Fondante De Noël

Fondante De Noël

Origin / History

This pear was raised from seed by Major Espéren, Mechlin, Belgium; the tree fruited first in 1842 and was given the name Fondante de Noël to indicate the day on which it was tasted for the first time (Hedrick). Thomas describes it as a seedling of the Passe Colmar, ripening earlier and of similar flavor. Downing attributes it to French origin, which conflicts with the Belgian origin given by both Hedrick and Thomas.

In 1862 a pear called Souvenir d'Espéren, attributed to seed grown by Berckmans, a noted Belgian horticulturist living in the United States, was put forth, but after examination there appeared to be no difference in either the fruit or the wood from that of the variety grown by Major Espéren. Because the name Souvenir d'Espéren appears in connection with Fondante de Noël, the variety has been confused with another pear which was raised by Major Espéren and also named Souvenir d'Espéren; the two are entirely distinct, and that last-named sort has long been known and is still found growing in certain pear orchards of the eastern United States (Hedrick). Hedrick notes that by 1921 this was a rather rare European pear, doubtful of purchase from American nurserymen, though possibly obtainable and capable of re-propagation from old trees.

Tree

Downing describes the tree as vigorous and a good bearer, with young wood olive brown. Hedrick describes it as medium in size and vigor, upright, hardy, productive; trunk thick, smooth; branches brownish-green, nearly covered with gray scarf-skin; branchlets slender, with long internodes, smooth, glabrous, marked with conspicuous, raised lenticels. Thomas notes that the shoots are greenish yellow and that the growth habit resembles Passe Colmar. There is thus a conflict between Downing's "vigorous" and Hedrick's "medium in size and vigor."

Leaf-buds large, long, conical, plump, free. Leaves 3½ in. long, 1¼ in. wide; apex taper-pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 1¼ in. long. Flower-buds large, long, plump, free, singly on short spurs; flowers showy, 1½ in. across, white often tinged pink on the edges of the petals, average 9 buds in a cluster; pedicels ¾ in. long (all Hedrick).

Fruit

Size and Form: Downing and Hedrick both describe the fruit as large — Hedrick gives dimensions of 2¾ in. long, 2½ in. wide. Thomas, however, describes it as medium or rather small, a direct conflict with the other two sources. The form is described by Downing as obovate obtuse pyriform, by Hedrick as roundish-turbinate and irregular, and by Thomas as obtuse-pyriform.

Stem: Downing describes the stalk as short and fleshy at insertion. Thomas describes it as long, stout, curved, and oblique. Hedrick gives ¾ in. long, thick, woody, obliquely set. Downing's characterization of the stalk as short conflicts with Thomas's description of it as long; Hedrick's measurement is intermediate.

Cavity: Obtuse, shallow, narrow, furrowed, often lipped (Hedrick). Not described by Downing or Thomas.

Calyx: Downing describes the calyx as open. Thomas describes it as closed. Hedrick describes it as small and nearly closed — agreeing with Thomas against Downing. Hedrick's calyx-tube is short and wide.

Basin: Hedrick: narrow, obtuse, furrowed. Thomas: broad, shallow, irregular. These two sources are in direct conflict on both width and depth of the basin.

Skin: The surface is uneven (Downing), roughened by russet dots and patches (Hedrick). Color: fine yellow, mostly covered with cinnamon russet, with a brownish cheek in the sun, and many russet dots (Downing); dull greenish-yellow, with many dots, flecks, and patches of russet, often with a faint trace of brownish-red on the sunny side; dots numerous, small, russet, rather conspicuous (Hedrick); pale greenish-yellow with a red cheek (Thomas). The sources broadly agree on a yellow-green ground with extensive russet and a reddened sunny side, with variation in the intensity of color described.

Flesh / Flavor

Downing describes the flesh as yellowish, coarse, juicy, melting, brisk, and a little astringent, rating it Good. Hedrick describes the flesh as white, gritty only near the core, tender, buttery, juicy, sweet, and highly aromatic, with quality good to very good; he specifically notes it is "just the pear for those who prefer sweetness to vinousness or piquancy, and who object to even a trace of astringency." Thomas describes the flesh as whitish, melting, juicy, and very good. Downing's characterization of the flesh as coarse and astringent is in direct conflict with Hedrick's tender, buttery, and non-astringent description; Thomas's account aligns with Hedrick.

Core / Seeds

Core large, with meeting core-lines. Seeds large, long, plump, acute (Hedrick). Not described by Downing or Thomas.

Season

Downing gives September as the ripening season. Thomas describes it as a fine late autumn and early winter sort. Hedrick gives December to January, stating the fruits are at their best for Christmas — consistent with the variety's name. Downing's September date is in direct conflict with Thomas and Hedrick; the name Fondante de Noël (Melting of Christmas) strongly supports the December–January season.

Uses

Implied as a dessert eating pear. Hedrick commends it especially for those who prefer sweetness and aroma over acidity or piquancy, and notes that if the variety grows elsewhere as well as at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station, it is too good to be lost.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Thomas notes the variety resembles Passe Colmar in growth habit and is of similar flavor, ripening earlier than that sort. Hedrick cites references to this variety in major pomological literature from 1855 through 1884, including Magazine of Horticulture (1855), Annales de Pomologie Belge (1859), Pomologie de France (1863), Mas Le Verger (1866–73), Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1869), and Hogg's Fruit Manual (1884).