Crassane
PearCrassane
Origin / History
An ancient pear of obscure origin, cultivated as long ago as 1667 (Downing). In the middle of the seventeenth century it was introduced for cultivation in France by La Quintinye, gardener to King Louis XIV. It appears to have derived its name from the Latin word crassus, signifying thick. Some authorities have suggested it was named after the celebrated Roman Consul Marcus Lucinius Crassus who, with Julius Caesar and Pompey, formed the first triumvirate, and who died 53 B.C. The balance of authority is in favor of its having had a French origin. By Belgian and some French and German writers it is known as the Bergamotte Crassane (Hedrick). Elliott classes it as "Foreign." It is a dessert pear of formerly high reputation, but rather superseded (Hedrick). Coxe ranked it "among the most estimable varieties" and knew "few pears more deserving extensive cultivation."
Tree
Hardy, vigorous, and productive (Downing); of vigorous growth, hardy, and a great bearer (Coxe). Young wood light reddish (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Generally of medium size, but on young trees and rich ground it sometimes grows large (Coxe); medium to large (Downing); medium and above (Hedrick); medium (Elliott describes as "Large"; Thomas as "Medium").
Form: Of the Bergamotte shape, rather round (Coxe); roundish oblate (Downing); roundish (Elliott, Thomas); globular, bossed, flattened at the extremities (Hedrick).
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: When ripe, a greenish yellow, full of distinct black dots, very thin and tender (Coxe); greenish-yellow with thin russet (Elliott); yellow, rarely with a blush, dotted with russet dots (Downing); greenish-yellow (Thomas); bright greenish-yellow, veined and dotted with fawn (Hedrick).
Flesh / Flavor: Sources differ on flesh character. Coxe describes the flesh as "singularly melting, rich, juicy and sweet, but not sprightly," and notes it is sometimes called in France the flat Beurrée. Hedrick describes the flesh as "buttery, melting, tender, of a rich sugary flavor and perfume." Kelway describes it as "working, juicy, rich, and sweet." Bunyard describes the flesh as "white, firm and juicy, of good keeping qualities." Thomas calls it "juicy, sweet, moderately pleasant." Downing, by contrast, describes the flesh as "coarse, rather dry, sweet, pleasant. Good." — a notable conflict with the melting, juicy character reported by Coxe, Hedrick, Kelway, and Bunyard.
Core / Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October (Coxe, Elliott, Thomas); October and November (Downing); October to December (Hedrick, Bunyard). Coxe notes it ripens after the yellow Beurrée.
Uses
A dessert pear (Hedrick). Coxe notes that "with care in gathering it from the tree when dry, [it] will keep a month or six weeks in the house." Bunyard notes "good keeping qualities."
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Bunyard lists the variety with the parenthetical qualifier "(Doyenne d'Hiver)." Hedrick cites Duhamel's Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (1768, Pl. XXII), the Annales de Pomologie Belge (1854), and Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (1867) among early authorities for the variety.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
- Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817) — listed as 34. CRASANNE, OR BERGAMOTTE CRASANNE.
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Crasanne
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (7)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)
- CRASANNE, OR BERGAMOTTE CRASANNE.
This pear is among the most estimable varieties ; it is generally of the medium size, but on young trees and rich ground it sometimes grows large, it is of the Bergamotte shape, rather round, the skin when ripe a greenish yellow, full of distinct black dots, very thin and tender : the flesh is singularly melting, rich, juicy and sweet, but not sprightly--it is sometimes in France called the flat Beurree' ; it ripens in October after the yellow Beurree', and with care in gathering it from the tree when dry, will keep a month or six weeks in the house : it is a great bearer, of vigorous growth, and hardy ; I know few pears more deserving extensive cultivation.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Crasanne.
Bergamot Crasanne, | Cresane, | Beurré Plat.
Foreign. Large, roundish, greenish yellow, thin russet. October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Crassane.
Bergamotte Crassane. Cresane. Bergamotte Crassane d'Automne. Beurre Plat. Flat Butter. Crassane d'Automne.
An old variety, cultivated as long ago as 1667. Tree hardy, vigorous, and productive. Young wood light reddish.
Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate. Skin yellow, rarely with a blush, dotted with russet dots. Flesh coarse, rather dry, sweet, pleasant. Good. October, November.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Crassane. Medium, roundish, greenish-yellow; juicy, sweet, moderately pleasant. October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Crassane.
- Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:166, Pl. XXII. 1768.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 728. 1869. Bergamotte Crassane.
- Ann. Pom. Belge 2:61, fig. 1854.
- Leroy Did. Pom. 1:231, fig. 1867.
An ancient pear of obscure origin. In the middle of the seventeenth century it was introduced for cultivation in France by La Quintinye, gardener to King Louis XIV. It appears to have derived its name from the Latin word crassus which signifies thick. Some authorities have suggested it was named after the celebrated Roman Consul Marcus Lucinius Crassus who, with Julius Caesar and Pompey, formed the first triumvirate, and who died 53 B. C. The balance of authority is in favor of its having had a French origin. By Belgian and some French and German writers it is known as the Bergamotte Crassane.
Fruit medium and above, globular, bossed, flattened at extremities, bright greenish-yellow, veined and dotted with fawn; flesh buttery, melting, tender, of a rich sugary flavor and perfume; a dessert pear of formerly high reputation but rather superseded; Oct. to Dec.
— Kelway & Son, Kelways Manual (1897) (1897)working, juicy, rich, and sweet
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)Crassane (Doyenne d'Hiver).— Flesh white, firm and juicy, of good keeping qualities. Ripe October to December.