle Après Noël" as a synonym redirecting to the Fondante de Noël entry, indicating the names were used interchangeably in American pomological literature by the early twentieth century.

Tree

Not described in source.

Fruit

Size: Rather below medium.

Form: Obovate obtuse pyriform.

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Medium; segments half reflexed.

Basin: Shallow, slightly furrowed.

Skin: Pale greenish yellow, with few russet spots; dark red cheek with carmine dots.

Flesh/Flavor: Whitish, melting, juicy; quality rated "very good."

Core/Seeds: Core large. Seeds not described.

Season

December.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Belle de Noel. Fondante de Noel, | Belle apres Noel. Foreign. Fruit, rather below medium, obovate obtuse pyriform, pale greenish yellow, with few russet spots, dark red cheek, with carmine dots ; calyx medium ; segments, half reflexed ; basin, shallow, slightly furrowed ; core, large ; flesh, whitish, melting, juicy ; " very good." December.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Belle de Noël; or, Belle Après Noël. See Fondante de Noël.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
(Dittrich)? Belle Après Noël Belle apres Noel Bellissime d'Ete Bellissime de Bur Bergamote Imperiale Birnen, Franz Madam Bur (P. de). - Butler’s Harvest Cuisse-Dame d’Ete English Red Cheek Figue Musquee Fondante de Noel Fondante de Noël Force (Winter Liebesbirne des Fusee d’Ete Gestreifte Schönste Sommer B Gestreifte Schönste Winter Birne Gracieuse? Grand Mogul (irrig) Grand Muscat Gros-Muscat-Rouge Grosse Muskateller Grosse Rote Muskateller? Grosse-Muscadelle? Hogg. sie als eine Art anführen, auch sagt Hogg. dass unter den Jareronelle des Francais Jargonelle Jesus (P. de) Just Kaiser Bergamotte Laurentienne Leroy trennt die Jargonelle (598) von der Schönsten Sommerbirne, wogegen lll. ff. Thomas. Downing Moye Neeltje Muscadelle Rouge? Muscadet d’Ete Muskat Birne Nach Leroy. Avis, II, 777, soll Namen Bellissime d’Ete, Jargonelle Prinz Madam Prinzen Birne Red Muscadel Red Muscatelle Pear Rote Muskateller B Saint-Laurent Schöne Mädchens B Schöne von Stresa Schönste Winter Birne Schönste vom Sommer Sommer Wunderschöne Summer Beauty Summer Jargonelle Supreme Supreme, Vermillon d’Ete der verschiedenen Autoren, eine grosse Udal Vermillon des Dames Vermillon d’Espagne (irrig) Vermillon d’Hiver des Dames Verwirrung herrscht, welche Ansicht auch Oberdieck teilte Wunderschöne Winter Birne Fondante De Noël Souvenir D'Espéren Bellissime d'Hiver Angleterre d'Hiver French Jargonelle Catillac Hampden's Bergamot Jargonelle (French)