Maurice Desportes
Pear
Maurice Desportes
Origin/History
Originated from the seed beds of M. André Leroy, Angers, France. According to Hedrick, it first fruited in 1863. Hedrick cites: Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:415, fig. 1869.
Tree
Vigorous, moderately productive. Young shoots yellow brown. (Downing only; tree not further described in Hedrick.)
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as medium to large, long acute pyriform, with a somewhat uneven surface. Hedrick gives the size as medium and the form as oblong-conic.
Stem: Long. Downing describes it as rather slender and curved, joined to the fruit acutely without cavity, sometimes by a ring or lip. Hedrick describes it as rather stout and continuous with the fruit. (The two sources conflict on stem thickness: slender per Downing, stout per Hedrick.)
Cavity: Downing states the stem is joined to the fruit without cavity. Hedrick does not separately describe a stem cavity.
Calyx: Open (both sources agree). Hedrick additionally notes the calyx is small.
Basin: Downing describes the basin as medium and slightly corrugated. Hedrick describes the calyx as situated in a large cavity, suggesting a more pronounced basin than Downing records.
Skin: Downing: pale yellow, nearly covered with thin light russet, often showing a shade of red on the sun-exposed side. Hedrick: yellow, dotted with gray, blushed on the sunny side. (The sources differ in their characterization of the surface marking — thin light russet per Downing, gray dots per Hedrick.)
Flesh and Flavor: White, juicy, sweet (both sources agree). Downing characterizes the flesh as fine, melting, and slightly perfumed, rating it very good. Hedrick describes it as rather fine and rather melting, with slight granularity, rating it first quality.
Season
September (both sources). Downing extends the season through October.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Maurice Desportes.
Originated in the nurseries of Andre Leroy, Angers, France. Tree vigorous, moderately productive; young shoots yellow brown.
Fruit medium to large, long acute pyriform; surface somewhat uneven; skin pale yellow, nearly covered with thin light russet, often a shade of red in the sun; stalk long, rather slender, curved, joined to the fruit acutely without cavity, sometimes by a ring or lip; calyx open; basin medium, slightly corrugated; flesh white, fine, juicy, melting, sweet, slightly perfumed; very good. September, October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Maurice Desportes.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:415, fig. 1869.
This came from the seed beds of M. André Leroy, Angers, Fr., and first fruited in 1863. Fruit medium, oblong-conic, yellow, dotted with gray, blushed on the sunny side; stem long, rather stout, continuous with the fruit; calyx small, open, in a large cavity; flesh white, rather fine and rather melting, slightly granular, juicy, sweet; first; Sept.