Madame Favre

Pear

Madame Favre

Origin/History

A chance seedling obtained by M. Favre of Chalons (Shalon-sur-Marne), France; Hedrick identifies him as president of the section of Arboriculture of the Agricultural Society of Shalon-sur-Marne. The variety first fruited in 1861. Cited in Leroy, Dictionnaire de Pomologie 2:379, fig. 1869, and in the Illustrated Monthly.

Tree

Very strong, upright, pyramidal habit; an early and abundant bearer. (Downing.)

Fruit

Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as large, roundish obovate, a little obtuse. Hedrick describes it as above medium and often larger, globular, with the surface unequal and bossed.

Stem: Rather long, quite strong, set in a slight depression. (Downing.)

Cavity: Slight depression at the stem. (Downing.)

Calyx: Large, open. (Downing.)

Basin: Quite deep and rather abrupt. (Downing.)

Skin: Pale greenish yellow with numerous traces and splashes of russet (Downing). Hedrick describes it as rough, greenish-yellow, dotted, streaked, marbled, and stained with gray-russet, with a vermilioned cheek on the sun-exposed side.

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh whitish (Downing) / white (Hedrick), very fine, melting. Juice abundant, very sugary, vinous, and deliciously perfumed (Hedrick). Downing adds: juicy, sweet, and of a delicate flavor.

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Conflicting: Downing gives October–November. Hedrick gives end of August, rating it "first" quality at that time. These may reflect different climates, different selections under the same name, or error in one source.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Madame Favre.

A chance seedling discovered by M. Favre, of Chalons, France. Tree very strong, upright, pyramid, an early and abundant bearer.

Fruit large, roundish obovate, a little obtuse; skin pale greenish yellow, with numerous traces and splashes of russet; stalk rather long, quite strong, set in a slight depression; calyx large, open; basin quite deep, and rather abrupt; flesh whitish, fine, melting, juicy, sweet, and of a delicate flavor. October, November.—Illustrated Monthly.

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

Madame Favre.

i. Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:379, fig. 1869.

Obtained by M. Favre, president of the section of Arboriculture of the Agricultural Society of Shalon-sur-Marne, Fr.; it first fruited in 1861. Fruit above medium and often larger, globular surface unequal and bossed; skin rough, greenish-yellow, dotted, streaked, marbled, stained with gray-russet and vermilioned on the cheek next the sun; flesh white, very fine, melting; juice abundant, very sugary, vinous, deliciously perfumed; first; end of Aug.

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