Beurré Superfin
Pear
Origin and History
Beurré Superfin was raised from a bed of pear seeds sown at Angers, France, by M. Goubault, a well-known pomologist. The Herefordshire Pomona states the seeds were sown "about the year 1830," while Downing and Hedrick both give the date as 1837. The parent tree first bore fruit in 1844, and the Committee of the Horticultural Society of Maine-et-Loire was requested to report on its merits that same year. M. Millet, president of the society, named it Beurré Superfin. The variety received a special premium at Angers for its excellence (Desportes). It was introduced in America about 1850 and placed on the fruit catalog-list of the American Pomological Society in 1858.
Hedrick observes that tender in skin and delicate in flesh, the product of this variety is not for the markets, but that of few other sorts so admirably supplies those who want choicely good fruits. The pears are not as attractive in appearance as might be wished, but are hardly surpassed in flavor in their season. The variety is a valuable one for home orchards, especially in New York where it grows exceptionally well.
Tree
The tree is large, vigorous, upright-spreading, and dense-topped. It is very healthy, hardy — even as regards blight (Hedrick) — and very productive. Downing describes the vigor as only moderate, while the Herefordshire Pomona and Hedrick both call it vigorous. The tree does not bear early, but becomes a good and regular bearer once it reaches full age. The trunk is stocky and rough. Branches are thick, rough and shaggy, zigzag, dull brownish-red, overspread with gray scarf-skin, and sprinkled with numerous elongated lenticels. Branchlets are slender, light brown, glossy, smooth, and glabrous, with small, raised, inconspicuous lenticels. Young shoots are slender and light yellow brown (Downing).
Leaf-buds are small, short, conical, pointed, plump, appressed or free; leaf-scars prominent. Leaves are 3½ inches long, 1½ inches wide, stiff, with an abruptly pointed apex; margins are tipped with small glands and coarsely serrate; petiole 1½ inches long. Flower-buds are conical, pointed, plump, free, borne singly on short branches and short spurs.
The tree succeeds well as a standard on the pear stock, or as a pyramid on the quince stock (Herefordshire Pomona). In Europe, the variety is commonly and successfully grown as a dwarf, and American pear-growers of the mid-nineteenth century recommended it as one of the good sorts to work on the quince. The trees are easily suited as to soils.
Fruit
Size: Sources disagree on size. Hedrick describes the fruit as large, measuring 3½ inches long and 2½ inches wide. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it above medium size, three inches wide and a little more in height. Downing says medium. Desportes notes the fruit was represented as very large but found it no larger than Louise Bonne d'Jersey in his own experience.
Form: Hedrick describes the shape as roundish-oblate, with a short, thick, rounded neck, symmetrical. The Herefordshire Pomona gives obovate or turbinate, somewhat uneven or bossed on its surface. Downing calls it roundish pyriform.
Stem: One and a half inches long (Hedrick), or over an inch long (Herefordshire Pomona); very thick and curved (Hedrick), or stout and rather long (Downing). It is fleshy at the base and united to the fruit by fleshy folds.
Cavity: Very shallow and narrow, or lacking entirely, with the flesh tapering into the stem or wrinkled in a fleshy fold about the base of the stem, often lipped. Downing describes the stem as inserted without depression by a fleshy enlargement.
Calyx: Hedrick describes the calyx as open, with lobes separated at the base, broad and narrow. The Herefordshire Pomona describes the eye as very small and closed, with stiff, incurved, toothlike segments. Downing says partially closed.
Basin: Hedrick describes the basin as narrow, obtuse, gently furrowed, and symmetrical. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it deep, round, and uneven. Downing describes it as abrupt and small.
Skin: The skin is very granular, tender, and thin. The ground color is yellow at maturity — greenish yellow on the shaded side becoming more yellow when ripe (Herefordshire Pomona), or dull pale green before maturity (Desportes). It is considerably covered, netted, and streaked with patches and veins of russet — described as cinnamon-colored russet (Herefordshire Pomona) or light russet (Hedrick). On the sunny side, Downing notes the skin is slightly shaded with crimson, while the Herefordshire Pomona and Desportes describe a dull brown or brownish-russet cheek. Dots are numerous, small, russet, and conspicuous (Hedrick); Downing says thickly sprinkled with minute dots.
Flesh and Flavor: The flesh is yellowish white, tinged with yellow, fine-grained, granular, buttery, and melting. It is exceedingly juicy, sweet yet with a rich, brisk, vinous or subacid flavor, and aromatic with a delicate perfume. The Herefordshire Pomona describes it as "brisk and sweet, with a delicate perfume." Downing calls the flavor "brisk vinous or subacid." Hedrick writes "sweet yet with a rich, brisk, vinous flavor, aromatic." The flesh is notable for its juiciness, rich vinous flavor, and pleasant perfume (Hedrick). Quality is rated very good to best (Downing) or very good (Hedrick). Desportes alone found only "slight aroma," in contrast to all other sources which emphasize the perfume.
Core and Seeds: Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines. Calyx-tube short, wide, conical. Seeds large, wide, long, plump, and acute.
Season
Desportes gives the season as the middle of September to the first of October. The Herefordshire Pomona says the end of September and beginning of October. Downing states it ripens all of October. Hedrick says it matures in October. Taken together, the season ranges from late September through October, likely varying with climate and latitude.
