Madame Cuissard

Madame Cuissard

Origin / History

Raised by Cuissard and Barret, nurserymen at Ecully-les-Lyon (Ecully, near Lyons), France. Obtained in 1865 and placed on the market in 1867. Downing describes it as a seedling of M. Cuissard. Referenced in Leroy, Dict. Pom. 2:375, fig. 1869.

Tree

Moderately vigorous, productive. (Hedrick provides no tree description beyond what is given by Downing.)

Fruit

Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as medium in size and roundish obtuse pyriform in shape. Hedrick describes it as above medium, oblong and obtuse, swelled at its lower part and generally more enlarged on one side than the other.

Stem: Rather long, curved (Downing).

Cavity: Small (Downing).

Calyx: Closed or nearly so (Downing).

Basin: Medium, slightly corrugated (Downing).

Skin: Downing describes the skin as pale greenish yellow, with many green and brown dots. Hedrick describes it as fine, golden-yellow, sprinkled with large gray dots and some russet markings, and more or less stained with clear brown around the stem.

Flesh and Flavor: Both sources agree the flesh is white and melting. Downing characterizes the texture as a little coarse; Hedrick as semi-fine and gritty at the center. On juice, the sources conflict: Downing calls the fruit juicy; Hedrick states the juice is deficient. On flavor, Downing describes it as sweet, with very slight acid or vinous character, and rates it good. Hedrick describes it as rather savory but slightly acerb, and rates it second.

Core / Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Hedrick places it at mid-August. Downing gives the last of August and the first of September.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.