THE LOUISE BONNE OF JERSEY PEAR.

Louise Bonne of Jersey. Hort. Soc. Catalogue, 3d Ed. 1842. Louise Bonne d'Avranches, } Beurré ou Bonne Louise Auranches, } Hort. Soc. Cat. 3d Ed. 1842. William the Fourth, } Bergamot d'Avranches, } of some French Collections. Poire de Jersey, }

The Louise Bonne of Jersey is one of the finest pears which has been recently introduced, and it will undoubtedly become as popular a variety as the now widely disseminated, and justly esteemed, Williams's Bon Chrétien. It has not only the qualities of size, beauty, productiveness, and keeping well, but it is of the most hardy character; and, according to Mr. Thompson, "more than rivals the Marie Louise," one of the richest pears, even in the climate of England. So far as it has been proved here, after several years' experience, it can be recommended as an indispensable addition to even the smallest collection.

The Louise Bonne of Jersey is, without much doubt, a French pear. The London Horticultural Society first received it from the Island of Jersey, in 1820, and so named it to distinguish it from the old Louise Bonne of pomologists. According, however, to French writers, it was originated at Avranches, in 1788, by M. de Longueval, and its original name was Beurre de Longueval; but as it was somewhat extensively disseminated under the name of Louise Bonne d'Avranches, that became its popular title among French cultivators, and one which it ought to retain. Under this name we found it cultivated in all the principal nurseries around Paris, in the autumn of 1844.

Few varieties of the pear combine all the good characteristics of this. It is admirably adapted for cultivation as a pyramidal tree, or for growing en quenouille. It has, naturally, a very erect and regular habit, and, even without any pruning, forms a beautiful-shaped tree. It succeeds perfectly upon the quince, bearing very young, and producing abundant crops.

Tree.—Vigorous, of an erect and upright habit, the branches at first slightly diverging, but afterwards erect.

Wood.—Dull brownish olive, slightly reddish on the sunny side, dotted with whitish specks, moderately stout, and rather long-jointed; annual growth long, with but few lateral shoots; old wood grayish brown; buds medium size, rather long, inclined towards the branch, and rather sharply pointed: Flower-buds medium size.

Leaves.—Rather small, oblong oval, slightly acuminate, nearly flat, rather coarsely and obtusely serrated; petioles slender, and about an inch in length.

Flowers.—Large; petals roundish, thick, and finely cupped.

Fruit.—Large, about three and a quarter inches long, and two and a half in diameter: Form, pyramidal, nearly regular, occasionally a little angular, large at the crown, and gradually tapering to the stem, near which there is a slight contraction: Skin, fair, smooth, yellowish green, becoming yellower when mature, very broadly suffused with bright glossy red on the sunny side, which shades off abruptly, the surface being covered with large, grayish russet specks, each speck rayed or margined with red: Stem, medium length, about an inch long, stout, smooth, pale brown, with a few grayish specks, often, in large specimens, fleshy, swollen, and slightly wrinkled at its junction with the fruit, and forced into an oblique direction by a projection on one side: Eye, medium size, open, and moderately sunk in an open, furrowed cavity; segments of the calyx medium length, stiff, projecting, rounded: Flesh, yellowish white, fine, melting, buttery, and exceedingly juicy: Flavor, rich, brisk, agreeably perfumed and delicious: Core, medium size: Seeds, medium size, light brown.

Ripe in October, and keeps well for four or five weeks.

— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)

Louise Bonne de Jersey.

Louise Bonne d'Avranches, Beurre or Bonne Louise d'Araudore, William the Fourth.

The "Good Louise of Jersey," from the Isle of Jersey, proves one of the best pears grown on the quince stock in this country. Tree, hardy, very productive, shoots vigorous, upright.

Fruit, large, (our drawings were made ere the fruit had swollen its full size, and are not more than half size,) oblong pyriform; skin, glossy, smooth, green in shade, brownish red in sun, dotted with gray dots; stem, about one inch long, moderately stout, a little curved, fleshy enlargement at base; calyx, open, segments large, reflexed; basin, shallow; core, small; seeds, long, ovate pointed; flesh, white, juicy, melting, delicious. October.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

3. LOUISE BONNE OF JERSEY.

[Syn: Beurré d'Avranches; Bonne d'Avranches; Louise d'Avranches; Bonne de Longueval; Bonne Louise d'Avrandore; William the Fourth.]

This valuable pear was raised at Avranches about the year 1788 by M. Longueval, who at first named it simply "Louise" but subsequently added "Bonne" and it thenceforth became known as "Bonne Louise d'Avranches." The original tree is still in existence in the garden where it was raised. It is cultivated with great success in the island of Jersey, and coming to England in this way, received the name it now bears.

Description.—Fruit, medium sized, pyriform, skin, smooth, yellow on the shaded side, but crimson next the sun, covered with crimson and russety dots. Eye, small and open, set in a rather deep basin. Stalk, three quarters of an inch long, obliquely inserted without depression. Flesh, white, buttery and melting, with a rich, sugary, and brisk vinous flavour.