Uses
A very fine dessert pear. Not suited to commercial markets due to its tender skin, but admirably suited for home orchards and the table.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 22 catalogs (1884–1917) from Arkansas, California, England, Oregon, Washington
- 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
- 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
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1910
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1911
- Ballygreen Nurseries , Hanford , Washington — 1912
- Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1914
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1915
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1916
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1917
View original book sources (4)
— B. Desportes, The Horticulturist (1856)Beurre Superfin. — This variety received a special premium at Angers, in France, for its excellence. The fruit is represented as very large, but with me it has not attained a larger size than the Louise Bonne d'Jersey. Color, dull pale green, with traces and patches of russet, and dull brown cheek. Flesh, juicy, melting, and with slight aroma. Ripens from the middle of September to the first of October.
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)
- BEURRÉ SUPERFIN.
This excellent pear was raised at Angers, by M. Goubault, from seed sown about the year 1830, and it first bore fruit in 1844.
Description.—Fruit: above medium size, three inches wide, and a little more high; obovate, or turbinate, somewhat uneven or bossed on its surface. Skin: thin, considerably covered with patches of cinnamon covered russet; on the shaded side the ground colour is greenish yellow, which becomes more yellow at maturity, covered with small patches or veins of russet. Eye: very small and closed, with stiff, incurved, toothlike segments, and set in a deep, round and uneven basin. Stalk: over an inch long, fleshy at the base, and united to the fruit by fleshy folds. Flesh: yellowish white, fine grained, buttery and melting, very juicy, brisk and sweet, with a delicate perfume.
A very fine dessert pear, in season in the end of September and beginning of October.
The tree is a vigorous grower, hardy and prolific. It succeeds well as a standard on the pear stock, or as a pyramid on the Quince stock.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Beurre Superfin.
This really good Pear originated in France, in 1837. The tree is very healthy, hardy, and moderately vigorous, not an early, but a good bearer when at full age. Young shoots slender, light yellow brown.
Fruit medium, roundish pyriform. Skin yellow, slightly shaded with crimson on the sunny side, and partially covered with russet, and thickly sprinkled with minute dots. Stalk stout, rather long, inserted without depression by a fleshy enlargement. Calyx partially closed, in an abrupt, small basin. Flesh exceedingly juicy, buttery, melting, with a brisk vinous or subacid flavor. Very good to best. Ripe all of October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)BEURRÉ SUPERFIN
- Mag. Hort. 20:8, 135. 1854. 2. Horticulturist N. S. 5:88. 1855. 3. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 465. 1857. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 231. 1858. 5. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:432, fig. 1867. 6. Hogg Fruit Man. 529. 1884.
Hochfeine Butterbirne. 7. Lauche Deut. Pom. II: No. 59, Pl. 59. 1883. 8. Gaucher Pom. Prak. Obst. No. 47, Pl. 60. 1894.
Superfin. 9. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 40. 1883.
Tender in skin and delicate in flesh, the product of this variety is not for the markets, but that of few other sorts so admirably supplies those who want choicely good fruits. The pears are not as attractive in appearance as might be wished, but are hardly surpassed in flavor in their season. The flesh is notable for juiciness, rich vinous flavor, and pleasant perfume. The trees are large, healthy even as regards blight, very productive, and are easily suited as to soils. The trees do not bear early, but are regular in bearing after this life event begins. In Europe, the variety is commonly and successfully grown as a dwarf, and the pear-growers of a generation ago in America recommend this variety as one of the good sorts to work on the quince. The variety is a valuable one for home orchards, especially in New York where it grows exceptionally well.
Beurré Superfin was raised from a bed of pear seeds made at Angers, France, by M. Goubault, a well-known pomologist, in 1837. The parent tree so produced bore fruit in 1844 and the Committee of the Horticultural Society of Maine-et-Loire was requested to report on its merits, which it did in that year, and M. Millet, president of the society, named it Beurré Superfin. It was introduced in America about 1850. The variety was placed on the fruit catalog-list of the American Pomological Society in 1858.
Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, dense-topped, hardy, very productive; trunk stocky, rough; branches thick, rough and shaggy, zigzag, dull brownish-red, overspread with gray scarf-skin, sprinkled with numerous elongated lenticels; branchlets slender, light brown, glossy, smooth, glabrous, with small, raised, inconspicuous lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, conical, pointed, plump, appressed or free; leaf-scars prominent. Leaves 3½ in. long, 1½ in. wide, stiff; apex abruptly pointed; margin tipped with small glands, coarsely serrate; petiole 1½ in. long. Flower-buds conical, pointed, plump, free, singly on short branches and short spurs.
Fruit matures in October; large, 3½ in. long, 2½ in. wide, roundish-oblate, with a short, thick, rounded neck, symmetrical; stem 1½ in. long, very thick, curved; cavity very shallow and narrow or lacking, the flesh tapering into the stem or wrinkled in a fleshy fold about the base of the stem, often lipped; calyx open; lobes separated at the base, broad, narrow; basin narrow, obtuse, gently furrowed, symmetrical; skin very granular, tender, smooth; color yellow, netted and streaked with light russet, often with a slight brownish-russet cheek; dots numerous, small, russet, conspicuous; flesh tinged with yellow, granular, melting, buttery, very juicy, sweet yet with a rich, brisk, vinous flavor, aromatic; quality very good. Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.