Beurré Clairgeau
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Beurré Clairgeau
Origin / History
Beurré Clairgeau is a French pear raised from seed by Pierre Clairgeau of Nantes, France. Hovey calls him "Peter Clairgeau," and Bunyard calls him "a gardener at Nantes." The dates of origin conflict. Hedrick says the original tree "appears to have grown by chance" about 1830, and his Cyclopedia says "as early as 1828 or 1830." Hovey has the parent tree raised in 1835 or 1836, first bearing fruit in 1846 or 1847. Bunyard gives 1848 as the year it was raised.
The fruit was first exhibited before the Horticultural Society of Nantes in 1848. Hedrick says this was M. Clairgeau's first account of it. Hovey says its "perfect form, beautiful exterior, and fine quality, at once established its reputation."
Several cultivators immediately opened a subscription to purchase the entire stock. Because "the requisite number (two hundred) could not be obtained," the trees remained with the originator. In 1850 M. de Jonghe and other nurserymen completed the subscription and took the entire stock, about three hundred trees on the quince. These trees, with the parent tree, were removed to Brussels in November 1850. They fruited the following year, and the quality was again found excellent. Not until 1852, after another crop, were they offered for sale (Hovey).
Hedrick tells of J. de Jonghe and others buying the stock of about 300 trees on quince. In his account they were removed to Brussels with the parent tree in the same year as the 1848 exhibition. The pear was placed on the market in 1852, and Hedrick remarks that "a French pear was first distributed by Belgian growers." André Le Roy, in a letter dated Angers, 1 September 1851, printed by Desportes in The Horticulturist, says it was "put in trade by the care of the Horticultural Society of this city."
The variety was introduced in America about 1854. The American Pomological Society placed it on its list of recommended fruits in 1860 (Hedrick).
Hovey wrote that "no pear of recent introduction has attracted the attention of pomologists more." He found it remarkably handsome, very large, excellent in quality, and a vigorous, hardy, early, and abundant bearer. In his words it "possesses all the qualities that constitute a fine pear." Preceded by a high reputation, it had fully maintained its character and was likely to prove "one of the most popular pears, second only to the Bartlett, Seckel, and a few others." Le Roy called it "a handsome pear of first rate quality." Elliott thought it would "probably prove one of the most valuable, as a large-sized pear." Budd and Hansen record it as widely grown.
Hedrick calls it "one of the mainstays in American pear-growing" and "an especially valuable variety in New York." In his view it maintains its place among standard varieties "chiefly because of splendid tree-characters," the fruits, while handsome, being "not of the best quality." He adds that "the 'deceptive cheek of the Clairgeau' is proverbial in pear-growing," the handsome coat covering rather coarse, granular flesh.
Tree
Vigorous to very vigorous, very upright and erect to extremely upright, forming a fine or beautiful pyramid; Hovey alone rates it moderately vigorous. Elliott calls it strong-growing.
Hovey likens its habit to Buffum more than any other variety, but finds the foliage larger, richer, and more ornamental. Hedrick rates the tree second only to Buffum in vigor, health, and productiveness, and nearly as handsome as an ornamental. He describes it as medium in size (below medium in his Cyclopedia), dense, slow-growing, and hardy. Hovey also calls it hardy. Bunyard calls it healthy and says it makes a good erect standard.
The tree branches at a very acute angle and makes rather stout wood, with annual shoots of medium length (Hovey). Trunk slender, shaggy. Branches smooth, slightly zigzag, ash-gray almost completely overspreading reddish-brown, with many lenticels. Branchlets thick, short, with short internodes, greenish-brown, smooth, glabrous, with slightly raised lenticels (Hedrick).
Young wood reddish brown, dotted with rather large whitish specks, stout and short-jointed; old wood brownish olive (Hovey). Elliott alone gives light yellow wood. Thomas describes the shoots as reddish-purple, short, erect, and ascending.
The buds conflict on position. Hovey gives them as large, long, sharply pointed, and diverging, with prominent shoulders. Hedrick gives the leaf-buds as conical, pointed, and appressed. Flower-buds are medium to long, oval or conical, and pointed to very sharply pointed.
