Léon Leclerc de Laval
PearLéon Leclerc de Laval
Origin / History
Foreign (Elliott). Raised by Van Mons at Louvain in 1825. Bunyard says it was dedicated to Van Mons's friend and fellow pear raiser Le Clerc, of Laval. Hedrick states that it is different from Léon Leclerc (Van Mons).
Tree
Growth stout and compact; fertility good and regular. Leaf upfolded, down hanging (Bunyard).
Fruit
Size: Rather large to very large, most authors calling it large. Bunyard gives very large, 3½ by 4.
Form: Obovate to turbinate-obtuse-pyriform. Bunyard calls it long pyriform, uneven.
Stem: Unusually long, woody, curved (Bunyard).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Eye large, a little open (Bunyard).
Basin: Wide, shallow (Bunyard).
Skin: Rough (Bunyard). Yellow, greenish yellow, or yellow-ochre, marked with russet, and occasionally flushed or washed with a little red. The russet takes the form of a few spots, some tracings, or bold patches. Thomas places it at the end, and Bunyard especially round the stem.
Dots: Russet. Fine and gray-russet according to Hedrick; bold according to Bunyard.
Flesh and flavor: White to very white, firm, juicy, crisp, breaking. Hedrick gives semi-melting or semi-breaking, watery, gritty, sweet, slightly perfumed. Thomas calls it "of moderate quality."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
A winter pear (Thomas). The recorded season runs from December into June. Elliott gives December to February; Hedrick and Bunyard carry it later, January to May or June.
Uses
Culinary; for cooking and stewing. Hedrick rates it "third for dessert, first for stewing." The flesh does not turn red in cooking (Bunyard).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Bunyard cites Herefordshire Pomona (Her. Pom., II., 60). Hedrick cites Pomologie de la France (Pom. France 3: No. 99, Pl. 99, 1865) and Hogg's Fruit Manual (Hogg Fruit Man. 603, 1884).
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
- Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920) — listed as LEON LE CLERC DE LAVAL
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Leon Le Clerc
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Leon le Clerc
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1845–1849) from Massachusetts
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845 — listed as Leon Le Clerc
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849 — listed as Leon Le Clerc
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Leon Le Clerc. Leon Le Clerc de Laval. Foreign. Large, obovate, yellow, few russet spots. December, February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Leon le Clerc. Rather large, obovate, greenish-yellow, russet at the end; flesh crisp, firm, of moderate quality—cooking. Winter.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)LEON LE CLERC DE LAVAL. Her. Pom., II., 60. (Leon le Clerc.) Culinary, January to June, very large, 3½ by 4, long pyriform, uneven. Skin, rough. Colour, greenish yellow with bold russet dots and patches, especially round the stem, and occasionally flushed red. Flesh, white, firm, juicy, breaking, does not turn red in cooking. Eye, large, a little open, in a wide, shallow basin. Stem, unusually long, woody, curved. Growth, stout and compact ; fertility good and regular. Leaf, upfolded, down hanging. Origin, raised by Van Mons at Louvain in 1825, and dedicated to his friend and fellow pear raiser Le Clerc, of Laval.
Liart : see Napoleon.
Lindsey : see Idaho.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Léon Leclerc de Laval", pp. 195–195]
LEON LE CLERC DE LAVAL. Her. Pom., II., 60· (Leon le Clerc.) Culinary, January to June, very large, 3½ by 4, long pyriform, uneven. Skin, rough. Colour, greenish yellow with bold russet dots and patches, especially round the stem, and occasionally flushed red. Flesh, white, firm, juicy, breaking, does not turn red in cooking. Eye, large, a little open, in a wide, shallow basin. Stem, unusually long, woody, curved. Growth, stout and compact ; fertility good and regular. Leaf, upfolded, down hanging. Origin, raised by Van Mons at Louvain in 1825, and dedicated to his friend and fellow pear raiser Le Clerc, of Laval.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Léon Leclerc de Laval,
- Pom. France 3:No. 99, Pl. 99. 1865.
- Hogg Fruit Man. 603. 1884. This, which is different from Léon Leclerc (Van Mons), was obtained at Louvain in 1825 by Van Mons. Fruit large, turbinate-obtuse-pyriform, yellow-ochre, finely dotted with gray-russet and marked with some tracing of russet, occasionally washed with a little red; flesh very white, semi-melting or semi-breaking, watery, gritty, juicy, sweet, slightly perfumed; third for dessert, first for stewing; Jan. to May.