Bergamotte Boussiere
PearBergamotte Boussiere
Origin/History
A seedling raised by Van Mons. According to Hedrick, it fruited for the first time in 1844. Downing's reference (1867 citation in Hedrick) traces it through Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Conflicting accounts: Downing gives "below medium"; Hedrick gives "above medium."
Form: Downing describes the fruit as "roundish oblate pyriform"; Hedrick describes it as "obovate-obtuse-pyriform, regular."
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Greenish-yellow (Downing: "yellowish green"). Hedrick adds: dotted and veined with fawn, and clouded with reddish-brown around the stem.
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh whitish (both sources agree). Hedrick: half-fine, melting; juice abundant, vinous, sugary and slightly aromatic. Downing: juicy. Both sources note grittiness at the center — Downing describes it as "harsh at centre"; Hedrick as "very gritty around the core."
Quality: Downing rates it "Good"; Hedrick rates it "second."
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October through December (both sources agree).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
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)Bergamotte Boussiere.
One of Van Mons' seedlings.
Fruit below medium, roundish oblate pyriform, yellowish green. Flesh white, juicy, harsh at centre. Good. October, December.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Bergamote Boussiere. i. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:227, fig. 1867. Raised by Van Mons and fruited for the first time in 1844. Fruit above medium, obovate-obtuse-pyriform, regular, greenish-yellow, dotted and veined with fawn and clouded with reddish-brown around the stem; flesh whitish, half-fine, melting, very gritty around the core; juice abundant, vinous, sugary and slightly aromatic; second; Oct. to Dec.