Bergamotte Leseble
PearOrigin/History
A chance seedling found in a vineyard by Narcisse Leseble, President of the Horticultural Society of Tours, France, in 1843 (Hedrick). Of French origin (Downing, Elliott).
Tree
Vigorous and productive (Downing, Elliott).
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Oblate or Bergamotte-shaped (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Hedrick describes the shape as globular-turbinate, swelled, obtuse, and bossed at the summit.
Skin: Yellow, with a sunny cheek, numerous small dots, and russeted patches (Downing, Elliott). Partly russeted (Thomas). Hedrick describes the skin as golden-yellow, dotted with fawn, showing some russet markings and lightly washed with pale rose on the side turned to the sun.
Stem: Long, curved, inserted in a depression (Downing, Elliott).
Cavity: Not described in source beyond the stem being inserted in a depression.
Calyx: Open, broad (Downing). Large, open, broad (Elliott).
Basin: Irregular (Downing, Elliott).
Flesh/Flavor: Juicy, buttery, melting, sweet, and pleasant (Downing). Juicy, buttery, melting, sweet and perfumed (Elliott). Juicy, sweet, melting, perfumed (Thomas). Hedrick describes the flesh as whitish, rather coarse, melting, slightly gritty around the core; juice extremely abundant, sugary, agreeably perfumed leaving an after-flavor of anis. Downing rates the quality as only good.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October (all sources). Hedrick specifies first quality and October.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Elliott cites Hovey's Magazine as his source (noted as "Hov. Mag."). Hedrick cites Leroy, Dictionnaire de Pomologie 1:246, fig. (1867) and Mas, Pomologie Générale 3:47, fig. 120 (1878).
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Bergamotte Leseble.
A Pear of French origin, only good in quality. Tree vigorous and productive.
Fruit medium, oblate, or Bergamotte-shaped. Skin yellow, with a sunny cheek, numerous small dots, and russeted patches. Stalk long, curved, inserted in a depression. Calyx open, broad. Basin irregular. Flesh juicy, buttery, melting, sweet, and pleasant. October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Bergamotte Leseble.
- Leroy Diet. Pom. 1:246, fig. 1867. 2. Mas Pom. Gen. 3:47, fig. 120. 1878.
A chance seedling found in a vineyard by Narcisse Leseble, President of the Horticultural Society of Tours, Fr., in 1843. Fruit medium, globular-turbinate, swelled, obtuse, bossed at summit, golden-yellow, dotted with fawn, showing some russet markings and lightly washed with pale rose on the side turned to the sun; flesh whitish, rather coarse, melting, slightly gritty around the core; juice extremely abundant, sugary, agreeably perfumed leaving an after-flavor of anis; first; Oct.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Bergamotte Leseble.
Foreign. Tree vigorous and productive. Fruit, medium, oblate, or Bergamotte shaped ; skin, yellow, with a sunny cheek, numerous small dots, and russeted patches : stalk, long, curved, inserted in a depression ; calyx, large, open, broad ; basin, irregular ; flesh, juicy, buttery, melting, sweet and perfumed. October. (Hov. Mag.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Bergamotte Leseble. Medium, oblate, yellow, partly russeted; juicy, sweet, melting, perfumed. October.