Beurré Giffard
Pear
Origin/History
Beurré Giffard was found as a chance seedling in 1825 by Nicolas Giffard, of Fonassières (also recorded as Foussières), near Angers, France. In 1840, M. Millet, president of the Society of Horticulture of Maine-et-Loire, wrote the first description of it in the Bulletins of the Society. It was introduced in America about 1850, and in 1858 was added to the fruit catalog-list of the American Pomological Society.
Tree
Tree of medium size, vigorous, spreading, open-topped, hardy, productive, with moderate growth. Branches reddish-brown, nearly covered with gray scarf-skin, with long and narrow, large lenticels. Branchlets slender; new growth willowy, long, reddish-brown (described by Downing as slender reddish-colored shoots, and by Elliott as long slender shoots, dark reddish), smooth, glabrous except near the tips of the new growth, with conspicuous, raised, round lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 2½ in. long, 1¼ in. wide, stiff; apex taper-pointed; margin entire, sometimes slightly pubescent; petiole ¾ in. long, slender, reddish-green; stipules very long and slender. Flower-buds small, plump, free, singly on very short spurs; flowers showy, 1¼ in. across, in dense clusters, average 8 buds in a cluster; pedicels ¾ in. long, pubescent.
The tree grows freely and bears well. Elliott notes it is a good bearer on Quince or Pear. The Herefordshire Pomona advises that it must grow against a wall, or its fruit will be smaller; the plate in that work was grown on the Cordon Wall at Holme Lacy. The trees surpass most of their orchard associates in hardiness and fruitfulness (Hedrick).
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Pyriform or turbinate (Herefordshire Pomona), tapering to the stem (Downing). Hedrick gives more precise dimensions: variable in size, averages 3 in. long, 2½ in. wide, obovate-acute-pyriform.
Stem: Described as an inch long, slender and obliquely inserted on the apex of the fruit (Herefordshire Pomona); rather long (Downing); ¾ in. long (Hedrick); long, slender, curved (Elliott).
Cavity: Lacking; the flesh closes up symmetrically around the stem except when drawn up in a lip (Hedrick).
Calyx: Closed (Downing, Herefordshire Pomona). Hedrick describes it as open and small, with lobes separated at the base, narrow, acuminate. Elliott also describes the calyx as open. Segments stiff (Downing).
Basin: Shallow. Herefordshire Pomona describes a shallow basin; Downing says a very small basin; Hedrick gives shallow, narrow, obtuse, almost smooth, symmetrical.
Skin: Thin, tender, smooth (Hedrick). Color greenish yellow (dull greenish-yellow per Hedrick), mottled or marbled with red on the sunny side, often without blush (Hedrick). Elliott describes yellowish green to pale yellow, red in sun, with pale russet specks. Dots numerous, small, greenish and russet, very conspicuous (Hedrick).
Flesh/Flavor: White (tinged with yellow per Hedrick), melting, very juicy, with a vinous and highly aromatic flavor, delightfully perfumed. Granular at the center (Hedrick). Downing describes "an excellent vinous flavor, delightfully perfumed." The Herefordshire Pomona gives "a vinous and highly aromatic flavour." Quality very good.
Core/Seeds: Core small, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube narrow, funnel-shaped; seeds plump, acute (Hedrick). The fruits are remarkable for their small cores (Hedrick).
Season
An early summer pear, ripe the middle to last of August. Veitch gives August and September. It requires to be gathered early and does not continue long (Downing). Very productive (Veitch).
Uses
Desirable for both home and commercial orchards (Hedrick). One of the very best early pears (Herefordshire Pomona).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 19 catalogs (1849–1917) from California, England, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
- Azell Bowditch (Nursery / Fruit Catalog) , Boston , Massachusetts — 1850
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884
- 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
- Glen St. Mary Nurseries (G.L. Taber , Proprietor), Glen St. Mary , Florida — 1893
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 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
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
View original book sources (5)
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)5 BEURRÉ GIFFARD. [Syn : Giffard.]
This Pear was found as a wilding in 1825, by M. Nicolas Giffard, of Fonassières, near Angers, and it was first described by M. Millet in 1840.
Description.—Fruit : medium sized, pyriform, or turbinate. Skin : greenish yellow, mottled with red on the side next the sun. Eye : closed, set in a shallow basin. Stalk : an inch long, slender and obliquely inserted on the apex of the fruit. Flesh : white, melting and very juicy, with a vinous and highly aromatic flavour.
This is one of the very best early Pears, ripe the middle of August. The tree is hardy, grows freely, and bears well ; but it must grow against a wall, or its fruit will be smaller than that which is represented on the plate, and which was grown on the Cordon Wall at Holme Lacy.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Beurré Giffard.
Poire Giffard. Giffart.
A chance seedling, originated with M. Giffard, Angers, France. Tree of moderate growth, with slender reddish-colored shoots.
Fruit medium in size, pyriform, tapering to the stem, which is rather long. Skin greenish yellow, marbled with red on the sunny side. Calyx closed. Segments stiff, set in a very small basin. Flesh white, melting, juicy, with an excellent vinous flavor, delightfully perfumed. An early Pear of value, but requires to be gathered early, and does not continue long. Very good. Ripening middle of August.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)BEURRÉ GIFFARD
are remarkable for their small cores. The trees, while in no way remarkable, are quite up to the average in all characters, and surpass most of their orchard associates in hardiness and fruitfulness. The variety is desirable for both home and commercial orchards.
This early summer pear was found as a chance seedling in 1825 by Nicolas Giffard, Foussières, France. In 1840, M. Millet, president of the Society of Horticulture of Maine-et-Loire, wrote the first description of it in the Bulletins of the Society. It was introduced in America about 1850, and in 1858 was added to the fruit catalog-list of the American Pomological Society.
Tree of medium size, vigorous, spreading, open-topped, hardy, productive; branches reddish-brown, nearly covered with gray scarf-skin, with long and narrow, large lenticels; branchlets slender, new growth willowy, long, reddish-brown, smooth, glabrous except near the tips of the new growth, with conspicuous, raised, round lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, appressed. Leaves 2½ in. long, 1¼ in. wide, stiff; apex taper-pointed; margin entire, sometimes slightly pubescent; petiole ¾ in. long, slender, reddish-green; stipules very long and slender. Flower-buds small, plump, free, singly on very short spurs; flowers showy, 1¼ in. across, in dense clusters, average 8 buds in a cluster; pedicels ¾ in. long, pubescent.
Fruit ripe in late August; variable in size, averages 3 in. long, 2½ in. wide, obovate-acute-pyriform; stem ¾ in. long; cavity lacking, the flesh closing up symmetrically around the stem except when drawn up in a lip; calyx open, small; lobes separated at the base, narrow, acuminate; basin shallow, narrow, obtuse, almost smooth, symmetrical; skin thin, tender, smooth; color dull greenish-yellow, with a dotted, dull red blush, often without blush; dots numerous, small, greenish and russet, very conspicuous; flesh tinged with yellow, granular at the center, melting, very juicy, vinous, highly aromatic; quality very good. Core small, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube narrow, funnel-shaped; seeds plump, acute.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)BEURRE GIFFARD.
Beurré Gifford.
Foreign. Tree, moderate grower, long slender shoots, dark reddish, good bearer on Quince or Pear. Fruit, medium pyriform, yellowish green to pale yellow, red in sun, pale russet specks; stem, long, slender, curved; calyx, open; core, small; flesh, white, melting, juicy, vinous, "very good." Last of August.
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)medium size, melting, juicy and perfumed, a good pear. Very productive Aug. & Sept.