Benoist Nouveau

Pear

Benoist Nouveau

Origin/History

A foreign variety distributed by Ellwanger & Barry of Rochester, N.Y., about 1850 as a new foreign variety (Hedrick). Elliott's specimen was received directly from Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry.

Tree

Not described in source.

Fruit

Size: Medium.

Form: Globular-obovate (Hedrick); roundish obovate (Elliott). The two descriptions are in close agreement.

Stem: Stout (Elliott).

Cavity: Deep, narrow (Elliott).

Calyx: Open (Elliott).

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Greenish yellow, with a brown cheek, dull russet marblings, and indistinct brown specks.

Flesh/Flavor: Breaking, juicy, rather astringent; requires careful ripening.

Core/Seeds: Core small. Seeds long, ovate, pointed (Elliott).

Season

February to April.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Cited references: Elliott, Fruit Book, p. 367 (1859); Ragan, Nom. Pear, B.P.I. Bul. 126:34 (1908).

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Benoist Nouveau.

Elliott Fr. Book 367. 1859.

Ragan Norn. Pear, B. P. I. Bui. 126:34. 1908.

Distributed by Ellwanger & Barry of Rochester, N. Y., about 1850 as a new foreign variety. Fruit medium, globular-obovate, greenish-yellow with brown cheek, dull russet marblings and indistinct brown specks; flesh breaking, juicy, rather astringent; requires careful ripening; Feb. to April.

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

Benoist Nouveau. Foreign. The specimen from which we describe was received from Messrs. Ellwanger & Barry. Fruit, medium, roundish obovate, greenish yellow, brown cheek, dull russet marblings, and indistinct brown specks ; stem, stout : cavity, deep, narrow ; calyx, open ; core, small ; seeds, long, ovate pointed ; flesh, breaking, juicy, rather astringent, requires careful ripening. February to April.

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