50. BON CHRETIEN D'HYVER, OR GOOD CHRISTIAN OF WINTER.

This is a very large pear, of the form of a truncated pyramid---the blossom end is much swelled, the eye deeply sunk in a furrowed cavity, which forms angular ridges extending themselves to the body of the pear; the end towards the stalk is much diminished, without being pointed; it terminates obliquely: the stalk is about an inch long, and fleshy---this pear is sometimes six inches in length and four in width; the skin is a finely grained clear yellow, approaching to green on the shady side, with a bright red towards the sun---the flesh is fine and tender, though breaking, very juicy, mild and sugary; sometimes odoriferous and vinous---it is ripe in January and lasts till Spring; the leaves are of moderate size, the foot stalks of great length.

— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)

Winter Bonchretien.

Bon Chretien d'Hiver. De Dos. Poire d'Angoise. De Fesses. Good Christian of Winter. De Bon Crustemenien. Winter Good Christian. De Chretien. Bon Chretien de Constantinople. Bon Chretien de Tours. Panchresta. Bon Chretien de Vernon. Poire d'Apothecaire. Bon Chretien. Crustemenie. Bon Chretien d'Auch. A Tetine. De Saint-Martin.

This is perhaps one of the oldest Pears known, having been described in 1485. Its value is only for cooking.

Fruit large, obovate obtuse pyriform. Skin dull yellow, tinge of brown in the sun, and sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk medium. Cavity small. Calyx open. Basin deep. Flesh white, crisp, juicy, sweet, perfumed. December to March.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Bon-Chrétien d'Hiver.

1. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:212, Pl. XLV. 1768.
2. Mas Le Verger 1:23 bis, fig. 18. 1866-73. Bon-Chrétien d'Auch.
3. Hogg Fruit Man. 533. 1884.

A volume might be filled with a record of the endeavors to determine the origin of this pear. As to its great antiquity all are agreed. It is established that it was imported into France from Italy in 1495 by Charles VIII on his conquest of the kingdom of Naples, but whether it was the Crustuminum of the Romans or whether it received its name at the beginning of Christianity remains uncertain. One explanation of the name was that Francois de Paul, the founder of a monkish order, being called to the court of Louis XI for the recovery of his health, was styled by that monarch "le bon Chrétien," and that he brought with him from Calabria some of this fruit which henceforth acquired the name it bears. That suggestion, however, is evidently erroneous as Saint Francois de Paul's visit to the King at Tours took place in 1483 whereas this pear was introduced to France in 1495. It is thought not improbable that the name is derived from the Greek panchresta, meaning "all good," of which the Latin Crustuminum of the Romans may also be a derivation.

Fruit large and sometimes very large, variable in form, irregularly pyriform or obovate-turbinate, rather rough to the touch, dull greenish-yellow, some brown next the sun, and strewed with small, russet dots; flesh whitish, crisp, juicy, sweet, aromatic and vinous; a dessert pear of merit, first class for cooking; Dec. to Mar.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)