Bouvier Bourgmestre

Pear

Bouvier Bourgmestre

Origin/History

Raised from a seed bed in 1824 by Bouvier, of Jodoigne, Belgium. The variety is recorded in Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (1:492, fig., 1867) and Hogg's Fruit Manual (537, 1884).

Tree

Thomas notes that the tree cankers badly. No further tree characteristics described in sources.

Fruit

Size and Form

Large, obtuse-pyriform in shape (Hedrick). Thomas similarly describes it as large and pyriform.

Skin

Bright yellow ground, covered with small, gray dots, washed with fawn at each end (Hedrick). Thomas describes the color as light yellow.

Stem

Not described in source.

Cavity

Not described in source.

Calyx

Not described in source.

Basin

Not described in source.

Flesh and Flavor

Flesh very white and fine, melting, juicy, with grittiness around the core; flavor vinous and sugary (Hedrick). Thomas describes the juice as abundant but characterizes the flavor as astringent — a conflicting note from Hedrick's vinous and sugary characterization.

Core and Seeds

Not described in source beyond the note that the flesh is gritty around the core.

Season

October and November (Hedrick). November (Thomas).

Uses

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)
Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Bourgemester

View original book sources (2)

Bouvier Bourgmestre.

Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:492, fig. 1867.

Hogg Fruit Man. 537. 1884.

Raised from a seed bed made in 1824 by Bouvier, Jodoigne, Bel. Fruit large, obtuse-pyriform, bright yellow, covered with small, gray dots, washed with fawn at each end; flesh very white and fine, melting, juicy, gritty around the core, vinous and sugary; second; Oct. and Nov.

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

Bourgemester. Large, pyriform, light yellow; juicy, astringent. November. Tree cankers badly.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Bourgemester Hericart de Thury Rameau