Delices de Charles

Origin / History

Raised in 1826 by Simon Bouvier, Jodoigne, Belgium (Hedrick). Belgian (Thomas). Downing received two pears under this name, one as of Van Mons, the other of Bouvier.

Tree

Not described in source.

Fruit

Size: Medium; above medium in the Bouvier pear received by Downing.

Form: Turbinate-pyriform but inconstant in contour (Hedrick); pyramidal (Thomas). Downing's Van Mons pear irregular, varying from obovate to obovate pyriform; his Bouvier pear obovate obtuse.

Stem: Rather long, inclined, in Downing's Van Mons pear; long, curved, in his Bouvier pear.

Cavity: Slight depression, often with a lip, in Downing's Van Mons pear; rather large in his Bouvier pear.

Calyx: Open (Downing's Van Mons pear).

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Yellowish green to dark lemon-yellow. Greenish yellow, netted and patched with russet in Downing's Van Mons pear; greenish, with traces of russet, in his Bouvier pear.

Dots: Russet; brown in Downing's Bouvier pear.

Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, fine, very melting, buttery, sweet, juicy, vinous, "with a delicious tartness" (Hedrick); yellowish in Downing's Van Mons pear, whitish and buttery in his Bouvier pear. Juicy, melting, vinous, "like Brown Beurré" (Thomas). Quality "good to very good" (Hedrick).

Core and seeds: Rots at core (Downing's Bouvier pear).

Season

Middle of September to December. Downing's two pears ripen in September and October and in the middle of September; Hedrick and Thomas place it later, October to December and December.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Hedrick cites Leroy, Dictionnaire de Pomologie 2:10, fig., 1869; Guide Pratique 74, 262, 1876 (Wredow); and Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America 886, 1869.