Colmar d'Été
PearColmar d'Été
Origin / History
A Belgian pear, raised by Van Mons at Louvain about 1825 (Downing, Bunyard, Hedrick). Brought to notice principally by Louis Vilmorin of Paris (Bunyard). Ranked high among foreign pomologists in its early years (Downing). Downing notes that in America it proves only good, or rather poor, and rots at the core.
Tree
Growth rather dwarf; fertility excellent (Bunyard). Central Experimental Farm at Agassiz BC reports the tree as a medium grower (planted Spring 1893). Makes a good standard or pyramid (Bunyard).
Leaf large, upfolded, down hanging and down curved, very faintly serrate, turns a fine "sang de boeuf" red (Bunyard).
Fruit
Size
Sources disagree on size. Downing and Central Experimental Farm describe the fruit as medium. Bunyard gives small to medium, 2¼ by 2½ inches. Hedrick describes it as small. Thomas does not give a size.
Form
Roundish obtuse pyriform (Downing); roundish, pyriform (Central Experimental Farm); conic (Thomas); short conical, very even (Bunyard); obovate or globular-obovate (Hedrick).
Stem / Stalk
Stalk long, a little inclined, set in a small cavity (Downing). Stem ¾ inch, slender, in a shallow cavity (Bunyard).
Cavity
Small (Downing); shallow (Bunyard).
Calyx / Eye
Eye open in a shallow basin (Bunyard).
Basin
Shallow (Bunyard).
Skin
Smooth, becoming a little greasy when ripe, covered with conspicuous dots (Bunyard); smooth, shining (Hedrick). Colour: greenish yellow, with sometimes a slight blush in the sun, patches of russet, and brown dots (Downing); pale greenish yellow with occasional brown red flush (Bunyard); greenish-yellow becoming quite yellow when ripe, sprinkled with brown dots, having in some seasons and places a cheek red and almost transparent (Hedrick); greenish-yellow (Thomas); greenish yellow, sprinkled with grayish dots and sometimes with a reddish blush in the sun (Central Experimental Farm).
Bunyard adds: Dr. Hogg's advice to eat it before it becomes yellow is quite sound in a warm year, but in a cold summer it turns yellow on the tree while still unripe.
Flesh / Flavor
Sources disagree on flesh quality. Downing: flesh white, coarse, astringent. Thomas: coarse, juicy, astringent; rots at core. Central Experimental Farm: flesh white, rather coarse, quality medium. Bunyard: flesh yellowish white, very melting, juicy, and with a strong musky flavour. Hedrick: flesh yellowish, very melting; juice excessively abundant, of honey sweetness, rich flavor, acidulous, pleasantly aromatic; rated "first" quality.
Both Downing and Thomas note the variety rots at the core.
Core / Seeds
Not described in source (beyond the rotting-at-core defect noted under Flesh).
Season
Early in September (Downing); September (Thomas, Central Experimental Farm); dessert, early September (Bunyard); August and September (Hedrick).
Uses
Dessert (Bunyard).
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 (1900) from England
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (5)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Colmar d'Ete.
Colmar Precoce. Autumn Colmar.
A Belgian Pear, originated in 1825, and ranked high among foreign pomologists; here it proves only good, or rather poor, and rots at the core.
Fruit medium, roundish obtuse pyriform. Skin greenish yellow, sometimes a slight blush in sun, patches of russet, and brown dots. Stalk long, a little inclined, set in a small cavity. Flesh white, coarse, astringent. Early in September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Colmar d'Été. Conic, greenish-yellow; coarse; juicy, astringent; rots at core. September.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)COLMAR D'ETE. Her. Pom. II., 44. G. Sommer Colmar. Dessert, early September, small to medium, 2¼ by 2½, short conical, very even. Skin, smooth, becoming a little greasy when ripe, covered with conspicuous dots. Colour, pale greenish yellow with occasional brown red flush. Flesh, yellowish white, very melting, juicy and with a strong musky flavour. Eye, open in a shallow basin. Stem, ¾ inch, slender in a shallow cavity. Growth, rather dwarf; fertility excellent. Leaf, large, upfolded, down hanging and down curved, very faintly serrate, turns a fine "sang de boeuf" red. Origin, raised by Van Mons at Louvain about 1825, and brought to notice principally by Louis Vilmorin of Paris. It makes a good standard or pyramid. Dr. Hogg's advice to eat it before it becomes yellow is quite sound in a warm year, but in a cold summer it turns yellow on the tree while still unripe.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Colmar d'Été.
- Gard. Chron. 875, 913. 1860. 2. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:583, fig. 1867.
Attributed to Van Mons about 1825. Fruit small, obovate or globular-obovate, smooth, shining, greenish-yellow becoming quite yellow when ripe, sprinkled with brown dots, having in some seasons and places a cheek red and almost transparent; flesh yellowish, very melting; juice excessively abundant, of honey sweetness, rich flavor, acidulous, pleasantly aromatic; first; Aug. and Sept.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1893. Tree a medium grower. Fruit of medium size, roundish, pyriform. Skin greenish yellow, sprinkled with grayish dots and sometimes with a reddish blush in the sun. Flesh white, rather coarse, quality medium. Season September.