Bezi de Montigny

Origin/History

The origin of Bezi de Montigny is ancient and uncertain. The monks of the Chartreuse at Paris propagated and described it in 1752, and Duhamel du Monceau again wrote of it in 1768, publishing a description and plate in his Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (2:207, Pl. XLIV, fig. 6). Leroy also described it in his Dictionnaire de Pomologie (1:279, fig., 1867), and Downing treated it in Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (701, 1869). The variety is of foreign (European) origin.

Tree

The tree is vigorous. Young wood is described as olive brown (Downing) or brownish olive (Elliott). It is a good bearer.

Fruit

Size and Form

Fruit is of medium size. The form is very regularly obovate (Downing; Elliott), though Hedrick notes the shape is variable, with one type being pyriform and ventriculous. Downing emphasizes that the pear is evenly formed.

Stem

Downing describes the stalk as stout, thickest at the point of insertion, and approximately one inch long. Elliott describes the stem as long, curved, and rather stout. These accounts conflict on length — Downing gives one inch and characterizes it as relatively short relative to the cavity insertion, while Elliott describes it as long.

Cavity

The stalk is inserted in a small, shallow cavity (Downing).

Calyx

The calyx is small, half open, and reflexed (Downing; Elliott). It sits in a very smooth basin that is scarcely sunk (Downing).

Basin

The basin is very smooth and scarcely sunk (Downing).

Skin

The skin is pale yellowish green (Downing) or greenish-yellow (Hedrick; Elliott). Downing emphasizes that the skin is remarkably smooth. Hedrick adds that it is smooth and shining. The surface is sprinkled with numerous gray dots (Downing) or exceedingly fine dots of fawn color (Hedrick), with russet specks and dots also noted by Elliott. Hedrick further notes russeting around both the stem and calyx ends.

Flesh and Flavor

The flesh is white (all sources), fine (Elliott), melting (Downing; Elliott; Hedrick), and juicy (Downing; Elliott; Hedrick). Downing characterizes it as half buttery; Hedrick as buttery and semi-melting. Hedrick notes the flesh is gritty around the core. The core is described as large (Elliott).

The juice is abundant, saccharine, and acidulous (Hedrick). The flavor is sweet and musky (Downing), with Hedrick describing it as having a pleasant musky flavor and characterizing the juice as saccharine and acidulous. Downing rates the quality as Good but notes the variety is not first-rate. Hedrick rates it first quality.

Core and Seeds

The core is large (Elliott). Hedrick notes the flesh is gritty around the core. Not further described in sources.

Season

Ripe at the first of October (Downing). Elliott gives October. Hedrick places it at the end of September, occasionally extending to November.

Uses

Described as a pleasant, juicy dessert fruit. Not otherwise described in sources with respect to culinary or processing uses.

Subtypes/Variants

Hedrick notes that the fruit form is variable, with one type being pyriform and ventriculous in addition to the more typical obovate form.

Other

Downing, Elliott, and Hedrick all list synonyms for Bezi de Montigny under various names reflecting its long history in European and American pomology; these are tracked separately. The variety's smoothness of skin and even, regular obovate form are noted as particularly distinctive characteristics.