Dupuy Charles
PearOrigin/History
Louis E. Berckmans raised this pear in 1847 from seed sent from Ghent, Belgium. According to Downing, the variety was dedicated to Charles Dupuy of Loches, France. Hedrick places Berckmans in Augusta, Georgia.
Tree
Vigorous, half upright in growth, and productive (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Downing describes the fruit as below medium; Hedrick as medium to above; Elliott and Thomas as medium.
Form: Acute pyriform (Downing). Like Calebasse in form (Hedrick). Pyriform (Elliott). Conic pyriform (Thomas).
Stem: Varying in length, curved, set without depression (Downing).
Cavity: Set without depression (Downing).
Calyx: Open (Downing).
Basin: Small, shallow, uneven (Downing).
Skin: Yellow, netted and patched with russet, and sprinkled with russet dots (Downing). Rough to the touch, bright green, dotted with russet (Hedrick). Rough, becomes yellow at maturity, and chiefly covered with fawn russet (Elliott). Yellow, rough, russeted (Thomas).
Flesh and Flavor: Yellowish, juicy, melting, sweet, pleasant; rated Good (Downing). Greenish-white, very fine, melting; juice abundant, sugary, acidulous; flavor delicate and slightly musky; rated first quality (Hedrick). Whitish green, melting, juicy, very sugary; described as an excellent fruit (Elliott). Melting, juicy, rich, good (Thomas).
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October (Downing). October and November (Hedrick). End of November (Elliott). November (Thomas).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Dupuy Charles.
A variety produced by Louis E. Berckmans, in 1847, and by him dedicated to Charles Dupuy, Loches, France. By description, in 1850, the tree is vigorous, half upright in growth, and productive.
Fruit below medium, acute pyriform, yellow, netted and patched with russet, and sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk varying in length, curved, set without depression. Calyx open. Basin small, shallow, uneven. Flesh yellowish, juicy, melting, sweet, pleasant. Good. October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Dupuy Charles.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:118, fig. 1869. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 750. 1869.
Louis Berckmans, Augusta, Ga., raised this pear in 1847 from seed sent from Ghent, Bel. Fruit medium to above, like Calebasse in form, rough to the touch, bright green, dotted with russet; flesh greenish-white, very fine, melting; juice abundant, sugary, acidulous; flavor delicate and slightly musky; first; Oct. and Nov.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Dupuy Charles.
Foreign. Tree, vigorous. Fruit, medium, pyriform; skin, rough, becomes yellow at maturity, and chiefly covered with fawn russet; flesh, whitish green, melting, juicy, very sugary. An excellent fruit, ripening the end of November. (Al. Pom.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Dupuy Charles. Medium, conic pyriform, yellow, rough, russeted; melting, juicy, rich, good. November. Belgian.