Mansuette

Pear

Mansuette

Origin/History

Origin unknown. Referenced by Duhamel (1768), Christ (1817), and Hogg (1884) — the last of these lists it under the name Solitaire.

Tree

Not described in sources.

Fruit

Size: Large (both sources agree).

Form: Hedrick describes the fruit as long-obovate, irregular, and obtuse. Thomas describes it as short pyriform. These accounts conflict on form.

Stem: Not described in sources.

Cavity: Not described in sources.

Calyx: Not described in sources.

Basin: Not described in sources.

Skin: Pale green, spotted with brown and much covered with the same color on the shaded side, and tinged with red on the side exposed to the sun (Hedrick). Thomas describes the ground color as greenish-yellow.

Flesh/Flavor: White, semi-melting, moderately fine, inclined to grow soft, juicy, pleasantly acid and well flavored (Hedrick). Thomas describes the flesh as juicy and astringent. The two sources conflict on flavor character — Hedrick presents it as a well-flavored dessert fruit while Thomas notes astringency.

Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.

Season

September and October (Hedrick); September (Thomas).

Uses

Hedrick classes it as a dessert pear. Thomas describes it as a baking pear. These accounts conflict directly on use.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in sources.

Other

Not described in sources.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Mansuette.

i. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:220, Pl. LVIII, fig. i. 1768. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 611. 1884. Solitaire. 3. Christ Handb. 534. 1817.

Origin unknown. Fruit large, long-obovate, irregular, obtuse, pale green, spotted with brown and much covered with the same color on the shaded side, and tinged with red on the side exposed to the sun; flesh white, semi-melting, moderately fine, inclined to grow soft, juicy, pleasantly acid and well flavored; a dessert pear; Sept. and Oct.

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

Mansuette. Large, short pyriform, greenish-yellow; juicy, astringent—baking. September.

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

Agobert Beurre de Semur Cuisine Cuisine de Varin (P. de) Dagobert Doppelte Mansuette Double-Mansuette Grande-Bretagne Grande-Bretagne Mansuette Gros-Angobert Sainte-Catherine (P. de) Sainte-Cathreine (P. de) Solitaire Angobert Mansuette Double