Calebasse Tougard
PearCalebasse Tougard
Origin/History
A Belgian pear raised by Van Mons, described by Hedrick as a posthumous seedling of Van Mons that first fruited in 1847. Hedrick cites it in the Annales de Pomologie Belge 3:95, fig. (1855); Leroy, Dictionnaire de Pomologie 1:521, fig. (1867); and Gardeners' Chronicle 415 (1863), where it appears under the synonym Tougard.
Tree
Vigorous and productive (Downing).
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium. Oblong pyriform; Downing notes the apex is sometimes acute, sometimes obtuse.
Stem: Curved (Downing).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Open (Downing).
Basin: Small and uneven (Downing).
Skin: Both sources agree on a yellowish base color largely obscured by russet. Downing describes the ground color as greenish yellow, mostly covered with rough russet and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Hedrick describes the surface as covered with spots and patches of rough brown-russet.
Flesh and Flavor: Both sources agree the flesh is juicy and sweet. They conflict on texture and color: Downing calls it yellowish, rather coarse, and fully melting, with a sweet, aromatic flavor, rating it Good to Very Good; Hedrick describes a pink tinge to the flesh, a half-melting texture, and characterizes the flavor as sugary with a pleasant quality.
Season
October (Downing). October and November (Hedrick).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Calebasse Tougard.
A Belgian Pear raised by Van Mons. Tree vigorous, productive.
Fruit medium, oblong pyriform, sometimes acute, sometimes obtuse. Skin greenish yellow, mostly covered with rough russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk curved. Calyx open. Basin small, uneven. Flesh yellowish, rather coarse, juicy, melting, sweet, aromatic. Good to very good. October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Calebasse Tougard.
- Ann. Pom. Belge 3:95, fig. 1855. 2. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:521, fig. 1867. Tougard. 3. Gard. Chron. 415. 1863.
A posthumous seedling of Van Mons, first fruited in 1847. Fruit medium, pyriform, yellowish, covered with spots and patches of rough brown-russet; flesh has a pink tinge, half-melting, juicy, sugary and has a pleasant flavor; Oct. and Nov.