General Bosquet

Pear

General Bosquet

Origin/History

Of French origin. Obtained by M. Flon-Grolleau, Angers, France; the seed bed from which the tree sprang was made in 1845. Referenced in Leroy, Dict. Pom. 2:213, fig. 1869, and Downing, Fr. Trees Am. 770, 1869.

Tree

Not described in source.

Fruit

Size and Form: Sources disagree on size: Downing describes the fruit as medium; Hedrick and Thomas both describe it as large. Form is ovate acute pyriform (Downing); Hedrick describes it as conic and very long, rather swelled at the base and narrowed at the upper end. Thomas concurs with a pyriform shape.

Stem: Long, rather slender, curved (Downing).

Cavity: Set without cavity — stem inserted without a depression (Downing).

Calyx: With stiff, erect segments (Downing).

Basin: Small, corrugated (Downing).

Skin: Greenish, thickly sprinkled with green and brown dots (Downing). Hedrick describes the skin as thick, grass-green, dotted and mottled with fawn, and often bearing some small brownish stains.

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh white (Downing) to whitish (Hedrick), tender (Downing), fine, semi-melting or melting (Hedrick), with Thomas also describing it as melting. Hedrick notes the flesh is rather granular at the center. Juicy (Downing); juice abundant, sweet, vinous, and delicate (Hedrick).

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

September (Downing, Thomas). Hedrick gives September and October.

Uses

Not described in source.

Quality

Sources give differing quality ratings: Downing rates it Good; Thomas rates it Very Good; Hedrick rates it second (second quality on the pomological scale).

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

General Bosquet.

Of French origin.

Fruit medium size, ovate acute pyriform, greenish, thickly sprinkled with green and brown dots. Stalk long, rather slender, curved, set without cavity. Calyx with stiff, erect segments. Basin small, corrugated. Flesh white, tender, juicy. Good. September.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

General Bosquet.

Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:213, fig. 1869.

Downing Fr. Trees Am. 770. 1869.

Obtained by M. Flon-Grolleau, Angers, Fr. The seed bed from which the tree sprang was made in 1845. Fruit large, conic, very long, rather swelled at the base and narrowed at the upper end; skin thick, grass-green, dotted and mottled with fawn and often bearing some small brownish stains; flesh whitish, fine, semi-melting or melting, rather granular at center; juice abundant, sweet, vinous, delicate; second; Sept. and Oct.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

General Bosquet. Large, pyriform, green; melting; very good. September.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)