Le Lectier

Pear

Le Lectier

Origin/History

Auguste Lesueur, a horticulturist at Orléans, France, obtained this late winter pear about 1882 as a cross between Bartlett and Fortunée. It was named after Le Lectier, the great pomologist of Orléans, who was cultivating approximately 260 varieties of pears in the year 1628. The variety was introduced about 1889. In France, Le Lectier has been described as greatly superior in flavor, aroma, and sweetness to established varieties of the same class. In 1894, the Royal Horticultural Society of London recommended this variety for cultivation in England.

Tree

Medium in size, vigorous, upright, dense-topped, very productive. Trunk and branches medium in thickness and smoothness. Branchlets thick, curved, light brownish-red, tinged with green and overspread with grayish scarf-skin, glabrous, sprinkled with numerous raised, conspicuous lenticels.

Leaf-buds very small, short, pointed, plump, free. Leaves 2¼ inches long, 1¼ inches wide, thick; apex taper-pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; petiole 2½ inches long, slender.

Flower-buds short, conical, plump, free, singly on very short spurs. Flowers showy, 1¼ inches across; 8 or 10 buds in a cluster; pedicels ⅝ inch long.

Fruit

Form and Size: Large, elongated-obovate-pyriform, often with a narrow neck.

Stem: Slender, rather short, enlarged at both ends, inserted obliquely.

Cavity: Irregular, often lipped.

Calyx: Variable in size, partly open.

Basin: Variable in size, abrupt, irregular.

Skin: Glossy, thin, with uneven surface. Color yellow, mottled and faintly blushed on the exposed cheek with yellowish-bronze. Dots inconspicuous, small.

Flesh and Flavor: White, fine-grained, melting, juicy, sweet, pleasantly aromatic. Quality very good.

Season

Ripens December to January.

Uses and Cultivation

In size and beauty of fruit, Le Lectier surpasses most of its associates. The quality is first rate in soils and climates to which the variety is suited. The fine, large fruits would be most acceptable for either home or market use. However, the tree, while very satisfactory in some situations, is capricious to both soils and climates, and is seldom at home on the Atlantic side of the continent. In Europe, it grows best on warm, rich soils. The late season—December and January—is advantageous, as good pears are scarce at that time.

Book Sources

Described in 1 period pomological work

Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 6 catalogs (1897–1917) from England

Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917

View original book sources (1)

LE LECTIER

Mathieu Nom. Pom. 246. 1889. 2. Guide Prat. 95. 1895. 3. Rev. Hort. 466. 1899. 4. Garden 59:14, 93, 124. 1901. 5. Soc. Nat. Hort. France Pom. 420, fig. 1904. 6. Cat. Cong. Pom. France 287, fig. 1906.

In size and beauty of fruit, Le Lectier surpasses most of its associates, and the quality is first rate in soils and climates to which the variety is suited. Unfortunately the tree, while very satisfactory in some situations, is capricious to both soils and climates, and is seldom at home on this side of the Atlantic. The season is December and January, when good pears are scarce, and it would seem that the fine, large fruits of this pear would be most acceptable for either home or market if it could be made to thrive. In Europe, it grows best on warm, rich soils.

Auguste Lesueur, a horticulturist at Orléans, France, obtained this late winter pear about 1882 as a cross between Bartlett and Fortunée. It was named after Le Lectier, the great pomologist of Orléans, who was growing in the year 1628 about 260 varieties of pears. The variety was introduced about 1889. In France, Le Lectier has been described as greatly superior in flavor, aroma, and sweetness to varieties of the same class having established reputations. In 1894, the Royal Horticultural Society of London recommended this variety for cultivation in England.

Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright, dense-topped, very productive; trunk and branches medium in thickness and smoothness; branchlets thick, curved, light brownish-red, tinged with green and overspread with grayish scarf-skin, glabrous, sprinkled with numerous raised, conspicuous lenticels.

Leaf-buds very small, short, pointed, plump, free. Leaves 2¼ in. long, 1¼ in. wide, thick; apex taper-pointed; margin glandular, finely serrate; petiole 2½ in. long, slender. Flower-buds short, conical, plump, free, singly on very short spurs; flowers showy, 1¼ in. across, 8 or 10 buds in a cluster; pedicels ⅝ in. long.

Fruit ripens December to January; large, elongated-obovate-pyriform, often with a narrow neck; stem slender, rather short, enlarged at both ends, inserted obliquely; cavity irregular, often lipped; calyx variable in size, partly open; basin variable in size, abrupt, irregular; skin glossy, thin, with uneven surface; color yellow, mottled and faintly blushed on the exposed cheek with yellowish-bronze; dots inconspicuous, small; flesh white, fine-grained, melting, juicy, sweet, pleasantly aromatic; quality very good.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)