Leaves large, very numerous, rather thick to leathery, roundish ovate, round oval, or broadly oval, broadest about the middle. They are deep green, glossy, and flat to nearly flat or a little folded, with the apex abruptly pointed; Thomas calls them stiff. Hedrick gives them as 3 inches long and 2 inches wide (1½ inches wide in his Cyclopedia), with stipules rudimentary or lacking. The margin is glandless and finely serrate, though Hovey calls it "coarsely and very slightly serrated." The petiole is stout to moderately stout. Hovey gives it as long, about 1½ inches, and little tinged with red. Hedrick gives 2 inches and glabrous, and his Cyclopedia ¾ inch and slightly pubescent.
Flowers medium in size, 1½ inches across, and showy. Petals roundish ovate, neatly cupped. Clusters compact or dense, averaging 7 buds to a cluster. Pedicels ¾ inch long, thick, pubescent, greenish (Hedrick).
The tree bears remarkably young; Hovey says scions inserted in moderately strong trees fruit the following year. It is productive to very productive, an abundant bearer, with good fertility. Hedrick calls it a regular bearer, bearing annually ("usually annually" in his Cyclopedia). At Agassiz, British Columbia, trees planted in spring 1890 were vigorous growers and free producers.
Hovey says it appears to succeed well upon the quince. Elliott says it "does not succeed on Quince" and recommends it on the pear root. Hedrick says it does equally well on quince or pear stock, though "the Europeans maintain that the product is better on the dwarfing stock."
The pears are heavy and often drop before maturity, so the trees should not be set in windswept situations (Hedrick).
Fruit
Size: Large; Hovey and Le Roy call it very large. Hovey gives about 4 inches long by 3 inches in diameter, and Hedrick 3½ inches long by 2½ inches wide, uniform in size. Bunyard gives "3¾ by 4½."
Form: Pyriform, oblong to long obovate or long oval. Large at the crown, slightly contracted in the middle, obtuse at the stem, with a long, tapering neck. The recorded shapes include oblong or obtuse pyramidal, oblong obovate pyriform, pyramidal-pyriform approaching long obovate, and roundish-acute-pyriform (Hedrick). Regularity is in conflict. Le Roy calls it irregularly turbinated, Hovey gives a somewhat uneven surface, and Downing gives unequal sides. Bunyard calls it even, and Hedrick smooth, symmetrical, and uniform in shape.
Stem: Short, stout to very stout or very thick, and fleshy, especially at the base. It is inserted obliquely, at the top of the neck, almost without depression; Bunyard calls it "continued." It is inserted by a lip (Downing) or surrounded by a few uneven projections (Hovey). Hovey gives about ½ inch long and Hedrick ¾ inch; Hedrick's Cyclopedia alone gives 1 to 1½ inches.
Cavity: None to very shallow. Hovey gives no cavity, and the stem is otherwise sunk little or almost without depression; Downing adds that when the lip is absent the cavity is uneven. Hedrick describes it as small, obtuse, very shallow and narrow, fleshy around the base of the stem, russeted, and lipped.
Calyx: Open; size in conflict, small (Hovey, Elliott) or large (Bunyard, Hedrick). Segments stiff. Hovey calls them short, pointed, and complete; Hedrick calls the lobes long, broad, acute or acuminate, and separated at the base. Calyx tube short, wide, conical (Hedrick).
Basin: Shallow to very shallow and narrow, the eye only slightly depressed. Furrowed, somewhat ribbed, or often a little ribbed. Obtuse and often compressed (Hedrick).
Skin: Thick and granular. Ground yellow at maturity: rich yellow, warm yellow inclining to fawn, golden brown, or yellowish brown; Le Roy gives yellow greenish. The sunny side carries a deep reddish tint at maturity, often a blush or cheek of bright crimson, crimson, bright red, or warm red, or shaded with orange and crimson.
The extent of russet is in conflict. Hovey describes a clear cinnamon russet, and Elliott mostly russet, reddish in the sun. Downing has the skin only sometimes sprinkled with russet over a warm yellow ground, and Hedrick gives a rich yellow ground. Texture is likewise in conflict: slightly rough to rough (Hovey, Bunyard; "roughened by russet" in Hedrick's Cyclopedia), but smooth and glossy in The Pears of New York. Hedrick calls the skin tough in The Pears of New York and tender in his Cyclopedia. Handsome; Hovey says remarkably handsome.
