Besi de Quessoy
Pear
Besi de Quessoy
Origin/History
Besi de Quessoy is an old French pear whose origins have been recorded from the seventeenth century. Merlet stated in 1675 that this variety was said to have been found originally in the forest of Quessoy near Saint-Brieuc, in Bretagne. It was known locally as the Rousette or the Petit Boeure d'Hiver and was propagated at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Downing similarly describes it as "an old Pear, said to have been discovered in the forest of Caissoy, in Bretagne."
Tree
The tree is hardy and very productive. Young wood is slender, dull olive yellow. (Downing.)
Fruit
Size
Small (all three sources agree).
Form
Sources characterize the form somewhat differently. Coxe describes the fruit as small and round, a little flat at the crown. Downing gives the shape as roundish pyriform. Hedrick describes it as globular or ovate. Fruit is borne in clusters (Hedrick).
Stem
The stalk is straight and deeply planted (Coxe). Downing describes it as short, set in a rather deep cavity.
Cavity
Rather deep (Downing); stalk deeply planted, implying substantial depth (Coxe).
Calyx
The calyx is open (Downing). The eye is small and much sunk (Coxe).
Basin
Not described in source.
Skin
The skin is green, turning yellow when fully ripe, and covered with clouds or spots of brown (Coxe). Downing describes it as yellow, reddish brown in the sun, with numerous russet specks. Hedrick characterizes it as rough, yellowish-green, and much russeted.
Flesh and Flavor
The flesh is white (Downing; Hedrick), tender and buttery (Coxe; Downing), delicate and melting (Hedrick), sweet and aromatic (Downing), and aromatic and savory (Hedrick). Coxe notes that the juice resembles that of the Crasanne. Hedrick notes the flesh is gritty around the core.
Sources differ on quality rating: Downing rates it "Very good," while Hedrick assigns it second quality.
Core and Seeds
The flesh is gritty around the core (Hedrick).
Season
Coxe places ripening in November. Both Downing and Hedrick extend the season considerably: November to February (Downing); ripening in succession from November or December till February (Hedrick).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
- Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)
- Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817) — listed as Bezy de Caissoy
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as Bezi de Caissoy
View original book sources (3)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)
- BEZY DE CAISSOY.
This fruit is small and round, a little flat at the crown; the stalk is straight and deeply planted, the eye small, and much sunk; the skin green, turning yellow when fully ripe, and covered with clouds or spots of brown—the flesh tender and buttery, the juice resembles that of the Crasanne: it ripens in November.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Bezi de Caissoy.
Bezy de Quessoy. Nutmeg Pear. Roussette d'Anjou. De Quessoy. Petite Beurre d'Hiver. Small Winter Beurré. Wilding of Caissoy. Besi de Quassoy. Terreneuvaise. Besi de Bretagne.
An old Pear, said to have been discovered in the forest of Caissoy, in Bretagne. Tree hardy and very productive. Young wood slender, dull olive yellow.
Fruit small, roundish pyriform. Skin yellow, reddish brown in sun and numerous russet specks. Stalk short, set in a rather deep cavity. Calyx open. Flesh white, tender, buttery, sweet and aromatic. Very good. November to February.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Besi de Quessoy.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:285, fig. 1867.
- Hogg Fruit Man. 508. 1884. Bezy de Caissoy. 3. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:178, Pl. XXIX. 1768.
Merlet stated in 1675 that this variety was said to have been found originally in the forest of Quessoy near Saint-Brieuc. It was known locally as the Rousette or the Petit Boeure d'Hiver and was propagated at the beginning of the seventeenth century.
Fruit borne in clusters, small, globular or ovate; skin rough, yellowish-green, much russeted; flesh white, delicate, melting, gritty around the core, aromatic and savory; second; ripens in succession from Nov. or Dec. till Feb.