Calebasse
PearCalebasse
Origin / History
A foreign variety, Belgian according to Downing and Thomas. Hedrick reports Leroy's view that it was raised early in the eighteenth century in Brabant, Holland, by Herman Knoop, a Dutch horticulturist. Named from its likeness to a calabash or gourd. Downing calls it "a very grotesque-looking Belgian fruit," and Hedrick quotes the phrase. Described and figured by Leroy (Dict. Pom., 1867) and described by Downing in The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1869).
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Oblong to long pyriform; long gourd-shaped (Hedrick). A little crooked, irregular, knobby or undulating in outline.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Rough, dull yellow, russeted. The russet is thin and gray on the shaded side, becoming cinnamon- and orange-russet next the sun (gray and cinnamon from Hedrick).
Dots: Not described in source.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellowish-white (Hedrick), crisp, juicy. The texture is a little coarse-grained to coarse according to Downing and Thomas, and semi-fine and semi-melting according to Hedrick. Flavor sugary, sweet and pleasant; Downing calls it "a little coarse-grained, but sugary and pleasant." Thomas calls it rich. Downing rates it "Good"; Hedrick rates it "second."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September into October. Most authors give September, Downing the middle of September; Hedrick gives September and October.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1845–1849) from Massachusetts
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Calebasse. Calebasse Double Extra, | Calebasse d'Hollande. Foreign. Medium, oblong, dull yellow, russet. September.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Calebasse.
Calebasse Double Extra. Calebasse d'Hollande. Calebasse Musquée.
The Calebasse is a very grotesque-looking Belgian fruit, named from its likeness to a calabash or gourd.
Fruit of medium size, oblong, a little crooked and irregular or knobby in its outline. Skin rough, dull yellow, becoming orange russet on the sunny side. Flesh juicy, crisp, a little coarse-grained, but sugary and pleasant. Good. Middle of September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Calebasse. Medium, long pyriform, irregular, dull yellow, rough; coarse; juicy, crisp, rich, pleasant. September. Belgian.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Calebasse.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:512, fig. 1867.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 712. 1869. Termed by Downing "a very grotesque looking Belgian fruit." Leroy considered it to have been raised in Brabant, Holland, early in the eighteenth century by Herman Knoop, a Dutch horticulturist. Fruit medium, long gourd-shaped, crooked and undulating in outline; skin rough, dull yellow, with thin, gray russet on the shaded side becoming cinnamon- and orange-russet next the sun; flesh yellowish-white, semi-fine, semi-melting, crisp, juicy and sweet; second; Sept. and Oct.