Graslin
PearGraslin
Origin / History
Of French origin (Downing). Hedrick records it as a wilding found in the Commune of Flee, Sarthe, France, introduced about 1840. He cites Pom. France 3: No. 106, Pl. 106 (1865), and Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America, p. 775 (1869).
Tree
Tree vigorous, very productive; young wood olive yellow-brown (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Large; Downing alone calls it medium.
Form: Pyriform: oval pyriform, obovate ovate obtuse pyriform, or pyramidal-pyriform, often tapering to the crown (Thomas). Hedrick alone describes it as oblate, somewhat irregular, larger on one side than the other.
Stem: Long (Thomas), rather long and stout (Downing); thick at the junction (Elliott).
Cavity: Slight, the stalk slightly sunk, sometimes set by a lip (Downing).
Calyx: Open. Segments stiff (Elliott), large, reflexed (Downing).
Basin: Furrowed to slightly furrowed; abrupt (Elliott); small (Downing).
Skin: Thick (Thomas). Green to greenish yellow, sprinkled with russet or slightly russeted, sometimes with only traces of russet. Hedrick gives it as yellow-ochre, dotted and marbled with gray-russet, and stained with large markings of fawn.
Dots: Brown (Downing) or gray-russet (Hedrick), sprinkled over the surface.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh whitish to white, yellowish in Downing, white veined with greenish yellow in Hedrick. Granular (Elliott) or coarse (Thomas); Hedrick calls it fine. Buttery, melting to very melting, juicy. Rich and vinous, slightly vinous and sweet by Downing's account; sugary, acidulous, perfumed, delicate (Hedrick). Quality "very good" (Elliott) and "first" (Hedrick); Downing rates it "Good."
Core and seeds: Core large (Elliott).
Season
October and November.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
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 (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Graslin. Large, oval pyriform, green, sprinkled with russet, stem, thick at junction : calyx, open ; segments stiff; basin, abrupt, furrowed ; flesh, whitish, granular, juicy, rich, vinous ; core, large ; "very good." October, November.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Graslin.
Of French origin. Tree vigorous. Young wood olive yellow brown, very productive.
Fruit medium, obovate ovate obtuse pyriform, greenish yellow, sprinkled with brown dots and sometimes traces of russet. Stalk rather long and stout, set in a slight cavity, sometimes by a lip. Calyx open. Segments large, reflexed. Basin small, slightly furrowed. Flesh yellowish, juicy, buttery, sweet, slightly vinous. Good. October, November.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Graslin. Large, pyramidal-pyriform, often tapering to the crown; skin thick, green, slightly russeted; stalk long, slightly sunk; basin furrowed, flesh coarse, buttery, melting, rich, vinous. October, November.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Graslin.
- Pom. France 3:No. 106, Pl. 106. 1865.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 775. 1869.
A wilding found in the Commune of Flee, Sarthe, Fr.; introduced about 1840. Fruit large, oblate, somewhat irregular, larger on one side than the other, yellow-ochre, dotted and marbled with gray-russet, and stained with large markings of fawn; flesh fine, white, veined with greenish-yellow, very melting, juicy, sugary, acidulous, perfumed, delicate; first; Oct. and Nov.