A very delicious pear—ripe in October. The tree is hardy, and a very good bearer. Its best form of growth is as a pyramid on the quince stock and in this form it should take its place in every garden.

The colouring of this pear on the Plate was very true to the specimen, but it is only coloured so highly in very sunny seasons. An outline of it is given in the Transactions of the Horticultural Society (London,) Vol. II., p. 42.

— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)

Louise Bonne of Jersey.

Bonne de Longneval. Louise Bonne d'Avranches. Louise Bonne de Jersey. Beurré or Bonne Louise d'Araudore. William the Fourth. Bergamotte d'Avranches. De Jersey. Beurré d'Araudore. Bonne Louise d'Araudore. Beurré d'Avranches. Bonne d'Avranches. De Louise. William.

Originated in France, near Avranches, succeeds admirably on the quince, forming a fine pyramid — not of the first quality, but profitable. Tree vigorous, upright, very productive. Fruit of better quality on the quince than on the pear. Young wood dull olive brown.

Fruit large, oblong pyriform, a little one-sided, glossy, pale green in the shade, but overspread with brownish red in the sun, and dotted with numerous gray dots. Stalk about an inch long, curved, rather obliquely inserted, without depression, or with a fleshy, enlarged base. Calyx open, in a shallow, uneven basin. Flesh greenish white, very juicy and melting, with a rich and excellent flavor. Good to very good. September and October.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Louise Bonne of Jersey. See Louis Bonne.

[Additional entry in this volume: "Louise Bonne", pp. 546–546]

Louise Bonne.* (Louise Bonne de Jersey, Louise Bonne d'Avranches.) Large, pyriform, tapering slightly to obtuse or flattened crown; slightly one-sided; surface smooth, pale yellowish-green, with a brownish red cheek; stalk an inch to an inch and a half long, often fleshy at insertion, little sunk; basin shallow; flesh yellowish-white, very juicy, buttery, melting, rich, faintly sub-acid, fine. Ripens mid-autumn; late autumn far North, early autumn at Cincinnati. Very productive; succeeds admirably and is mostly grown on quince stocks. Shoots dark brown or purple; serratures of the leaves rather coarse. This fine variety, like the Bartlett, is hardly of the highest quality, but is eminently valuable for its large, fair fruit, free upright growth, and great productiveness. France. Fig. 704.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Louise Bonne de Jersey. — Large, oblong pyriform, with sides unequal; skin glossy, pale green, with brownish red in the sun; dots gray and numerous; stalk half an inch long, curved, and inserted at one side of neck without cavity; basin shallow, uneven. Flesh greenish white, juicy, melting, with very rich flavor, good to very good. Season, autumn. Grown across the continent. France.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

LOUISE BONNE OF JERSEY. Her. Pom., I., 9. F. Louise Bonne d'Avranches. G. Gute Louise van Avrauches. Dessert, October, medium, 2¾ by 4½, long conical, oval, even. Skin, smooth. Colour, yellowish-green, with red flush and prominent red spots. Flesh, white, very melting, sweet and delicious. Eye, medium, open, in an even, regular russeted basin. Stem, fairly long, woody, in a slight cavity, or on level with surface. Growth, upright, spreading ; fertility great. Leaf, narrow, little upfolded, very boldly crenate, turns very dark yellow-brown. Origin, raised by M. Longueval, of Avranches, France, about 1780. There is another Louise Bonne of older date than this. This is known in France as Louise Bonne d'Avranches. It makes a rather large, well-shaped tree, very highly to be recommended for its quality and regular cropping habits.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

LOUISE BONNE DE JERSEY

1. Kenrick Am. Orch. 148. 1841. 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 53. 1852. 3. Field Pear Cult. 218, fig. 81. 1858.

Louise Bonne of Jersey. 4. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 397, fig. 174. 1845. 5. Hovey Fr. Am. 1:39, Pl. 1851. 6. Jour. Hort. N. S. 38:161, fig. 26. 1880. 7. Hogg Fruit Man. 606. 1884.

Gute Louise von Avranches. 8. Dochnahl Führ. Obstkunde 2:138. 1856. 9. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 229. 1889.

Bonne Louise d'Avranches. 10. Ann. Pom. Belge 6:29, Pl. 1858. 11. Pom. France 2: No. 21, Pl. 21. 1863. 12. Mas Le Verger 3: Pt. I, 67, fig. 32. 1866-73. 13. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:482, fig. 1867. 14. Guide Prat. 286. 1876.

Louise. 15. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 23. 1897. 16. Ont. Dept. Agr. Fr. Ont. 170, fig. 1914.

