Duhamel Du Monceau

Duhamel Du Monceau

Origin/History

Duhamel du Monceau was obtained from seed by André Leroy, the eminent author and pomologist at Angers, France. In naming the variety, M. Leroy stated that his purpose was to honor the memory of the illustrious professor who filled an important place in pomology, and who, in giving us the Traité des arbres fruitiers published in 1768, rendered and still renders valuable services to horticulturists. The original tree began to fruit in 1862 and was cataloged by Leroy in 1865. The variety seems to have been described first in America by Downing in 1876.

After a probationary period of a half century in America, Duhamel du Monceau has not found favor with commercial orchardists, but pear fanciers value it for its delectable late-keeping fruits. Nurserymen find the trees rather difficult to grow.

Tree

Vigorous and a good bearer (Downing). Hedrick describes the tree as upright and dense — conflicting with Downing's characterization of it as spreading. Hardy; trunk stocky. Branches thick, zigzag, dull brownish-red, covered with ash-gray scarf-skin, marked with numerous large lenticels. Branchlets very thick, short, with short internodes, brownish-red tinged with green, dull, smooth, glabrous, with many conspicuous, raised lenticels.

Leaf-buds long, obtuse, appressed; leaf-scars prominent. Leaves 3 in. long, 1½ in. wide, long, folded lengthwise with the margins curled under, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin entire or coarsely crenate; petiole 2 in. long, slender.

Flower-buds large, long, conical, plump, free, singly on short spurs; blossoms open late; flowers 1 in. across, well distributed, averaging 7 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1⅛ in. long, slender, pubescent, pale green.

Fruit

Size and Form: Sources disagree on size: Downing calls the fruit medium; Hedrick describes it as above medium, measuring 3½ in. long and 2½ in. wide, and uniform in size; Thomas calls it large. On form, Downing gives roundish pyriform; Hedrick gives roundish-pyriform or at times oblong-pyriform, symmetrical, with equal sides; Thomas gives long pyriform.

Stem: Downing: stalk long, inclined, set in a slight depression, sometimes by a lip. Hedrick: stem 1 in. long, slightly curved, thick; cavity lacking, the stem being attached to the smooth, flat surface — conflicting with Downing's slight depression.

Calyx: Downing: open, or half closed. Hedrick: open; lobes separated at the base, short, obtuse or acute.

Basin: Shallow (both Downing and Hedrick). Downing adds: a little uneven. Hedrick adds: obtuse, gently furrowed, small.

Skin: Hedrick: thin, tender, roughened by the russet skin, dull. On color, Downing describes pale whitish yellow, a shade of brown in the sun, partially netted and patched with russet, and sprinkled with many russet and brown dots; Hedrick describes greenish-yellow overspread with solid russet, or splashed, spotted and sprinkled with russet, the cheek often solid russet, with many small russet dots, obscure because of the russet color, and slightly raised; Thomas describes light yellow, partly russeted.

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh whitish (Downing) to yellowish-white (Hedrick), half fine (Downing), granular especially around the core (Hedrick), melting, buttery, very juicy, vinous. Downing adds: sweet. Hedrick notes a distinctive musky taste and perfume, which make the fruit especially agreeable to those who like rich, sweet, perfumed pears. Quality rated very good by both Downing and Hedrick; excellent by Thomas.

Core and Seeds: Core variable in size, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds elongated-oval, wide, plump, acute (Hedrick).

Season

Ripe October to November (Hedrick); November (Downing); early winter (Thomas).

Uses

Valued by pear fanciers for its delectable late-keeping quality. The fruits are of the type of those of Winter Nelis, differing in shape somewhat, but are considered by Hedrick to be even better in quality and to keep longer. The unattractive appearance of the small fruits would give them small commercial value, but the musky taste and perfume distinguish them for the table. The trees, while in no characters remarkable, are better than most of their orchard associates, and far superior to the unmanageable trees of Winter Nelis with which this variety must compete.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.