Cassante de Mars
PearCassante de Mars
Origin / History
Belgian. Cassante de Mars is a little-known seedling raised by Major Espéren, Mechlin, Belgium, about 1840 (Hedrick). Downing gives it as a variety from Malines, "said to be a seedling of Major Esperen." He adds that it may be a distinct sort, but that as he received it, it proved identical with Winter Nelis. Elliott marks it simply "Foreign." The descriptions in Elliott and Downing are both taken from the Album Pomology.
Tree
Vigorous. Fruit borne in clusters.
Fruit
Size: Medium (Hedrick). The fruit resembles Doyenne blanc (Album Pomology).
Form: Obovate (Thomas); globular-turbinate (Hedrick).
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Smooth. Bright green, becoming golden yellow at maturity (Album Pomology); orange-yellow (Hedrick). Striped and shaded with fawn, or in Hedrick's words stained and marbled with fawn. Bronzed on the side exposed to the sun (Hedrick).
Dots: Dotted (Hedrick).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh whitish, semi-fine, gritty about the core (Hedrick). The Album Pomology calls the flesh half melting when in full perfection; Hedrick calls it breaking. Juicy, the juice abundant. Sugary, vinous, rich, richly flavored, well perfumed and rather aromatic. Hedrick rates its quality "second."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Winter and spring, December to April (Album Pomology).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Hedrick cites Mas, Le Verger 1:75, fig. 44, 1866-73, and Leroy, Dict. Pom. 1:530, fig. 1867.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Cassante de Mars.
Foreign. Tree, vigorous. Fruit, which is borne in clusters, resembles Doyenne blanc ; skin, smooth, bright green, becoming golden yellow at maturity, striped and shaded with fawn ; flesh, when in full perfection is half melting, juicy, sugary, vinous, and well perfumed. December to April. (Al. Pom.)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Cassante de Mars.
A variety from Malines, said to be a seedling of Major Esperen. It may be a distinct sort, but as we have received, it has proved identical with Winter Nelis. We copy description from the Album Pomology:—
"Tree vigorous.
"Fruit, which is borne in clusters, resembles Doyenne blanc. Skin smooth, bright green, becoming golden yellow at maturity, striped and shaded with fawn. Flesh when in full perfection is half melting, juicy, sugary, vinous, and well perfumed. Ripe December to April."
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Cassante de Mars. Obovate, yellow; juicy, rich, vinous, perfumed. Winter. Belgian.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Cassante de Mars.
- Mas Le Verger 1:75, fig. 44. 1866-73.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:530, fig. 1867.
A little-known seedling raised by Major Espéren, Mechlin, Bel., about 1840. Fruit medium, globular-turbinate, orange-yellow, dotted, stained and marbled with fawn, bronzed on the side exposed to the sun; flesh whitish, semi-fine, breaking, gritty about the core; juice abundant, vinous, sugary, rather aromatic, richly flavored: second; winter and spring.