Jules d'Airoles (Grégoire)
Pear
Jules d'Airoles (Grégoire)
Origin/History
Raised by M. Xavier Grégoire at Jodoigne, Belgium, and first published in 1857. Described and figured in Mas, Pomologie Générale 1:105, fig. 53 (1872), and cited in Leroy. Downing notes that a second, distinct pear exists under a nearly identical name — Jules d'Airoles (De Leon Leclerc), a seedling of Leon Leclerc raised at Laval, France, and dedicated to the same individual, M. de Liron d'Airoles. Downing warns explicitly: "M. de Liron d'Airoles having accepted the dedication of these two pears, it is necessary to be careful that the two be not confounded."
Tree
Quite vigorous, with rather long, stout branches, making an upright, regular head; moderately productive. (Downing.)
Fruit
Size: Above medium (Downing); medium or rather large (Hedrick).
Form: Downing describes the fruit as slightly inclining to turbinate. Hedrick describes it as spherical but somewhat irregular, often a little bossed or deformed in contour.
Stem: Long, slender, curved at the upper end. (Downing.)
Cavity: Small. (Downing.)
Basin: Shallow. (Downing.)
Skin: The two sources differ substantially in their skin descriptions. Downing (citing Leroy) describes the mature skin as a little rough, thick, bright yellow, partly covered with large dots, marbled and streaked with brownish red. Hedrick describes the skin as rather firm and rough to the touch, bright green speckled with very numerous, irregular, blackish dots; at maturity the basic green becomes whitish-yellow. The dot character also differs: Downing notes large dots with brownish-red marblings, while Hedrick emphasizes very numerous, irregular, blackish dots on a green ground.
Flesh: Downing: yellowish white, fine, melting, a little coarse at the core. Hedrick: white, semi-fine, buttery, melting, gritty at center.
Flavor: Downing: juicy, sugary, slightly vinous, and pleasantly perfumed. Hedrick: juice abundant, sugary, slightly acid and perfumed. The two sources conflict on the vinous/acid character; both agree on the sugary and perfumed qualities. Hedrick rates quality as "good."
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Last of October to the last of November (Downing, after Leroy). October (Hedrick).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The two sources differ on fruit form (turbinate vs. spherical) and on skin appearance (yellow with brownish-red markings vs. green with blackish dots becoming whitish-yellow at maturity), which may reflect observations at different stages of ripeness, different regional growing conditions, or imprecision in one or both sources. Both agree on the rough-textured skin, the melting, juicy, sugary, and perfumed flesh, gritty texture near the center, and the late October–November ripening window.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Jules d'Airoles (De Leon Leclerc).
A seedling of Leon Leclerc, raised at Laval, France, and dedicated to his friend, M. de Liron d'Airoles. Tree moderately vigorous, rather upright, a good but not very prolific bearer.
Fruit medium, roundish pyriform, a little elongated, and slightly obtuse, regular; skin pale greenish yellow, often shaded with crimson in the sun, partially netted and traced with russet, and many russet dots; stalk long, slender, curved; cavity small, nearly regular; flesh whitish yellow, half fine, juicy, melting, sweet, a little vinous, slightly aromatic, and of very good quality. Ripening the last of November and the first of December.
Jules d'Airoles (De X. Gregoire).
This pear was produced at Jodoigne (Belgium), in 1857, by Xavier Gregoire, a distinguished pomologist. Tree quite vigorous, with rather long, stout branches, making an upright, regular head; moderately productive.
Fruit above medium, slightly inclining to turbinate; stem long, slender, curved at the upper end; cavity small; basin shallow; skin a little rough, thick, bright yellow, partly covered with large dots, marbled, and streaked with brownish red; flesh yellowish white, fine, melting, a little coarse at the core, juicy, sugary, slightly vinous, and pleasantly perfumed. Season last of October to the last of November. (Leroy.)
M. de Liron d'Airoles having accepted the dedication of these two pears, it is necessary to be careful that the two be not confounded.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Jules d'Airoles (Grégoire).
- Mas Pom. Gen. 1:105, fig. 53. 1872.
Raised by M. Xavier Grégoire, Jodoigne, Bel., and first published in 1857. Fruit medium or rather large, spherical but somewhat irregular, often a little bossed or deformed in contour; skin rather firm and rough to the touch, bright green speckled with very numerous, irregular, blackish dots; at maturity the basic green becomes whitish-yellow; flesh white, semi-fine, buttery, melting, gritty at center; juice abundant, sugary, slightly acid and perfumed; good; Oct.