Béquesne
PearBéquesne
Origin / History
The origin of this ancient pear is unknown. Henri Heissen, a German author, described it in 1690 under the name Bequesne of Anjou. It is referenced in Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (1:220, 1867) and Hogg's Fruit Manual (497, 1884).
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and Form: Coxe describes the fruit as large; Hedrick gives it as medium to rather large and handsome. Both agree it is long in form. Hedrick classifies the shape as long-obtuse-pyriform. Coxe describes it as full and round at the blossom end, diminishing gradually to a point at the stem.
Stem: Very long (Coxe).
Cavity: Little or no hollow at the crown (Coxe). Not described in Hedrick.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Coxe describes the skin as yellow, full of very distinct dark dots. Hedrick gives a fuller account: fine bright golden-yellow on the shaded side, encrimsoned on the side next the sun, strewed all over with russet dots which give it a rough feel.
Flesh / Flavor: Hedrick: white, dry, semi-breaking, sweet, slightly perfumed, gritty round the core. Coxe describes the flesh as firm and without any great degree of flavour or juice in the raw state, but notes that when baked it becomes rich, melting, and luscious.
Core / Seeds: Not described in source beyond Hedrick's note that the flesh is gritty round the core.
Season
October to January (Hedrick). Keeps well through the winter (Coxe).
Uses
An excellent cooking pear (both sources). Requires little or no sugar in cooking (Coxe). When baked, becomes rich, melting, and luscious (Coxe).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)
- BEQUESNE.
This is a large and long pear, full and round at the blossom end, and diminishing gradually to a point at the stem, which is very long—the skin is yellow, full of very distinct dark dots; little or no hollow at the crown; the flesh is firm and without any great degree of flavour or juice: it is however, a cooking fruit of great excellence, it requires little or no sugar—when baked is rich, melting, and luscious, it keeps well through the winter.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Béquesne.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:220. 1867.
- Hogg Fruit Man. 497. 1884. The origin of this ancient pear is unknown, though Henri Heissen, a German author, describing it in 1690 called it the Bequesne of Anjou. Fruit medium to rather large and handsome, long-obtuse-pyriform; skin of a fine bright golden-yellow on the shaded side, encrimsoned on the side next the sun, strewed all over with russet dots which give it a rough feel; flesh white, dry, semi-breaking, sweet, slightly perfumed, gritty round the core; an excellent cooking pear; Oct. to Jan.