Maréchal de Cour

Pear

Maréchal de Cour

Origin / History

Maréchal de Cour is a seedling raised by Van Mons. Sources disagree on the date and the dedication: Downing states it was dedicated to Van Mons' son in 1845; Bunyard gives the raising date as 1841; Hedrick reports that Van Mons sent grafts to Alexandre Bivort five months before his death, in April 1842. All sources agree it is of foreign (European) origin. Elliott and Thomas simply note "Foreign." Bunyard cites Herefordshire Pomona, II., 42; Hedrick cites Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:390, fig. 1869, and Hogg Fruit Man. 612, 1884.

Tree

Sources disagree on vigor: Downing calls the tree moderately vigorous, holding its foliage late in the season; Thomas describes it as vigorous and productive; Bunyard reports growth as very vigorous with good fertility, making a rather upright tree. Bunyard adds that it makes a good standard and that quality varies according to soil, a warm soil being best. Thomas notes it succeeds on quince. Downing describes young shoots as olive reddish brown, with many specks. Bunyard describes the leaf as large, even, oval, little upcupped, serrate, turning a faint orange brown in autumn.

Fruit

Size: Medium (Elliott); medium to large (Downing); large, sometimes very large (Hedrick); large (Thomas); large, 3 by 4½ inches (Bunyard).

Form: Sources give related but varying forms. Elliott: oblate pyriform. Downing: oblong obovate pyriform. Thomas: pyriform, somewhat Bosc form. Bunyard: long pyriform, distinctly waisted, even. Hedrick: oblong-pyriform or obtuse-turbinate, one side always smaller than the other.

Stem / Stalk: Elliott: stalk inserted without depression. Downing: stalk rather long, sometimes inclined, set in a moderate cavity, somewhat russeted. Thomas: stalk slender, not sunk. Bunyard: stem long and slender, generally curved.

Cavity: Downing: moderate, somewhat russeted. Elliott and Thomas: stalk not set in a depression. Not otherwise described.

Calyx / Eye: Elliott: calyx partially closed. Downing: calyx open, russeted. Thomas: calyx small, nearly closed. Bunyard: eye large, open, almost on level.

Basin: Downing: narrow, russeted. Thomas: small. Bunyard: eye almost on level (i.e., shallow or no basin). Not otherwise described.

Skin: Elliott: yellow, covered with cinnamon russet. Downing: greenish yellow, with a slight netting and few patches of russet, and russet dots. Thomas: greenish-yellow, slightly russeted. Bunyard: skin slightly rough; colour palest yellow, almost covered with a light brown russet. Hedrick: thickly encrusted with russet so that but little of the yellow ground is visible.

Flesh / Flavor: Elliott: juicy, tender, with a rich, perfumed flavor resembling Brown Beurre. Downing: yellowish white, buttery, juicy, melting, rich vinous, very good. Thomas: white, melting, sub-acid, juicy, of fine quality. Bunyard: white, melting, a little gritty, exceedingly juicy, vinous flavour. Hedrick: white, semi-fine, melting, gritty at center, extremely juicy, sugary, vinous, perfumed; rated "first."

Core / Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Elliott: October. Downing: October. Bunyard: October to November (dessert). Thomas: late autumn and early winter. Hedrick: September to November.

Uses

Dessert pear (Bunyard). Thomas notes it succeeds on quince rootstock. Bunyard notes it makes a good standard.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Bunyard records the German name "G. Hofratsbirne." Thomas notes the variety is illustrated as Fig. 650 in his work. Bunyard observes that quality varies considerably according to soil, with a warm soil giving the best results.

Book Sources

Described in 5 period pomological works

Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Conseiller de la Cour
Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)
Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920) — listed as MARECHAL DE LA COUR
Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as Marechal de la Cour
Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Marechal de la Cour

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 6 catalogs (1897–1917) from England

Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897 — listed as Conseiller de la Cour
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900 — listed as Conseiller de la Cour
James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911 — listed as Conseiller de la Cour
Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913 — listed as Conseiller de la Cour
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914 — listed as Conseiller de la Cour
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917 — listed as Conseiller de la Cour

View original book sources (5)

Grosse Marie.

Foreign. Fruit, medium, oblate pyriform ; skin, yellow, covered with cinnamon russet; stalk, inserted without depression; calyx, partially closed ; flesh, juicy, tender, with a rich, perfumed flavor resembling Brown Beurre. October.

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

Marechal de la Cour.

B. O. de la Cour. Baud de la Cour. Conseiller de la Cour. Grosse Marie. Marechal Decours.

One of Van Mons' seedlings. Dedicated to his son in 1845. Tree moderately vigorous, holding its foliage late in season. Young shoots olive reddish brown, with many specks.

Fruit medium to large, oblong obovate pyriform. Skin greenish yellow, with a slight netting and few patches of russet, and russet dots. Stalk rather long, sometimes inclined, set in a moderate cavity, somewhat russeted. Calyx open, in a narrow basin, russeted. Flesh yellowish white, buttery, juicy, melting, rich vinous, very good. October.

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

Conseiller de la Cour. (Maréchal de la Cour.) Large, pyriform (somewhat Bosc form) ; greenish-yellow, slightly russeted; stalk slender, not sunk; basin small, calyx small, nearly closed; flesh white, melting, sub-acid, juicy, of fine quality. Late autumn and early winter. Tree vigorous, productive. Succeeds on quince. Foreign. Fig. 650.

[Additional entry in this volume: "Maréchal de la Cour", pp. 797–797]

Maréchal de la Cour. See Conseiller de la Cour.

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

MARECHAL DE LA COUR. Her. Pom., II., 42. G. Hofratsbirne. (Conseilleur de la Cour.) Dessert, October to November, large, 3 by 4½, long pyriform, distinctly waisted, even. Skin, slightly rough. Colour, palest yellow, almost covered with a light brown russet. Flesh, white, melting, a little gritty, exceedingly juicy, vinous flavour. Eye, large, open, almost on level. Stem, long and slender, generally curved. Growth, very vigorous; fertility good. Leaf, large, even, oval, little upcupped, serrate, turns faint orange brown. Origin, raised by Van Mons in 1841. It makes a rather upright tree. The quality varies according to soil, a warm one being best. It makes a good standard.

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

Maréchal de Cour.

Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:390, fig. 1869. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 612. 1884.

A seedling of Van Mons of which he sent grafts to Alexandre Bivort, five months before his death, in April, 1842. Fruit large, sometimes very large, oblong-pyriform or obtuse-turbinate, one side always smaller than the other, thickly encrusted with russet so that but little of the yellow ground is visible; flesh white, semi-fine, melting, gritty at center, extremely juicy, sugary, vinous, perfumed; first; Sept. to Nov.

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

B. O. de la Cour Baud de la Cour Bo de la Cour Clara Pringalle Conseiller de la Cour Conseilleur de la Cour Dillen d'Automne (irrig) G. Hofratsbirne Grosse Marie Hofratsbirne MARECHAL DE LA COUR Marechal Decours Marechal de la Cour Maréchal de la Cour Poire de Conseiller Maréchal Dillen