Dots: Many, numerous, thickly set, small, conspicuous, russet or brown, darker than the ground; Le Roy calls them dark spots.
Flesh and flavor: Color in conflict: yellowish (Hovey, Elliott, Downing, the Agassiz station), white or whitish (Thomas, Bunyard, Hedrick). Rather coarse to coarse, slightly to quite granular. Juicy to very juicy, buttery, melting, tender. Hedrick finds it firm at first, becoming tender and melting at maturity, while Bunyard calls it "firm, not melting." Flavor sweet, saccharine or sugary, sprightly, perfumed, aromatic, rich, and vinous; Hovey calls it "delicious." Bunyard alone gives a "faint musky flavour." Le Roy, after describing the flesh, says it "resembles the Gray Doyenne."
Quality verdicts span "first rate" to "frequently poor." The early ratings are high ("first rate quality," Le Roy; "excellent," Hovey; "very good," Elliott), with Downing giving "Good" and the Agassiz station "fair quality." Later authors find it variable: Thomas gives "often with a rich, very good flavor, but frequently poor," and Bunyard calls the quality "variable but it is seldom better than second class." Hedrick gives "quality variable, good to best," the flesh "sometimes very good but more often commonplace." His Cyclopedia gives "but mediocre quality," "sometimes good but more often commonplace," and "good when well grown."
Core and seeds: Core size in conflict: medium (Hovey), large to very large (Hedrick). The surrounding flesh often rots or softens prematurely. Core-lines clasping. Hedrick calls the core closed in The Pears of New York and open in his Cyclopedia. Seed size also conflicts: small, ovate, pointed (Hovey), large, wide, long, plump, acute (Hedrick).
Season
The recorded season runs from October into January. Most authors give October and November, or late October through November or December, in late autumn. Downing extends it to January. Hovey has it ripe in November and keeping nearly a month.
Uses
Bunyard classes it as culinary. Hedrick finds it "more suitable for cookery than dessert." Downing calls it a profitable market sort for its size, early bearing, productiveness, and beauty. Elliott calls it "desirable as an orchard variety, on the pear root." Hedrick says that despite the demerits of the fruit, the variety "is well worth planting in commercial orchards for late markets."
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 9 period pomological works
- Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- The Horticulturist (1855)
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Clairgeau
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Clairgeau
- Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852) — listed as THE BEURRÉ CLAIRGEAU PEAR.
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 54 catalogs (1864–1921) from Alabama, California, England, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, Oregon, Washington
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell Prairie, Marion County, OR (Marion Co., Ogn.) — 1864
- Hutchison Nursery , James Hutchison, Oakland , California — 1881
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884
- Fancher Creek Nursery , Fresno , California — 1886
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- W.R. Strong & Co. , Capital and Orange Hill Nurseries (Robert Williamson, prop.), Sacramento , California — 1886
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1888
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1889
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1890
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1891
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- Puyallup & Yakima Nurseries , Puyallup, Washington (Lock Box 191) and North Yakima , Washington — 1892
- Glen St. Mary Nurseries (G.L. Taber , Proprietor), Glen St. Mary , Florida — 1893
- Oregon Wholesale Nurseries , Salem , Oregon — 1893
- Multnomah Nurseries , Russellville , Oregon — 1894
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1895
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1897
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1898 — listed as Clairgeau
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Clairgeau
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- S.L. Watkins , Grizzly Flats, El Dorado County , California — 1901
- Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1906
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906
- J.B. Pilkington , Portland , Oregon — 1907
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- C.F. Lansing , Salem , Oregon — 1910
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1911
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Ballygreen Nurseries , Hanford , Washington — 1912
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- J. B. Pilkington , Nurseryman, Portland, OR (nurseries near Newberg, forty miles from Portland) — 1913
- Van Holderbeke Nursery Co. , Incorporated, Spokane, Washington (nurseries at Otis Orchards WA, Pasadena WA, Kennewick WA) — 1913
- Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
- Fancher Creek Nurseries , George C. Roeding, Fresno , California — 1918
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
View original book sources (10)
— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)THE BEURRÉ CLAIRGEAU PEAR.
Beurré Clairgeau. Album de Pomologie, vol. iv. p. 145.
