Franc-Real
PearFranc-Real
Origin/History
Franc-Real is a French pear of considerable antiquity. It is mentioned by Charles Estienne in 1540 and by other French authorities of the seventeenth century. It appears in Duhamel's Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (2:180, 1768) and in Leroy's Dictionnaire de Pomologie (2:194, with figure, 1869).
Tree
Franc-Real bears well and grows upright (Downing). Other tree characteristics are not described in the sources.
Fruit
Size
Sources differ on size. Downing describes the fruit as medium in size; Hedrick gives it as above medium and often larger.
Form
Downing describes the fruit as roundish and slightly pyriform. Hedrick characterizes it as globular-turbinate and bossed.
Stem
Not described in sources.
Cavity
Not described in sources.
Calyx
Not described in sources.
Basin
Not described in sources.
Skin
The skin is yellow (Downing) or golden-yellow (Hedrick), speckled with russet brown (Downing) or strewed with large russet dots (Hedrick). Downing also notes a brownish cheek; Hedrick notes some brownish-red patches.
Flesh and Flavor
Downing describes the flesh as crisp and firm. Hedrick gives the flesh as very white, breaking, juicy, hardly sweet, rather acid, and without perfume.
Core and Seeds
Not described in sources.
Season
Sources differ slightly on the season of use. Downing gives December to March; Hedrick gives November to February.
Uses
All sources agree that Franc-Real is a cooking pear, rated first for that purpose (Hedrick).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in sources.
Other
Downing lists the following associated names for this variety: Franc Réal, Fine Gold of Winter, Golden End of Winter, Fin Or d'Hiver, and Gros Micet. The variety is also referred to as Franc Real d'Hiver in both Downing and Thomas, indicating this is the winter form. Downing's entry includes an earlier reference to the variety in his own 1869 edition (p. 766).
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as Franc Peal d'Hiver
- Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Franc Real d'Hiver
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Franc Peal d'Hiver. Franc Réal. Fine Gold of Winter. Golden End of Winter. Fin Or d'Hiver. Gros Micet. The Winter Franc Réal is a good cooking Pear, bears well, and grows upright. Fruit of medium size, roundish, slightly pyriform. Skin yellow, speckled with russet brown, and having a brownish cheek. Flesh crisp and firm. In use from December to March.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Franc Real d'Hiver. Medium, roundish, yellow and brown; crisp—cooking. Winter.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Franc-Real,
- Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:180. 1768.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:194, fig. 1869. Franc Real d'Hiver.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 766. 1869.
Mentioned by Charles Estienne in 1540, and other French authorities of the seventeenth century. Fruit above medium and often larger, globular-turbinate and bossed, golden-yellow, strewed with large russet dots, and some brownish-red patches; flesh very white, breaking, juicy, hardly sweet, rather acid, without perfume; first for cooking; Nov. to Feb.