Bon Chrétien Fondante
PearBon Chrétien Fondante
Origin / History
Foreign (Elliott). A Flemish Pear (Downing). Downing: "In good seasons it is first in quality."
Tree
Vigorous, hardy, productive on Quince or Pear (Elliott). Bears early and abundantly (Downing). Young shoots slender, diverging, olive gray (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Medium (Elliott) to pretty large (Downing).
Form: Roundish oblong oval (Elliott) or roundish obovate, regularly formed (Downing).
Stem: Medium, curved; three-fourths of an inch long (Downing).
Cavity: A slight depression (Downing).
Calyx: Small, partly closed (Elliott); set in a narrow hollow (Downing).
Basin: Furrowed (Elliott); narrow hollow (Downing).
Skin: Yellowish green (Elliott) or pale green (Downing), considerably covered with russet, much russet in Elliott's account; brownish red in the sun (Elliott).
Dots: Small, russet, sprinkled (Downing).
Flesh and flavor: White to yellowish white; coarse (Elliott), tender, melting, juicy, exceedingly juicy and abounding with juice (Downing); a little gritty, gritty round the core. Flavor rich and pleasant, refreshing, agreeable (Downing). Quality "very good" (Elliott); "Very good" (Downing).
Core and seeds: Core large (Elliott).
Season
September and October (Elliott); October (Downing).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Listed by Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903), p. 526.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1849) from Massachusetts
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849 — listed as Fondante Bon Chrétien
View original book sources (3)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Bon Chretien Fondante.
Foreign. Tree, vigorous, hardy, productive on Quince or Pear. Fruit, medium, roundish oblong oval, yellowish green, brownish red in sun, and much russet ; stem, medium, curved ; calyx, small, partly closed ; basin, furrowed ; core, large ; flesh, white, coarse, melting, juicy, a little gritty ; "very good." September, October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Bon Chrétien Fondante.
Bon Chrétien de Bruxelles. Bon Chrétien Musqué Fondante. Pioulice. Bugiarda. Bon Chrétien Fondante Musqué. Petit Musqué. Bon Chrétien d'Été Musqué.
A Flemish Pear, abounding with juice, and having a refreshing, agreeable flavor. In good seasons it is first in quality, and it bears early and abundantly. Young shoots slender, diverging, olive gray.
Fruit pretty large, roundish obovate, regularly formed. Skin pale green, sprinkled with small russet dots, and considerably covered with russet. Stalk three-fourths of an inch long, curved, inserted in a slight depression. Calyx small, set in a narrow hollow. Flesh yellowish white, gritty round the core, exceedingly juicy, tender, and melting, with a rich and pleasant flavor. Very good. October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Bon Chrétien Fondante, p. 526.