No pear of recent introduction has attracted the attention of pomologists more than the Beurre Clairgeau. Remarkably handsome in its appearance, very large in size, excellent in quality, a vigorous, erect, and beautiful growing tree, hardy, early, and an abundant bearer, it possesses all the qualities that constitute a fine pear. Preceded with a high reputation, it is gratifying to find that it has fully maintained its character, and is likely to prove one of the most popular pears, second only to the Bartlett, Seckel, and a few others.
The Beurre Clairgeau is a French variety, and was originated by Peter Clairgeau of Nantes. The parent tree was raised in 1835 or '36, and first bore fruit in 1846 or '47. In 1848, the fruit was first exhibited before the Horticultural Society of Nantes, and its perfect form, beautiful exterior, and fine quality, at once established its reputation. A subscription was immediately opened by several cultivators to purchase the entire stock; but as the requisite number (two hundred) could not be obtained, the trees remained in the hands of the originator. In 1850, however, M. de Jonghe and other nurserymen completed the subscription and took the entire stock, in all about three hundred trees on the quince. These, with the parent tree, were removed to Brussels in November, 1850. They produced fruit the following year, and enabled the purchasers to again test its quality, which was found to be excellent. But it was not till 1852, when the trees had borne another crop, that they were offered for sale.
The Beurre Clairgeau is a very upright and erect growing tree, more resembling the Buffum than any other variety; but the foliage is larger, richer and more ornamental. It bears remarkably young, scions inserted in moderately strong trees producing fruit the following year. It appears to succeed well upon the quince.
Tree. — Moderately vigorous, very upright and erect, branching at a very acute angle, and making rather stout wood; annual shoots of medium length.
Wood. — Reddish brown, dotted with rather large whitish specks, stout and short-jointed; old wood, brownish olive; buds, large, long, sharply pointed, diverging, with prominent shoulders: Flower-buds, medium size, oval, very sharply pointed.
Leaves. — Large, roundish ovate, broadest about the middle, rather thick, deep green, glossy, nearly flat, and coarsely and very slightly serrated; petioles, long, about one and a half inches in length, little tinged with red, and moderately stout.
Flowers. — Medium size; petals, roundish ovate, neatly cupped; clusters, compact.
Fruit. — Very large, about four inches long, and three inches in diameter: Form, oblong, or obtuse pyramidal, large at the crown, slightly contracted in the middle, obtuse at the stem, with a somewhat uneven surface: Skin, slightly rough, of a clear cinnamon russet, with numerous darker colored specks, acquiring, at maturity, a deep reddish tint on the sunny side: Stem, short, about half an inch long, very stout, fleshy at the base, obliquely inserted without any cavity, but surrounded by a few uneven projections: Eye, small, open, and but slightly depressed in a very shallow basin, somewhat ribbed; segments of the calyx, short, stiff, pointed, complete: Flesh, yellowish, rather coarse, melting and juicy: Flavor, saccharine, sprightly, perfumed and delicious: Core, medium size: Seeds, small, ovate, pointed.
Ripe in November, and keeps nearly a month.
— B. Desportes, The Horticulturist (1856)Beurre Clairgeau of Nantes.
III. Beurre Clairgeau, (of Nantes.)—A very large fruit, irregularly turbinated; skin—yellow greenish, with dark spots; flesh—melting, buttery, juicy; resembles the Gray Doyenne; ripens in October and November. A vigorous tree; very productive, and forming fine pyramids. It is a handsome pear of first rate quality, raised from seed by Mr. Clairgeau, at Nantes, (France,) and put in trade by the care of the Horticultural Society of this city. Yours very respectfully, Andre Le Roy. Angers, France, 1st Sept., 1851.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Beurre Clairgeau.
Foreign. Tree, vigorous, light yellow wood. Fruit, large, oblong obovate pyriform: color, mostly russet, reddish in sun: stem, short, stout; calyx, small, open; flesh, yellowish, rather coarse, juicy, vinous ; "very good." October, November. This will probably prove one of the most valuable, as a large-sized pear, and desirable as an orchard variety, on the pear root. Growing strong, and bearing very young : does not succeed on Quince.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Beurré Clairgeau.
Clairgeau. Clairgeau de Nantes.
