Jaminette
PearOrigin & History
Raised by M. Jaminette, of Metz, in France (Downing, Thomas). Hedrick gives a different account, attributing the variety to a seedling in the garden of M. Pyrolle early in the nineteenth century.
Tree
Vigorous, a very strong grower on the quince (Thomas). Not an early bearer (Elliott), but very productive (Downing); Elliott notes it proved "a great bearer, and one of the best of Winter Pears." Young wood dull yellow brown (Downing). Shoots somewhat reddish-green, erect, diverging (Thomas).
Fruit
Size. Medium to large. Downing says medium or large; Thomas says medium or rather large; Elliott says above medium; Hedrick says medium.
Form. Varying in form. Mostly obovate, a good deal narrower at the stalk (Downing). Obovate-pyriform, approaching obovate, small specimens roundish-turbinate, varying; crown broad (Thomas). Obovate obtuse pyriform (Elliott). Turbinate-obtuse (Hedrick).
Skin. Green to yellowish-green, paler at maturity (Downing), considerably marked with russety brown, especially near the stalk, and sprinkled with numerous brown dots (Downing). Hedrick describes it as pale yellowish-green, dotted and reticulated all over with gray-russet. Elliott says green, with russety brown dots and patches. Thomas says yellowish-green, with some brownish-russet, dots numerous, often confluent.
Stem. Scarcely an inch long, rather thick, and obliquely planted, without any depression (Downing). Three-fourths to an inch long, thick (Thomas). Stout (Elliott).
Cavity. Little or none (Thomas). Downing describes the stalk as planted without any depression, consistent with Thomas.
Calyx. Open (Downing, Elliott). Thomas describes it differently: small, erect, stiff.
Basin. Of moderate depth (Downing). Round, even (Thomas).
Flesh & Flavor. White, a little gritty near the core, but very juicy and buttery, sweet; rated "good to very good" (Downing). Elliott agrees: white, rather gritty at core, juicy, sweet; rated "good." Thomas describes the flesh as juicy, melting, buttery, sweet, of good flavor. Hedrick gives the flesh as yellowish, semi-fine and semi-melting, very juicy, sugary, vinous and aromatic on light soils, but insipid and without perfume on clayey and humid land; rated first quality.
Core & Seeds. Not described in source.
Season
November to January (Downing, Hedrick). November, December (Elliott). Late autumn and early winter (Thomas).
Uses
Regarded as one of the best winter pears (Elliott). Downing calls it "an excellent winter fruit" in favorable seasons.
Subtypes & Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Jaminette.
Sabine. Wilhelmine. Bergamotte Cheminette. D'Austrasie. Josephine. Sabine Van Mons. Beurre d'Austrasie. Colmar Jaminette. Beurre Saint Helier. Belle d'Austrasie. Crassane d'Austrasie. Tyrolle.
Raised by M. Jaminette, of Metz, very productive, and in favorable seasons an excellent winter fruit. Young wood dull yellow brown.
Fruit of medium or large size, varying in form, but mostly obovate, a good deal narrower at the stalk, clear green, paler at maturity, considerably marked with russety brown, especially near the stalk, and sprinkled with numerous brown dots. Stalk scarcely an inch long, rather thick, and obliquely planted, without any depression. Calyx open, set in a basin of moderate depth. Flesh white, a little gritty near the core, but very juicy and buttery, sweet. Good to very good. November to January.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Jaminette.
- Kenrick Am. Orch. 195. 1832. 2. Pom. France 5: No. 116, Pl. 116. 1865.
From a seedling in the garden of M. Pyrolle early in the nineteenth century. Fruit medium, turbinate-obtuse, pale yellowish-green, dotted and reticulated all over with gray-russet; flesh yellowish, semi-fine and semi-melting, very juicy, sugary, vinous and aromatic on light soils, but insipid and without perfume on clayey and humid land; first; Nov. to Jan.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Jaminette.
Josephine, | Sabine, | Beurré D'Austrasie, Colmar Jaminette, | D'Austrasie, | Wilhelmine.
Foreign. Tree, vigorous, not an early bearer. Fruit, above medium, obovate obtuse pyriform, green, with russety brown dots and patches: stem, stout; calyx, open; flesh, white, rather gritty at core, juicy, sweet; "good." November, December. This has proved with us, for two years past, a great bearer, and one of the best of Winter Pears.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Jaminette. (Josephine.) Medium or rather large, obovate-pyriform, approaching obovate, small specimens roundish-turbinate, varying; crown broad; skin yellowish-green, with some brownish-russet, dots numerous, often confluent; stalk three-fourths to an inch long, thick; cavity little or none; calyx small, erect, stiff; basin round, even, flesh juicy, melting, buttery, sweet, of good flavor. Late autumn and early winter. Shoots somewhat reddish-green, erect, diverging. Origin, Metz, in France. A very strong grower on the quince.