Belle de Thouars
PearBelle de Thouars
Origin / History
A foreign variety. Probably originated at Thouars, France. About 1839 the Horticultural Society of Angers received a pear called Coulon de Saint-Marc, which was propagated under that name but proved identical with Belle de Thouars. It was subsequently propagated and sold by a nurseryman at Jersey, and acquired the name of Belle de Jersey. Downing calls it "a foreign variety, of indifferent or poor quality." Cited by Hedrick to Card. Chron. 979, 1860, and Leroy, Dict. Pom. 1:212, 213, fig., 1867.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium to large; Elliott gives medium.
Form: Pyriform, oblong obtuse or long-obtuse, pyriform at both ends; angular (Elliott); somewhat bossed at summit (Hedrick).
Stem: Short.
Cavity: Little plaited.
Calyx: Half open.
Basin: Shallow.
Skin: Rich brown russet; yellow covered with a thin cinnamon russet (Downing). At first brownish-olive, changing to a ferruginous brown as the fruit approaches maturity, somewhat rough (Hedrick).
Dots: Russet (Hedrick).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white; tender and juicy (Elliott); firm, or half-breaking, with little juice (Hedrick); dry (Downing). Flavor sweet (Downing); acidulated, sugary (Hedrick). Elliott rates it "very good"; Downing, "indifferent or poor quality"; Hedrick, good only for kitchen use.
Core and seeds: Core small; seeds ovate (Elliott).
Season
October to January. Elliott gives October and November, Hedrick November and December; Downing alone runs to December and January.
Uses
Good only for kitchen use (Hedrick).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1849) from Massachusetts
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849 — listed as Saint Marc
View original book sources (3)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Belle de Thouars.
Foreign. Fruit, medium, pyriform angular, rich brown russet ; short stem : cavity, little plaited; calyx, half open; shallow basin, core, small; seeds, ovate; flesh, white, tender, juicy; "very good." October and November.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Belle de Thouars. Coulon de Saint Mare. Belle de Thouarse. Belle de Troyes. Saint Marc. Belle de Prague. Belle de Jersey A foreign variety, of indifferent or poor quality. Fruit medium to large, oblong obtuse pyriform, yellow, covered with a thin cinnamon russet. Flesh white, dry, sweet. December, January.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Belle de Thouars.
- Card. Chron. 979. 1860.
- Leroy Diet. Pom. 1:212, 213, fig. 1867.
Probably originated at Thouars, Fr. About 1839 the Horticultural Society of Angers received a pear called Coulon de Saint-Marc which was propagated under that name, but was proved to be identical with Belle de Thouars. It was subsequently propagated and sold by a nurseryman at Jersey, and acquired the name of Belle de Jersey. Fruit medium to large, long-obtuse-pyriform at both ends, somewhat bossed at summit; skin at first brownish-olive changing to a ferruginous brown as the fruit approaches maturity, somewhat rough, with russet dots; flesh white, firm, or half-breaking, with little juice and an acidulated, sugary flavor; good only for kitchen use; Nov. and Dec.