Madame Millet

Pear

Madame Millet

Origin / History

Raised by Charles Millet of Ath, Belgium, in 1840 (Hedrick). Thomas describes it as French.

Tree

Tree moderately vigorous. Young wood olive brown (Downing). Not described further in sources.

Fruit

Size and Form: Sources conflict on size: Downing and Thomas describe the fruit as medium; Hedrick describes it as large. Form obovate pyriform (Downing), or short-obovate to turbinate (Hedrick), obovate (Thomas); rather uneven in its outline (Hedrick).

Stem: Stalk long, stout, curved, set in a slight cavity with a lip (Downing).

Cavity: Slight, with a lip at the stalk insertion (Downing).

Calyx: Open; segments short, erect (Downing).

Basin: Rather small, uneven (Downing).

Skin: Pale yellow ground, much covered, netted, patched, and dotted with light russet (Downing). Thomas describes the russet as rich.

Flesh / Flavor: Flesh whitish (Downing). Sources conflict on texture: Downing says not melting; Hedrick says semi-melting and tender; Thomas says half melting. All sources agree the flesh is juicy (Downing, Hedrick). Flavor slightly vinous, a little aromatic (Downing); richly flavored (Hedrick); rich, perfumed, agreeable (Thomas). Quality rated Good (Downing); first quality (Hedrick).

Core / Seeds: Not described in sources.

Season

Downing gives a broad window of November to April. Hedrick gives March and April. Thomas gives March. The convergence of all three sources on the March–April window suggests that is the prime eating season; Downing's November start likely reflects the beginning of storage availability.

Uses

Not described in sources.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in sources.

Other

Leroy, Dict. Pom. 2:382, fig. (1862) and Hogg, Fruit Man. 610 (1884) are cited as references by Hedrick.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 1 catalog (1911) from England

James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911

View original book sources (3)

Madame Millet.

Tree moderately vigorous. Young wood olive brown.

Fruit medium, obovate pyriform, pale yellow, much covered, netted, patched, and dotted with light russet. Stalk long, stout, curved, set in a slight cavity with a lip. Calyx open. Segments short, erect. Basin rather small, uneven. Flesh whitish, juicy, not melting, slightly vinous, a little aromatic. Good. November to April.

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

Madame Millet,

Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:382, fig. 1862.

Hogg Fruit Man. 610. 1884.

Raised by Charles Millet of Ath, Bel., in 1840.

Fruit large, short-obovate or turbinate, rather uneven in its outline; flesh tender, semi-melting, juicy, richly flavored; first; Mar. and Apr.

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

Madame Millet. Medium, obovate, rich russet; half melting, rich, perfumed, agreeable. March. French.

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