Comprette
PearComprette
Origin and History
A Flemish seedling of little value. It was exhibited by M. P. Wilder, President of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, at the Society's meeting in 1844, and is referenced in the horticultural literature from at least 1847 onward (Horticulturist 2:174. 1847; Downing Fr. Trees Am. 726. 1869; Hogg Fruit Man. 552. 1884).
Fruit
Size and Form: Small, obtuse-pyriform. Surface smooth.
Skin: Downing describes the color as yellowish-green. Hedrick gives a more detailed account: greenish-yellow, becoming lemon-yellow at maturity, strewed with patches and dots of russet.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh white, buttery, and melting. Juicy and sweet. Downing additionally notes a sugary, perfumed quality to the juice. Not of high merit.
Season
Downing gives October–November; Hedrick gives November only.
Uses
No specific use noted beyond dessert; described as of little value, suggesting it was not considered a commercially or culinarily significant variety.
Note: Neither source describes the stem, cavity, calyx, basin, core, or seeds in any detail. No tree characteristics are given in either source. The descriptions are unusually brief even by period standards, consistent with the variety's low standing.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Comprette.
A Flemish seedling of little value. Fruit small, obtuse pyriform. Skin yellowish green. Flesh white, buttery, with a sugary perfumed juice. October, November.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Comprette. 1. Horticulturist 2:174. 1847. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 726. 1869. 3. Hogg Fruit Man. 552. 1884. A Flemish seedling. It was exhibited by M. P. Wilder, President of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society at the Society's meeting in 1844. Fruit small, obtuse-pyriform, smooth, greenish-yellow, becoming lemon-yellow, strewed with patches and dots of russet; flesh white, buttery, melting, juicy, sweet; not of high merit; Nov.