Huyshe's Prince Consort
PearHuyshe's Prince Consort
Origin/History
Huyshe's Prince Consort was raised by the Rev. John Huyshe of Devon, England, from seed of Beurré d'Aremberg (Beurré d'Arenberg) fertilized by Passe Colmar. Sources give the originator's locality variously as Clythesdon (Downing), Cullompton (Hedrick), and Clyst Hydon (Bunyard), all in Devon. The variety first fruited in 1864. Downing notes that it is one of a series of four new pears originated by Mr. Huyshe, all said to be of superior excellence. Bunyard notes that it is quite distinct from Prince Albert, a seedling of Van Mons, and remarks that by 1920 it was seldom met with, but quite worthy of a place in collections.
Tree
The tree is a vigorous grower (Downing), though Bunyard describes growth as moderate. Fertility is fair (Bunyard). Young shoots are short-jointed, of a dark dull reddish brown, with indistinct white specks (Downing).
Fruit
Size and Form: Sources differ on size. Downing, Hedrick, and Bunyard describe the fruit as large to very large; Bunyard gives dimensions of 3 by 4½ inches. Thomas, however, describes the fruit as medium. The form is oblong obovate pyriform (Downing) / oblong, uneven and bossed in outline (Hedrick) / long pyriform, uneven (Bunyard) / pyriform (Thomas).
Stem (Stalk): Long and stout (Downing); long, very stout, generally obliquely inserted (Bunyard).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx (Eye): Small, open (Downing; Bunyard).
Basin: Deep and uneven (Downing); deep and wide (Bunyard).
Skin: Grass green, much covered with russet and russet dots (Downing); grass-green becoming sometimes yellowish-green, thickly covered with large russet dots (Hedrick); rough, pale yellow-green, very much netted with thin russet (Bunyard); greenish-yellow (Thomas).
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh yellowish (Downing) / yellow with a greenish tinge (Hedrick) / yellow (Bunyard). Texture: coarse-grained, juicy, melting (Downing); melting, rather crisp, very juicy (Hedrick); melting (Bunyard); buttery, a little coarse, half melting (Thomas). Flavor: sweet, vinous, with a peculiar flavor unlike any other pear (Downing); sweet, vinous, with a very powerful and peculiar flavor unlike any other pear — a first quality, delicious fruit (Hedrick); delicious aroma and flavour (Bunyard); rated "very good" by Thomas.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
November (Downing, Hedrick, Thomas); December to January (Bunyard).
Uses
Dessert (Bunyard).
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 (1911) from England
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Huyshe's Prince Consort.
Raised by Rev. John Huyshe, of Clythesdon, Devon, England, from seed of Beurré d'Aremberg, fertilized by Passe Colmar. This is one of a series of four new Pears, originated by Mr. Huyshe, all of which are said to be of superior excellence. The tree is a vigorous grower, with short-jointed young shoots of a dark dull reddish brown, and indistinct white specks. Hogg describes the fruit as large, oblong obovate pyriform, grass green, much covered with russet and russet dots. Stalk long, stout. Calyx small, open. Basin deep, uneven. Flesh yellowish, coarse-grained, juicy, melting, sweet, vinous, with a peculiar flavor unlike any other pear. November.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Huyshe Prince Consort.
- Jour. Hort. 12:89, fig. 72. 1862.
- Bunyard Handb. Hardy Fr. 180. 1920.
Fruited in 1864 by the Rev. John Huyshe of Cullompton, Devon, Eng., from Beurré d'Arenberg fertilised by Passe Colmar. Fruit very large, oblong, uneven and bossed in outline, grass-green becoming sometimes yellowish-green, thickly covered with large russet dots; flesh yellow, with a greenish tinge, melting, rather crisp, very juicy, sweet, vinous, with a very powerful and peculiar flavor unlike any other pear; a first quality, delicious fruit; Nov.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Huyshe's Prince Consort. Medium, pyriform, greenish-yellow; buttery, a little coarse, half melting; very good. November. English. New.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)HUYSHE'S PRINCE CONSORT. Her. Pom., II., 68. Dessert, December to January, large, 3 by 4½, long pyriform, uneven. Skin, rough. Colour, pale yellowgreen, very much netted with thin russet. Flesh, yellow, melting, with a delicious aroma and flavour. Eye, small, open, in a deep wide basin. Stem, long, very stout, generally obliquely inserted. Growth, moderate ; fertility fair. Origin, raised by the Rev. J. Huyshe, of Clyst Hydon (Beurré d'Arenberg × Passe Colmar). First fruited in 1864. Quite distinct from Prince Albert, a seedling of Van Mons. This is now seldom met with, but is quite worthy of a place in collections.