Duchesse de Berry d'Été
Pear
Duchesse de Berry d'Été
Origin / History
Of French origin; Elliott classes it simply as "Foreign." Downing says it originated at Nantes, France. Hedrick, whose entry cites Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (1869) and Hogg's Fruit Manual (1884), records it as raised in a seed bed in the Commune of Saint-Herblain, Department of Loire-Inférieure, France, in 1827. Elliott warns that the name has sometimes been applied to the Duchess of Angoulême, "which is entirely distinct." He adds that the name "Duchess de Berri" also belongs, as a synonym, to the "Pound."
Tree
Vigorous to moderately vigorous. Upright (Downing) or spreading (Elliott). Shoots and young wood dark reddish to reddish brown, though Thomas describes the shoots as stout and light greenish.
Fruit
Size: Small to medium, the sources dividing evenly (Downing and Thomas small; Elliott and Hedrick medium).
Form: Roundish, varying between oblate and obovate: sometimes oblate, occasionally approaching obovate (Thomas). Downing adds that it is obscurely pyriform, and Hedrick calls it globular-turbinate.
Stem: Short.
Cavity: Small (Downing), the stalk slightly sunk.
Calyx: Small (Elliott), partially open (Downing).
Basin: Broad and shallow.
Skin: Yellow to clear pale yellow. Shaded with light red (Downing; Thomas says sometimes), with nettings and patches of russet (Downing).
Dots: Small russet specks (Elliott); dark gray (Hedrick).
Flesh and flavor: Melting, juicy, and sugary, the juice abundant and aromatic (Hedrick), with a good vinous flavor (Downing). Flesh yellowish white and rather coarse (Elliott), or very white and semi-fine (Hedrick). Thomas calls the flavor "very good," and Downing rates it "Good to very good." Hedrick ranks it "first."
Core and seeds: Seeds large (Elliott).
Season
The recorded season runs from August into October. Most authors place it in August, at the last or end of the month, with Hedrick extending it into September. Elliott alone gives September and October.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Duchess de Berri d'Ete. Souverain d'Eté, | Duchess of Berry. Foreign. This name has sometimes been applied to the Duchess of Angouleme, which is entirely distinct. Tree, moderately vigorous, spreading; shoots, reddish brown. Fruit, medium, roundish obovate, clear pale yellow, dotted with small russet specks; stem, short; calyx, small; seeds, large; flesh, yellowish white, rather coarse, melting, juicy, sugary. September and October. The Duchess de Berri is a synonym of "Pound."
[Additional entry in this volume: "Duchesse de Berry d'Été", pp. 384–384]
Duchess de Berri d'Été.
Souverain d'Été, | Duchess of Berry.
Foreign. This name has sometimes been applied to the Duchess of Angouleme, which is entirely distinct. Tree, moderately vigorous, spreading; shoots, reddish brown. Fruit, medium, roundish obovate, clear pale yellow, dotted with small russet specks; stem, short; calyx, small; seeds, large; flesh, yellowish white, rather coarse, melting, juicy, sugary. September and October. The Duchess de Berri is a synonym of "Pound."
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)DUCHESSE DE BERRY d'ÉTÉ.
Duchesse de Berry. Duchesse de Berry de Nantes.
Originated at Nantes, France. Tree vigorous, upright. Young wood dark reddish.
Fruit small, roundish oblate, obscurely pyriform. Skin yellow, shaded with light red, nettings and patches of russet. Stalk short, inserted in a small cavity. Calyx partially open, set in a broad shallow basin. Flesh juicy, melting, with a good vinous flavor. Good to very good. Ripens last of August.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Duchesse de Berry d'Été. Small, roundish, sometimes oblate, occasionally approaching obovate; yellow, sometimes shaded light red; stalk short, slightly sunk, basin shallow; juicy and melting, flavor "very good." End of August. Shoots stout, light greenish.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Duchesse de Berry d'Été.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:104. fig. 1869. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 569. 1884. Raised in a seed bed in the Commune of Saint-Herblain, Department of Loire-Inferieure, Fr., in 1827. Fruit medium, globular-turbinate, yellow, dotted with dark gray; flesh very white, semi-fine, melting; juice abundant, sugary, aromatic; first; Aug. and Sept.