Colmar d'Été

Origin / History

A Belgian pear, raised by Van Mons at Louvain about 1825. Downing gives the date of origin as 1825, and Hedrick writes that it is "attributed to Van Mons." Bunyard says it was brought to notice principally by Louis Vilmorin of Paris. Downing records that it "ranked high among foreign pomologists," but that "here it proves only good, or rather poor." Hedrick cites Gard. Chron. 875, 913, 1860, and Leroy, Dict. Pom. 1:583, with figure, 1867. Bunyard cites Her. Pom. II., 44. It was planted for trial at the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, British Columbia, in the spring of 1893.

Tree

A medium grower at Agassiz. Bunyard gives the growth as rather dwarf and the fertility excellent, and says it makes a good standard or pyramid. Leaf large, upfolded, down-hanging and down-curved, very faintly serrate, turning a fine "sang de boeuf" red (Bunyard).

Fruit

Size: Small to medium, most reports giving medium, with Hedrick calling it small. Bunyard measures it at 2¼ by 2½.

Form: Roundish, obtuse-pyriform or pyriform, sometimes described as conic. Bunyard calls it short conical and very even. Hedrick calls it obovate or globular-obovate.

Stem: Long, slender, a little inclined; ¾ inch (Bunyard).

Cavity: Small and shallow.

Calyx: Eye open (Bunyard).

Basin: Shallow (Bunyard).

Skin: Smooth, shining (Hedrick), becoming a little greasy when ripe (Bunyard). Greenish yellow to pale greenish yellow, becoming quite yellow when ripe. Sometimes a slight reddish blush appears in the sun. Bunyard gives an occasional brown-red flush. Hedrick says that in some seasons and places the cheek is red and almost transparent. Patches of russet (Downing).

Dots: Conspicuous, sprinkled over the surface, brown or grayish (grayish at Agassiz).

Flesh and flavor: Flesh white to yellowish white or yellowish, juicy. In the American accounts it is coarse to rather coarse and astringent, and Agassiz rates the quality "medium." Bunyard and Hedrick describe it as very melting. Bunyard gives "a strong musky flavour." Hedrick gives the juice as "excessively abundant, of honey sweetness, rich flavor, acidulous, pleasantly aromatic," and rates it "first."

Core and seeds: Rots at the core (Downing, Thomas).

Season

August and September. Most authors give September, with Downing and Bunyard specifying early September and Hedrick including August. Bunyard calls Dr. Hogg's advice to eat it before it becomes yellow "quite sound in a warm year," but notes that in a cold summer it turns yellow on the tree while still unripe.

Uses

Dessert (Bunyard).

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.