Bergamotte de Soulers

Pear

Bergamotte de Soulers

Origin/History

An old French dessert pear. The first known mention was by Merlet in 1675, who described it as a species of winter Bergamotte of good flavor and long keeping. It appears in Duhamel's Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (2:168, Pl. XLIV, fig. 1, 1768), Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (1:487, fig., 1867), and Hogg's Fruit Manual (504, 1884), where it is listed under the name Bonne de Soulers.

Tree

Not described in source.

Fruit

Size and Form: Medium; long-obovate, almost oval.

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Not described in source.

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Smooth, shining, pale greenish-yellow, covered with dots of fawn, and faintly tinged with brick-red on the side next the sun.

Flesh and Flavor: White, tender, melting, free from granulations, juicy, saccharine, slightly acidulous, with a characteristic and pleasant flavor.

Core and Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

January to March or April.

Uses

Dessert. In France considered of first quality and regarded as superior to Easter Beurre. In England rated only second quality, being too tender for the English climate.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

The Thomas (1903) entry reads in full: "Bergamotte de Soulers. See De Sorlus." This is a cross-reference only, with no independent description.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Bergamotte de Soulers.

Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:168, Pl. XLIV, fig. 1. 1768.

Hogg Fruit Man. 504. 1884. Bonne de Soulers.

Leroy Diet. Pom. 1:487, fig. 1867.

This pear is an old French dessert fruit the first mention of which was by Merlet in 1675 who described it as a species of winter Bergamotte of good flavor and long keeping. Fruit medium, long-obovate, almost oval; skin smooth, shining, pale greenish-yellow, covered with dots of fawn and faintly tinged with brick-red on the side next the sun; flesh white, tender, melting, free from granulations, juicy, saccharine, slightly acidulous, with a characteristic and pleasant flavor; in France, of first quality and considered superior to Easter Beurre; in England only second, being too tender for the climate; Jan. to Mar. or Apr.

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

Bergamotte de Soulers. See De Sorlus.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Bonne de Soulers De Sorlus Easter Beurré Bonne de Soulers De Sorlus