Raised by Pierre Clairgeau, of Nantes, France. Tree very vigorous, forming a beautiful pyramid. Young wood reddish brown, very productive.
The size, early bearing, productiveness, and beauty of this Pear render it a profitable market sort.
Fruit large, pyriform, but with unequal sides. Skin warm yellow, inclining to fawn, shaded with orange and crimson, thickly covered with russet dots, and sometimes sprinkled with russet. Stalk short, stout, and fleshy, inserted by a lip at an inclination almost without depression; when the lip is absent the cavity is uneven. Calyx open. Segments stiff, in a shallow furrowed basin. Flesh yellowish, buttery, juicy, somewhat granular, with a sugary, perfumed, vinous flavor. Good. October to January.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Clairgeau.* Large, pyramidal-pyriform, approaching long obovate, skin yellow or yellowish-brown, often with a crimson shade toward the sun, and brown dots; stalk short, stout, fleshy, oblique, sunk little or none; basin shallow, furrowed; flesh white, slightly granular, buttery, melting, often with a rich, very good flavor, but frequently poor. November, December. Shoots reddish-purple, short, erect, and ascending; leaves stiff. Fig. 727. France.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Clairgeau. — Large, pyriform, nearly long obovate, with unequal sides; color yellowish brown, usually with crimson shading next the sun; dots brown; stalk short, stout, fleshy at base, oblique, and inserted at top of neck with slight trace of cavity. Flesh white, buttery, melting, and usually rich in flavor. Season late autumn. Widely grown. France.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)BEURRE CLAIRGEAU. Her. Pom. II., 32. G. Clairgeau's Butterbirne. Culinary, November to December, large, 3¾ by 4½, long oval, even. Skin, rough. Colour, golden brown, often red flushed. Flesh, firm, not melting, white, faint musky flavour. Eye, large, open in a narrow shallow basin which is often a little ribbed. Stem, short, fleshy and thick, continued. Growth, vigorous, extremely upright; fertility good. Leaf, round oval, flat or a little folded, finely serrate. Origin, raised by Pierre Clairgeau, a gardener at Nantes, France, in 1848. A vigorous healthy tree, the quality of the fruit is variable but it is seldom better than second class. It makes a good erect standard.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)BEURRÉ CLAIRGEAU
- Hovey Fr. Am. 2:73, Pl. 1851. 2. Ann. Pom. Belge 2:103, Pl. 1854. 3. Gard. Chron. 805. 1854. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 337. 1860. 5. Pom. France 1: No. 11, Pl. 11. 1863. 6. Mas Le Verger 1:39, fig. 26. 1866-73. 7. Jour. Hort. N. S. 12:211. 1867. 8. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:335, fig. 1867. 9. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 678. 1869. 10. Gard. Chron. 1271. 1873. 11. Hogg Fruit Man. 517. 1884.
Clairgeau's Butterbirne. 12. Dochnahl Führ. Obstkunde 2:127. 1856. 13. Lauche Deut. Pom. II: No. 7, Pl. 7. 1882. 14. Deut. Obstsorten 3: Pt. 9, Pl. 1907.
Clairgeau. 15. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 36. 1883.
Beurré Clairgeau is one of the mainstays in American pear-growing, and is an especially valuable variety in New York. It maintains its place among standard varieties chiefly because of splendid tree-characters, as the fruits, while handsome, are not of the best quality. The tree is second only to that of Buffum in vigor, health, and productiveness, and is nearly as handsome as an ornamental. It does equally well on quince or pear stock, although the Europeans maintain that the product is better on the dwarfing stock. On either stock, the trees bear young and annually. The fruits are large, smooth, symmetrical, and uniform in shape, with a handsome ground color of rich yellow at maturity and a bright crimson cheek. But here praises end, for the "deceptive cheek of the Clairgeau" is proverbial in pear-growing, the handsome coat covering rather coarse, granular flesh which is sometimes very good but more often commonplace. The core is very large, and the flesh surrounding it often rots or softens prematurely. The fruit is more suitable for cookery than dessert. The pears are heavy and often drop before maturity, and the trees should not be set in windswept situations. Despite these demerits of the fruits, the variety is well worth planting in commercial orchards for late markets.
