Jaminette
PearOrigin/History
Raised by M. Jaminette of Metz, France (Downing; Thomas). Hedrick attributes its origin to a seedling in the garden of M. Pyrolle in the early nineteenth century. Elliott describes it as foreign and notes it had proved, for two years past at the time of his writing, "a great bearer, and one of the best of Winter Pears." Cited in Kenrick's American Orchardist (1832) and Pomologie de la France Vol. 5, No. 116, Pl. 116 (1865) (Hedrick).
Tree
Very productive (Downing). Vigorous, but not an early bearer (Elliott). A very strong grower on the quince (Thomas). Young wood dull yellow brown (Downing). Shoots somewhat reddish-green, erect, diverging (Thomas).
Fruit
Size: Medium or large (Downing); medium (Hedrick); above medium (Elliott); medium or rather large (Thomas).
Form: Varying in form, but mostly obovate, a good deal narrower at the stalk (Downing); turbinate-obtuse (Hedrick); obovate obtuse pyriform (Elliott); obovate-pyriform, approaching obovate, with small specimens roundish-turbinate, varying; crown broad (Thomas).
Stem/Stalk: Scarcely an inch long, rather thick, and obliquely planted, without any depression (Downing); stout (Elliott); three-fourths to an inch long, thick (Thomas).
Cavity: Without any depression (Downing); little or none (Thomas).
Calyx: Open (Downing; Elliott); small, erect, stiff (Thomas).
Basin: Of moderate depth (Downing); round, even (Thomas).
Skin: Clear green, paler at maturity, considerably marked with russety brown, especially near the stalk, and sprinkled with numerous brown dots (Downing); pale yellowish-green, dotted and reticulated all over with gray-russet (Hedrick); green, with russety brown dots and patches (Elliott); yellowish-green, with some brownish-russet, dots numerous, often confluent (Thomas).
Flesh/Flavor: White, a little gritty near the core, but very juicy and buttery, sweet; good to very good (Downing). 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 [quality] (Hedrick). White, rather gritty at core, juicy, sweet; "good" (Elliott). Juicy, melting, buttery, sweet, of good flavor (Thomas).
Core/Seeds: Not described in source beyond gritty texture near the core noted by Downing and Elliott.
Season
November to January (Downing; Hedrick). November, December (Elliott). Late autumn and early winter (Thomas). In favorable seasons an excellent winter fruit (Downing); one of the best of Winter Pears (Elliott).
Uses
Dessert/table pear (implied by quality rating and season descriptions).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Hedrick specifically notes the variety's sensitivity to soil: sugary, vinous, and aromatic on light soils, but insipid and without perfume on clayey and humid land — an important identification/cultivation note.
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)
— 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.