Hericart de Thury
PearHericart de Thury
Origin / History
Hericart de Thury was raised from seed by Van Mons. Elliott calls it foreign and Thomas calls it Belgian. Hedrick says it was dedicated to M. Héricart de Thury, president of the Society of Horticulture of France. Hedrick cites it in Mag. Hort. (1853), in Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1869), and in Leroy's Dict. Pom. (1869, with figure). He also cites it in Dochnahl's Fuhr. Obstkunde (1856), where it appears as "Thury Schmalzbirne."
Tree
A good grower, of peculiar habits and appearance. Rather pyramidal, but with diverging, crooked limbs, which Elliott calls a deep brown or purple hue. Young wood dull reddish olive brown (Downing). Not an early nor a very profuse bearer.
Fruit
Size: Medium or above to large. Thomas calls it large.
Form: Obtuse-ovate-pyriform. Elliott calls it pyramidal, turbinate, and Thomas calls it pyriform, Bosc-shaped.
Stem: Long, rather slender, curved.
Cavity: Small. Elliott calls it abrupt.
Calyx: Closed, deeply sunk (Elliott). Segments short (Downing).
Basin: Small, uneven.
Skin: Rough to rather rough, slightly netted. Elliott gives a decided cinnamon color and Thomas light brown. Downing gives yellow, thinly shaded with red in the sun.
Dots: Thickly sprinkled with russet dots (Downing).
Flesh and flavor: Elliott describes the flesh as yellowish, compact, buttery, sufficiently juicy, "with a peculiar rich flavor." Thomas calls it buttery and rich. Downing gives white, not very juicy, slightly astringent, and rates it "Good."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
The recorded season runs from November into February. The single-month dates are December (Downing) and January (Thomas). Elliott gives January and February, and Hedrick November and December.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Elliott credits his description to L. E. Berckmans.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Hericart de Thury.
Foreign. A good grower, of peculiar habits and appearance, rather pyramidal, but with diverging, crooked limbs of a deep brown or purple hue. Not an early nor a very profuse bearer.
Fruit, pyramidal, turbinate; skin, rather rough, with a decided cinnamon color; stalk, long, and curved, inserted in a small abrupt cavity; calyx, closed, deeply sunk; basin, uneven. Flesh, yellowish, compact, buttery, sufficiently juicy, with a peculiar rich flavor. January and February. (L. E. Berckmans.)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Hericart de Thury.
Raised by Van Mons. A good grower, of peculiar habits and appearance, rather pyramidal, but with diverging crooked limbs. Not an early nor a very profuse bearer. Young wood dull reddish olive brown.
Fruit medium or above, obtuse ovate pyriform, yellow, thinly shaded with red in the sun, slightly netted, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk long, rather slender, curved. Cavity small. Calyx closed. Segments short. Basin small, uneven. Flesh white, not very juicy, and slightly astringent. Good. December.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Hericart de Thury. Large, pyriform (Bosc-shaped), rough, light brown; buttery, rich. January. Belgian.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Hericart de Thury.
- Mag. Hort. 19:102. 1853. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 783. 1869. 3. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:281, fig. 1869. Thury Schmalzbirne. 4. Dochnahl Fuhr. Obstkunde 2:66. 1856.
Raised from seed by Van Mons and dedicated to M. Héricart de Thury, president of the Society of Horticulture of France. Tree a good grower, rather pyramidal, neither an early nor a profuse bearer. Fruit medium or above, obtuse-ovate-pyriform, yellow, thinly shaded with red in the sun, slightly netted, thickly sprinkled with russet dots; stem long, rather slender, curved, set in a small cavity; calyx closed, set in a small, uneven, basin; flesh white, not very juicy, slightly astringent; good; Nov. and Dec.