Colmar d'Alost
PearOrigin/History
A Belgian pear raised from a seed bed made in 1840 by M. Hellinckx, a nurseryman at Alost, Belgium (Hedrick). Downing gives the originator's name as "M. Hellinck." Thomas notes simply "Belgian."
Tree
Vigorous and productive (Elliott). Young wood dark olive brown (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Large (all sources agree).
Form: Sources vary in description. Roundish oblong obtuse pyriform (Downing). Oblong, very obtuse, enlarged on one side (Hedrick). Elongated pyriform, sometimes obovate (Elliott). Long pyriform, sometimes obovate (Thomas).
Stem: Large, rather long and curved, inserted in a slight depression (Elliott).
Cavity: Slight depression at stem insertion (Elliott). Not described by other sources.
Calyx: Open; segments long (Elliott).
Basin: Shallow and uneven (Elliott).
Skin: Greenish yellow, brownish in the sun (Downing). Bright green in the shade, yellowish-green on the side exposed to the sun, dotted with brown specks and covered with patches of fawn (Hedrick). Greenish yellow, with a red cheek, sprinkled with many green or brown dots, often much russeted (Elliott). Greenish-yellow and red (Thomas). Note: Downing and Hedrick describe brownish or fawn coloring on the sun-exposed side, while Elliott and Thomas describe a distinct red cheek — a meaningful disagreement for identification purposes.
Flesh/Flavor: White, half melting, juicy, gritty at core, sweet, vinous; rated "Good" (Downing). White, fine, semi-melting, juicy, gritty at the center, sweet, vinous, acidulous, savory; rated "first" (Hedrick). White, buttery, melting, juicy, slightly astringent (Elliott). Buttery, juicy, slightly astringent (Thomas). Note: Downing and Hedrick agree on white, semi-melting flesh with grittiness at the core and a sweet, vinous character, though Hedrick adds "acidulous, savory" and describes the texture as "fine." Elliott and Thomas instead describe the flesh as buttery and fully melting with slight astringency and no mention of grittiness.
Core/Seeds: Gritty at the core (Downing, Hedrick). Not further described.
Season
October and November (all sources agree; Thomas gives only October).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Hedrick cites Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:574, fig. 1867 as a reference.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)COLMAR D'ALOST.
Délices d'Alost.
A Belgian Pear, said to have originated with M. Hellinck in 1840. Young wood dark olive brown.
Fruit large, roundish oblong obtuse pyriform, greenish yellow, brownish in the sun. Flesh white, half melting, juicy, gritty at core, sweet, vinous. Good. October, November.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Colmar d'Alost.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:574, fig. 1867. Raised from a seed bed made in 1840 by M. Hellinckx, a nurseryman at Alost, Bel. Fruit large, oblong, very obtuse, enlarged on one side, bright green in the shade, yellowish-green on the side exposed to the sun, dotted with brown specks and covered with patches of fawn; flesh white, fine, semi-melting, juicy, gritty at the center, sweet, vinous, acidulous, savory; first; Oct. and Nov.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)COLMAR D'ALOST.
Comtesse d'Alost, | Duchesse d'Alost, | Délices d'Alost.
Foreign. Tree, vigorous and productive. Fruit, large, elongated pyriform, sometimes obovate ; skin, greenish yellow, with a red cheek, sprinkled with many green or brown dots, often much russeted ; stalk, large, rather long and curved, inserted in a slight depression ; calyx, open ; segments, long ; basin, shallow and uneven ; flesh, white, buttery, melting, juicy, slightly astringent. October, November.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Colmar d'Alost. Large, long pyriform, sometimes obovate, greenish-yellow and red; flesh buttery, juicy, slightly astringent. October. Belgian.