Limon
PearLimon
Origin / History
A Belgian pear, originated by Van Mons as one of his seedlings. Elliott enters it as Van Mons's No. 8 and Downing as his No. 10. Hedrick cites the Magazine of Horticulture (8:57, 1842) and Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (802, 1869). Elliott, writing in 1865, says, "This promises to take a first-class rank." Downing calls it "a fine sprightly Belgian Pear."
Tree
Moderately vigorous (Elliott). Young shoots long, slender, reddish brown.
Fruit
Size: Rather small to above medium; Downing calls it rather small, Elliott above medium.
Form: Obovate, roundish obovate in Elliott's account, sometimes slightly pyriform (Thomas).
Stem: An inch and a half long, rather stout (Downing). Elliott calls it rather short.
Cavity: Round, even, shallow (Thomas) to moderately depressed (Downing).
Calyx: Slightly sunk (Thomas).
Basin: Shallow to rather shallow, round.
Skin: Yellow to light yellow, with a faint red cheek; Thomas describes the blush as reddish brown.
Dots: Not described in source.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, buttery, melting, juicy, of fine texture. Downing gives a sprightly high flavor; Thomas gives a mild, sweet flavor, slightly perfumed. Downing rates it "very good"; Elliott calls it nearly "best."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
August, the middle of August by Downing's account; late summer (Thomas).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1849) from Massachusetts
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849 — listed as Beurré Haggerston
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)LIMON.
No. 8 of Van Mons. | Beurre Haggenton.
Foreign. This promises to take a first-class rank. Tree, moderately vigorous; shoots, long, slender, reddish brown. Fruit, above medium, obovate roundish, yellow, with faint red cheek: stem, rather short; basin, shallow; flesh, white, melting, juicy, nearly "best." August.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Limon.
No. 10. Van Mons. Beurre Haggerston. Bergamotte Louise.
A fine sprightly Belgian Pear, originated by Van Mons. The young shoots are long, slender, reddish brown.
Fruit rather small, obovate, yellow, with a faint red cheek. Stalk an inch and a half long, rather stout, set in a moderately depressed round cavity. Calyx set in a rather shallow round basin. Flesh white, buttery, melting, and juicy, with a sprightly high flavor. Very good. Middle of August.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Limon. (Hagerston.) Size medium; obovate, sometimes slightly pyriform ; light yellow, with a reddish-brown blush; stalk an inch and a half long; cavity round, even, shallow; calyx slightly sunk ; flesh buttery, melting, of fine texture, with a mild, sweet flavor slightly perfumed. Late summer. Shoots long, slender, reddish-brown. Belgian.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Limon.
- Mag. Hort. 8:57. 1842.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 802. 1869.
A Van Mons seedling. Fruit rather small, obovate, yellow, with a faint red cheek; flesh white, buttery, melting and juicy, with a sprightly flavor; very good; mid-Aug.