Bergamotte Bufo
PearBergamotte Bufo
Origin / History
Old French pear, heretofore confounded with Bergamotte Cadet (Downing). Hedrick, citing Le Lectier, says it was cultivated at Orleans in 1628 under the name of Crapant or Toad on account of the rough character of its skin. It was also known in Germany in 1690 under this latter name and as Oignon rosat by reason of its shape and the perfume of its juice. In 1846 in France, because of the supposed inelegance of the word "crapant," its name was changed to Bufo, the Latin name of a toad.
Tree
Tree vigorous, productive. Young wood light reddish yellow brown (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Medium (Downing); above medium (Hedrick).
Form: Roundish oblate, globular-oblate; even and regular like a true Bergamot (Hedrick).
Stem: Long (Downing).
Cavity: Broad, rather shallow (Downing).
Calyx: Open (Downing).
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Rough; greenish yellow (Downing) to dark yellow (Hedrick), netted and patched with russet (Downing), marbled with fawn and usually also bearing some large brown stains (Hedrick).
Dots: Thickly sprinkled, russet (Downing); fawn (Hedrick).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellowish (Downing) or white (Hedrick); melting, fine; juicy (Downing), juice sufficient (Hedrick). Flavor sweet, slightly vinous (Downing); vinous, acidulous, sugary, savory, recalling the scent of the rose (Hedrick). Quality "Good" (Downing); "excellent dessert pear" (Hedrick).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October to late October.
Uses
Dessert pear (Hedrick).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
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 Bufo.
Bergamotte Capraud. Crapaud.
An old French Pear, heretofore confounded with Bergamotte Cadet. Tree vigorous, productive. Young wood light reddish yellow brown.
Fruit medium, roundish oblate, greenish yellow, netted and patched with russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk long, in a broad, rather shallow cavity. Calyx open. Flesh yellowish, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly vinous. Good. October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Bergamotte Bufo.
- Leroy Diet. Pom. 1:228, fig. 1867.
- Hogg Fruit Man. 498. 1884. Kröten Bergamotte. 3. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 244. 1889.
Le Lectier says this pear was cultivated at Orleans in 1628 under the name of Crapant or Toad on account of the rough character of its skin. It was also known in Germany in 1690 under this latter name and as Oignon rosat by reason of its shape and the perfume of its juice. In 1846 in France, because of the supposed inelegance of the word "crapant," its name was changed to Bufo, the Latin name of a toad. Fruit above medium, globular-oblate, even and regular like a true Bergamot; skin rough, dark yellow, dotted and marbled with fawn and usually also bearing some large brown stains; flesh white, melting, fine; juice sufficient, vinous, acidulous, sugary, savory, recalling the scent of the rose; excellent dessert pear; late Oct.