Bezi des Veterans
PearBezi des Veterans
Origin / History
A Belgian pear, raised from seed by Van Mons about 1830 (Hedrick). Described by Mas, Le Verger, vol. 1, p. 127, fig. 62 (1866-73), and by Leroy, Dictionnaire Pomologique, vol. 1, p. 289, with figure (1867).
Tree
Vigorous, thrifty habit. Young wood olive brown, with many specks. Productive (Downing); a prolific bearer (Hedrick).
Fruit
Size: Large.
Form: Obtuse pyriform (Downing); turbinate (Hedrick).
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Light yellow to clear yellow, with slight patches of russet.
Dots: Thickly sprinkled with gray dots (Downing); very much dotted with grayish-brown specks of different sizes (Hedrick).
Flesh and flavor: Firm, not tender (Downing). White, semi-melting, fine, buttery, with sufficient sweet juice, slightly acid (Hedrick). Second for dessert (Hedrick).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October to April. Ripens in October and lasts occasionally even till April (Hedrick). December to February, early winter keeping (Downing).
Uses
Chiefly for cooking (Downing). Hedrick rates it "second for dessert, but first for stewing".
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921) — listed as Besi des Vétérans
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Veterans
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1849–1900) from Massachusetts
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)BEZI DES VETERANS.
Banneau. Des Veterans.
A Belgian Pear, of vigorous thrifty habit, and productive. Young wood olive brown, with many specks.
Fruit large, obtuse pyriform. Skin light yellow, thickly sprinkled with gray dots, and slight patches of russet. Flesh firm, not tender; chiefly for cooking. December to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Veterans. Large, obtuse pyriform, light yellow, some russet; flesh firm—cooking. Winter.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Besi des Vétérans.
- Mas Le Verger 1:127, fig. 62. 1866-73.
- Leroy Diet. Pom. 1:289, fig. 1867. Veterans.
- Thomas Am. Fruit Cult. 716. 1897.
Raised from seed by Van Mons about 1830. Fruit large, turbinate, clear yellow, very much dotted with grayish-brown specks of different sizes; flesh white, semi-melting, fine, buttery, with sufficient sweet juice, slightly acid; second for dessert, but first for stewing; ripens in Oct. and lasts occasionally even till Apr. The tree is a prolific bearer.