Boucquia
PearOrigin/History
A Flemish variety originated by Van Mons, who sent scions of it to Manning in 1836. It bore fruit for the first time in the Pomological Garden, Salem, Massachusetts, in 1841 (Hedrick).
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Rather large to large.
Form: Oval turbinate (Downing, Thomas). Hedrick describes it as oval, largest in the middle, tapering towards each end. Elliott describes it as angular, oval pyriform.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Pale yellow. Hedrick adds that it is tinged with pale red on the side next the sun, covered with blackish specks and some patches of russet. Elliott notes a red cheek.
Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish white. Downing describes it as rather astringent and liable to rot at the core. Thomas similarly notes it rots at core and is rather astringent. Hedrick describes the flesh as yellowish-white, tender, melting, sweet, rich, somewhat astringent at times, perfumed — a notably more favorable assessment than Downing or Thomas, who emphasize the astringency and core rot without mentioning sweetness, richness, or perfume.
Core/Seeds: Liable to rot at the core (Downing, Thomas).
Season
October (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). October and November (Hedrick).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Boucquia.
Beurre Boucquia.
A Flemish Pear.
Fruit rather large, oval turbinate. Skin pale yellow. Flesh yellowish white, rather astringent, and liable to rot at the core. October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Boucquia.
i. Mag. Hart. 9:134, fig. 3. 1843. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 355. 1845.
A Flemish variety originated by Van Mons who sent cions of it to Manning in 1836. It bore fruit for the first time in the Pomological Garden, Salem, Mass., in 1841. Fruit large, oval, largest in the middle, tapering towards each end, pale yellow, tinged with pale red on the side next the sun, covered with blackish specks and some patches of russet; flesh yellowish-white, tender, melting, sweet, rich, somewhat astringent at times, perfumed; Oct. and Nov.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)BOUCQUIA. Beurre Boucquia. Foreign. Large, angular, oval pyriform, pale yellow, red cheek. October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Boucquia. Rather large, oval turbinate, pale yellow; rots at core; rather astringent. October. Flemish.