The original tree of Beurré Clairgeau appears to have grown by chance about 1830 with Pierre Clairgeau, Nantes, France. M. Clairgeau's first account of it was given in 1848 when he exhibited fruit. The reputation of the variety seems to have been at once established, for J. de Jonghe and others combined and purchased the stock of about 300 trees grafted on quince. Together with the parent tree, these were the same year removed to Brussels, and in 1852 the pear was placed on the market. Thus it happened that a French pear was first distributed by Belgian growers. The variety was introduced in America about 1854. The American Pomological Society placed it upon its list of recommended fruits in 1860.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, unusually upright, dense, slow-growing, hardy, productive, a regular bearer; trunk slender, shaggy; branches smooth, slightly zigzag, ash-gray almost completely overspreading reddish-brown, with many lenticels; branchlets thick, short, with short internodes, greenish-brown, smooth, glabrous, with slightly raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds conical, pointed, appressed; leaves very numerous, 3 in. long, 2 in. wide, broadly oval, leathery; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 2 in. long, glabrous; stipules rudimentary or lacking. Flower-buds medium to long, conical, pointed; flowers 1½ in. across, showy, in dense clusters, averaging 7 buds to a cluster; pedicels ¾ in. long, thick, pubescent, greenish.
Fruit in season, late October and November; large, 3½ in. long, 2½ in. wide, uniform in size, roundish-acute-pyriform, with a long, tapering neck, symmetrical, uniform in shape; stem ¾ in. long, short, very thick and fleshy; cavity obtuse, very shallow and narrow, fleshy around the base of the stem, russeted, lipped; calyx open, large; lobes separated at the base, long, broad, acute or acuminate; basin shallow, narrow, obtuse, furrowed, often compressed; skin thick and granular, tough, smooth, glossy; color yellow, with bright red blush; dots many, small, russet, conspicuous; flesh white, quite granular, firm at first but becoming at maturity tender and melting, buttery, very juicy, sweet, aromatic, with a rich, vinous flavor; quality variable, good to best. Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)BEURRE CLAIRGEAU. Fig. 74. Clairgeau. Beurre Clairgeau is one of the mainstays in American pear-growing. It maintains its place among standard varieties because of excellent tree-characters, the fruits, while handsome, being of but mediocre quality. The tree is second only to that of Buffum in vigor, health and productiveness. It does equally well on quince or pear stock. On either stock, the trees bear young and usually annually. The fruits are large, smooth, symmetrical and uniform in shape, with a handsome ground color of rich yellow at maturity and a bright crimson cheek. But here praises end, for the "deceptive cheek of the Beurre Clairgeau" is proverbial in pear-growing, the handsome coat covering rather coarse, granular flesh which is sometimes good but more often commonplace. The core is very large, and the flesh surrounding it often softens prematurely. The fruit is more suitable for cookery than dessert. The pears are heavy and often drop before maturity; hence the trees should not be set in windswept situations. Despite these demerits of the fruits, the variety is well worth planting in commercial orchards for late markets. The original tree of Beurre Clairgeau appears to have grown by chance as early as 1828 or 1830 by Pierre Clairgeau, Nantes, France.
Tree below medium in size, vigorous, unusually upright, dense, slow-growing, hardy, productive, a regular bearer; trunk slender, shaggy; branches smooth, slightly zigzag, ash-gray almost completely overspreading reddish-brown, with many lenticels. Leaves very numerous, 3 inches long, 1½ inches wide, broadly oval, leathery; apex abruptly pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole ¾ inch long, stout, slightly pubescent. Fruit in season late October and November; large, 3½ inches long, 2½ inches wide, uniform in size, pyriform, tapering neck, symmetrical, uniform in shape; stem 1 to 1½ inches long, stout, fleshy; cavity small, shallow; calyx open, large; lobes separated at the base, long, broad, acute or acuminate; basin shallow, narrow, obtuse, furrowed, often compressed; skin thick and granular, tender, roughened by russet; color rich yellow, blushed bright crimson; dots small, russet; flesh whitish, coarse, granular, tender, juicy, sweet; quality good when well grown; core large, open, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, cone-shaped; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1890. Tree a vigorous grower and a free producer. Fruit large, pyriform. Skin yellow, with a warm blush, and sprinkled with russet dots. Flesh yellowish, juicy, buttery, sweet, of fair quality. Season October and November.