Hilaire

Hilaire (St. Hilaire)

Origin / History

Hilaire is said to have originated in the orchard of Alexis Dery, Province of Quebec, approximately 1875, at St. Hilaire, Quebec. It is considered a probable seedling of Fameuse, which it closely resembles in the color of its skin and in the color and texture of its flesh. Downing (1900) notes it was a favorite in the neighborhood of its origin. Waugh (as cited in Beach, 1905) reports that by the early twentieth century it was no longer grown in the vicinity of its origin, and Beach notes it was not grown in New York as of 1905. Hedrick (1922) states its culture is largely confined to the French settlements in Canada. Professor U. P. Hedrick of the Michigan Agricultural College supplied the fruit for Beach's description and noted that as grown in Michigan the variety is hardy, productive, and gives promise of being a valuable acquisition.

Tree

Tree large, vigorous. Downing notes it is as hardy as Fameuse and similar to it in growth and bearing. It is a heavy alternate bearer (Beach, citing Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt. 1886–87).

Twigs short, curved, slender; internodes short. Bark dark brown, with a light coat of streaked scarf-skin, slightly pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small, oblong, raised. Buds small, plump, acute, free, slightly pubescent. (Beach; Hedrick gives only "tree large, vigorous.")

Fruit

Size and Form

Beach (1905) describes the fruit as medium to above, uniform in size; Hedrick (1922) describes it as medium to large, uniform in size. Downing (1900) describes it as medium or below. All three agree that the fruit is a little larger than Fameuse. Form is oblate to roundish-oblate (Beach, Hedrick); Downing specifies oblate or round oblate, very slightly conical. Beach and Hedrick describe the form as rather irregular; Downing does not use this qualifier.

Stem

Downing: short to medium, slender. Beach: medium, moderately slender. Hedrick: medium, slender.

Cavity

Beach: acuminate or acute, moderately deep and broad, not russeted, symmetrical. Hedrick: acuminate, deep and broad, not russeted, symmetrical. Downing describes it simply as medium and regular — a notable difference from the acuminate, deep description of Beach and Hedrick.

Calyx

Medium, usually closed; lobes broad, obtuse (Beach, Hedrick). Downing notes only that the calyx is closed.

Basin

Downing: rather small, slightly corrugated. Beach: medium in depth to shallow, moderately wide to rather narrow, rather abrupt, slightly wrinkled, symmetrical. Hedrick: shallow, wide, abrupt, wrinkled, symmetrical. The basin width is in conflict across sources: Beach gives "moderately wide to rather narrow" while Hedrick gives "wide."

Skin

Skin thin, tender, smooth (Beach, Hedrick). Downing describes it as smooth, white, shaded with light and dark red and crimson, purplish crimson in the sun, with sometimes obscure splashes. Beach describes it as pale yellow or whitish, almost completely overspread with attractive red of the Fameuse hue, becoming as highly colored as the Fameuse or McIntosh, covered with faint bloom; stripes obscure if any; prevailing effect brilliant deep pinkish-red deepening to purplish-red. Hedrick describes it as pale yellow overspread with red, covered with faint bloom, stripes obscure; prevailing effect brilliant red deepening to dark red.

Dots: Downing notes a few light and brown dots, more and minute near the basin. Beach and Hedrick agree: dots very numerous, small, red, sometimes gray or russet.

Flesh and Flavor

Flesh whitish, sometimes tinged with red (Beach); white tinged with red (Hedrick); Downing describes it as quite white. Fine, crisp (Beach, Hedrick; Downing does not use "crisp"), tender, juicy, sprightly subacid. Quality good to very good (Beach, Hedrick). Downing additionally notes a slight cranberry flavor. All sources agree the flesh resembles Fameuse in color and texture but has a more sprightly, acidulous character.

Calyx Tube

Long, rather narrow, funnel-shape (Beach); long, narrow, funnel-shape (Hedrick).

Stamens

Beach: median to basal. Hedrick: median.

Core and Seeds

Downing: core small only. Beach: core nearly axile, small to medium; cells closed or partly open; core lines clasping the funnel cylinder; carpels round, slightly emarginate; seeds dark, numerous, medium to large, wide, obtuse to acute. Hedrick: core axile, small; cells closed or partly open; core-lines clasping the funnel cylinder; carpels round, emarginate; seeds dark, numerous, large, wide, obtuse to acute.

Conflicts: Beach gives "nearly axile" where Hedrick gives "axile"; Beach gives core "small to medium" where Hedrick gives "small"; Beach gives seeds "medium to large" where Hedrick gives "large"; Beach gives "slightly emarginate" where Hedrick gives "emarginate."

Season

November to January (all sources). A better keeper than Fameuse; Downing notes it keeps longer and carries better than Fameuse.

Uses

Downing notes the variety was a favorite in the neighborhood of its origin. Its longer keeping and better carrying qualities relative to Fameuse are emphasized across all sources as commercially relevant attributes.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.