Léon Leclerc de Laval
PearLéon Leclerc de Laval
Origin / History
Raised by Van Mons at Louvain in 1825 (Bunyard; Hedrick). Bunyard records that the variety was dedicated to Van Mons's friend and fellow pear-raiser Le Clerc, of Laval. Hedrick notes explicitly that this variety is different from Léon Leclerc (Van Mons). Elliott (1865) classifies it simply as "Foreign." Bunyard cites Herefordshire Pomona, II., 60; Hedrick cites Pomologie de la France 3:No. 99, Pl. 99 (1865) and Hogg's Fruit Manual 603 (1884).
Tree
Growth stout and compact; fertility good and regular (Bunyard). Leaf upfolded, down-hanging (Bunyard). Other tree characteristics not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Large (Elliott); rather large (Thomas); very large, 3½ by 4 inches (Bunyard); large (Hedrick).
Form: Obovate (Elliott; Thomas); long pyriform, uneven (Bunyard); turbinate-obtuse-pyriform (Hedrick).
Stem: Unusually long, woody, curved (Bunyard). Not otherwise described.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx / Eye: Large, a little open (Bunyard).
Basin: Wide and shallow (Bunyard).
Skin: Rough (Bunyard). Color yellow with few russet spots (Elliott); greenish-yellow, russet at the end (Thomas); greenish yellow with bold russet dots and patches, especially round the stem, and occasionally flushed red (Bunyard); yellow-ochre, finely dotted with gray-russet and marked with some tracing of russet, occasionally washed with a little red (Hedrick).
Flesh / Flavor: Crisp, firm, of moderate quality—cooking (Thomas); white, firm, juicy, breaking, does not turn red in cooking (Bunyard); very white, semi-melting or semi-breaking, watery, gritty, juicy, sweet, slightly perfumed (Hedrick). Note that Bunyard and Hedrick partially conflict on texture: Bunyard calls the flesh "firm … breaking," while Hedrick calls it "semi-melting or semi-breaking" and "watery."
Core / Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
December–February (Elliott); Winter (Thomas); Culinary, January to June (Bunyard); January to May (Hedrick).
Uses
Culinary / cooking pear (Thomas; Bunyard). Hedrick rates it "third for dessert, first for stewing." Bunyard notes that the flesh does not turn red in cooking.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Hedrick explicitly distinguishes Léon Leclerc de Laval from the separate variety Léon Leclerc (Van Mons), both raised by Van Mons.
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
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.