Now known in America as Louise, a name given it by the American Pomological Society, this variety is described under the name given it in England to distinguish it from at least eight other varieties having Louise as the whole or a part of the name. The pear is an old one, having many excellent qualities of fruit and tree, which, however, are not sufficiently above the average to give it high place in the list of pears for the market. The pears are medium to large, handsome, of excellent quality, and keep and ship well. These qualities have given it some preëminence as a pear for the export trade. The trees are precariously hardy and somewhat subject to blight, but very vigorous, productive, and long-lived. In Europe, the testimony of prominent pomologists agrees that the fruits are better and the trees more productive when worked on the quince, and in America the variety is considered one of the best for dwarfing. This pear is a standard one for home collections, and finds favor in many commercial orchards in New York.

The parent tree of this pear was raised from seed about 1780 by M. de Longueval, Avranches, Normandy. Some authorities say that the variety was first named Bonne de Longueval; others, that M. de Longueval immediately dedicated the pear to his wife and called it Bonne Louise de Longueval. Later still, the Pomological Congress adopted the name of Bonne Louise d'Avranches, by which it became more generally known, though in England, it rather unfortunately became widely disseminated as Louise Bonne de Jersey, having, presumably, found its way there through the Channel Islands. The variety was brought to the United States early in the nineteenth century, and in 1852 was entered in the recommended list of fruits of the American Pomological Society. In 1897, this Society shortened the name to Louise.

Tree large, vigorous, upright, very tall, dense-topped, hardy, productive, long-lived; trunk stocky; branches slightly zigzag, reddish-brown mingled with very dark grayish scarfskin, with numerous raised lenticels; branchlets slender, long, dark reddish-brown, nearly smooth, glabrous, with few small, slightly raised lenticels.

Leaf-buds pointed, semi-free. Leaves 3½ in. long, 1½ in. wide, much curled under at the margins, oval, leathery; apex slightly taper-pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 1½ in. long, slender. Flower-buds small, conical or pointed, free; flowers with a disagreeable odor, 1¼ in. across, white or tinged with pink along the edge of the petals, averaging 6 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1¼ in. long, slender, pubescent, light green.

Fruit matures in October; medium to large, 2½ in. long, 2¼ in. wide, uniform in size and shape, oblong-pyriform, somewhat irregular, with unequal sides; stem 1 in. long, slender, usually curved; cavity obtuse, very shallow and very narrow, furrowed and wrinkled, often lipped, the flesh folded up around the stem; calyx open, large; lobes broad, acute; basin obtuse, furrowed and uneven; skin granular, smooth; color pale yellow, marked on the exposed cheek with a dull red blush and with streaks of russet; dots numerous, small, grayish or russet, conspicuous; flesh yellowish-white, somewhat granular, tender and melting, very juicy, sweet and vinous, aromatic, rich; quality very good. Core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.

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

LOUISE BONNE DE JERSEY. Louise. Now known in America as Louise, this variety is described here under the name used in English and American pomologies to distinguish it from at least eight other varieties having Louise as the whole or a part of the name. The variety has many excellent qualities of fruit and tree, which, however, are not sufficiently above the average to give it high place in the list of pears for the market. The fruits are medium to large, handsome, of excellent quality and keep and ship well. The trees are precariously hardy and somewhat subject to blight, but very vigorous, productive, and long-lived. In Europe, the fruits are better and the trees more productive when worked on the quince, and in America the variety is considered one of the best for dwarfing. This pear is a standard one for home collections, and finds favor in many commercial orchards.

The parent tree of this pear was raised from seed about 1780 by M. de Longueval, Avranches, Normandy.

Tree large, vigorous, upright, very tall, dense-topped, hardy, productive, long-lived; trunk stocky; branches slightly zigzag, reddish-brown, with numerous raised lenticels. Leaves 3¾ inches long, 1¾ inches wide, much curled under at the margin, oval, leathery; apex slightly taper-pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 1¾ inches long, slender. Flowers with a disagreeable odor, 1½ inches across, white or sometimes faintly tinged with pink along the edge of the petals, averaging 4 buds in a cluster. Fruit matures in October; medium to large, often 2¾ inches long, 2¼ inches wide, oblong-pyriform, somewhat irregular; stem 1 inch long, slender, usually curved; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, furrowed and wrinkled, often lipped, the flesh folded up around the stem; calyx open, large; lobes broad, acute; basin obtuse, furrowed and uneven; skin granular, smooth; color pale yellow, marked on the exposed cheek with a dull pinkish-red blush and with streaks of russet; dots numerous, small, grayish or russet, conspicuous; flesh yellowish-white, tender and melting, very juicy; sweet, aromatic, rich; quality very good; core closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acute.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)

Planted Spring 1890. Tree a vigorous grower and productive. Fruit of medium size, oblong, pyriform. Skin pale green with a dull red cheek in the sun. Flesh greenish white, juicy, melting, flavour rich. Season September and October.

Planted Spring 1896. Tree a vigorous grower.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)

large and handsome, medium, melting, juicy and fragrant One of the finest dessert pears Sept. & Oct.

— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)