Beurré Hamecher
PearBeurré Hamecher
Origin/History
A pear of Belgian origin, one of the last seedlings raised by Van Mons, which ripened its first fruits in October 1847 (Hedrick). Referenced in Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (1:376, fig., 1867) and Hogg's Fruit Manual (521, 1884).
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium (Downing, Elliott) to large (Hedrick). Sources differ on form: Downing describes it as roundish pyriform; Elliott as elongated-oval, inclining to pyriform, angular, and irregular; Hedrick as globular-ovate, bossed at the stem and depressed at the summit, rather irregular, with one side being much longer than the other.
Stem: Large, long, and curved (Downing, Elliott). Elliott specifies it is inserted at an inclination by a lip.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Small and closed (Downing, Elliott).
Basin: Shallow and irregular (Elliott). Hedrick notes the summit is depressed.
Skin: Sources conflict. Downing describes the skin as pale yellow. Hedrick describes it as greenish-yellow, mottled with russet. Elliott does not describe the skin color.
Flesh and Flavor: Sources conflict substantially. Downing describes the flesh as dry and sugary, rating the variety Poor overall. Elliott describes the flesh as melting, sugary, and excellent. Hedrick describes the flesh as white, fine, melting, juicy, sugary, acid, and slightly perfumed, rating it second quality, at times third.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Sources conflict. Downing and Elliott give October–November. Hedrick gives early September.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)BEURRÉ HAMECHER.
A Pear from Belgium.
Fruit medium, roundish pyriform. Skin pale yellow. Stalk large, long, curved. Calyx small and closed. Flesh dry, sugary. Poor. October, November.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Beurré Hamecher.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:376, fig. 1867.
- Hogg Fruit Man. 521. 1884.
This was one of the last seedlings raised by Van Mons and ripened its first fruits in October, 1847.
Fruit medium to large, globular-ovate, bossed at the stem and depressed at the summit, rather irregular, one side being much longer than the other, greenish-yellow, mottled with russet; flesh white, fine, melting, juicy, sugary, acid, slightly perfumed; second, at times, third; early Sept.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Beurre Hamecher.
Foreign. Fruit medium, elongated-oval, inclining to pyriform, angular, and irregular : stalk, large, long, curved, inserted at an inclination by a lip ; calyx, small, and closed, set in a shallow, irregular basin ; flesh, melting, sugary, and excellent. October, November.