Bon Parent
PearBon Parent
Origin / History
A Belgian pear, raised by Simon Bouvier of Jodoigne, Belgium, in 1820 (Hedrick). Elliott calls it simply "foreign." Elliott, Downing, and Thomas describe it under the name Las Canas. Hedrick, writing under the name Bon Parent, cites Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (vol. 1, p. 472, figured, 1867) and Mas's Pomologie Générale (vol. 3, p. 117, fig. 155, 1878). Downing calls it a pear "possessed of many of the best qualities that make up a good fruit."
Tree
Upright, vigorous, a good grower; an early and good bearer.
Fruit
Size: Medium or below medium.
Form: Regular pyriform, somewhat conic and of the Tyson shape, the neck tapering into the stalk (Thomas). Ovate acute pyriform (Downing). Bossed at the summit (Hedrick).
Stem: Medium (Downing), an inch long (Thomas); inclined, fleshy at base (Downing).
Cavity: The stalk is either fleshy at base or inserted by a lip without depression (Downing).
Calyx: Small, open (Downing); slightly sunk (Thomas).
Basin: Shallow, russeted (Downing).
Skin: Smooth (Hedrick). Pale yellow, greenish yellow, or lemon-yellow, with thin russet. Downing has the skin netted and patched with golden russet, while Thomas finds it only sometimes sprinkled with thin russet and rarely with russet blotches. Washed with reddish brown on the side next the sun (Hedrick).
Dots: Small, numerous, thickly set, russet gray.
Flesh and flavor: Yellowish white (Downing) or white (Hedrick); fine, buttery, juicy, aromatic. Downing calls it melting and Hedrick semi-melting. Flavor sweet (Elliott), slightly astringent (Downing), and vinous (Hedrick). Quality runs from "often good" to nearly "best." Elliott rates it nearly "best" and Downing "very good"; Hedrick calls it "hardly first," and Thomas finds the flesh "often good."
Core and seeds: Seeds black (Elliott).
Season
October. The fruit keeps well (Downing).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Figured by Thomas as Fig. 657.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
- Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as Las Canas
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Las Canas
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Las Canas
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Las Canas.
Foreign. Tree, upright, vigorous, early, good bearer. Fruit, medium or below pyriform, pale yellow, partly covered with thin russet; seeds, black; flesh, juicy, sweet, nearly "best." October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Las Canas.
Bon Parent Bouvier. Bon Parent.
A Belgian Pear, possessed of many of the best qualities that make up a good fruit. The tree is a good grower, an early bearer, and the fruit keeps well.
Fruit medium or below, ovate acute pyriform, pale or greenish yellow, netted and patched with golden russet, and thickly dotted with russet gray dots. Stalk medium, inclined, fleshy at base, or inserted by a lip without depression. Calyx small, open. Basin shallow, russeted. Flesh yellowish white, buttery, melting, juicy, slightly astringent, and aromatic. Very good. October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Las Canas. Size medium, regular pyriform, somewhat conic (Tyson-shaped); neck tapering into the stalk; skin yellow, sometimes sprinkled with thin russet, rarely with russet blotches, dots small and numerous; stalk an inch long; calyx slightly sunk; flesh juicy, often good. Fig. 657.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Bon Parent. 1. Leroy Diet. Pom. 1:472, fig. 1867. 2. Mas Pom. Gen. 3:117, fig. 155. 1878.
Raised by Simon Bouvier of Jodoigne, Bel., in 1820. Fruit medium, regular pyriform, bossed at summit, smooth, lemon-yellow, dotted with gray-russet, washed with reddish-brown on the side next the sun; flesh white, fine, semi-melting, juicy, vinous, aromatic; hardly first; Oct.