Monchallard
PearMonchallard
Origin / History
Found about 1810 by M. Monchallard in a wood at Valeuil, Dordogne, France (Bunyard); Hedrick gives Valeuil, Dordogne, and cites Leroy, Dictionnaire pomologique 2:429, with figure (1869). According to a writer in the Revue Horticole (1863, 179), the fruit was first named "Monsallard". Bunyard calls it "a very delicious early fruit, now rather overlooked." The Rivers catalogue (1914) lists it as "very handsome" and an "excellent pear of good flavour."
Tree
Growth vigorous, upright; fertility very good (Bunyard). The Rivers catalogue calls it "very robust and productive." Leaf long oval, upfolded, down hanging, shallow serrate (Bunyard).
Fruit
Size: Above medium to large (Hedrick); fairly large, 2½ by 3¼ (Bunyard); "large" (Rivers catalogue).
Form: Pyriform, even (Bunyard); long-obovate, very obtuse (Hedrick).
Stem: Long, moderately stout (Bunyard).
Cavity: Shallow (Bunyard).
Calyx: Eye open (Bunyard).
Basin: Shallow (Bunyard).
Skin: Smooth (Bunyard); delicate (Hedrick). Bright yellow with slight flush (Bunyard); yellow, clear and dull, often washed with dark red on the cheek next the sun (Hedrick).
Dots: Numerous, greenish (Bunyard); speckled uniformly (Hedrick).
Flesh and flavor: Very white, fine or semi-fine, juicy, melting to extremely melting, saccharine, acidulous, slightly aromatic. Flavor "very delicious" (Bunyard), "delicious" (Hedrick); the Rivers catalogue gives "excellent pear of good flavour." Quality first (Hedrick).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
August to September (Bunyard); end of August and September (Hedrick). An early fruit.
Uses
Dessert (Bunyard).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The Rivers catalogue also lists the term "dark."
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (3)
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)MONCHALLARD. Decaisne, V., 17. (Epine d'Eté, Epine Rose.) Dessert, August to September, fairly large, 2½ by 3¼, pyriform, even. Skin, smooth. Colour, bright yellow with slight flush and strewn with numerous greenish dots. Flesh, very white, juicy, melting, flavour very delicious. Eye, open in a shallow basin. Stem, long, moderately stout, in a shallow cavity. Growth, vigorous, upright; fertility very good. Leaf, long oval, upfolded, down hanging, shallow serrate. Origin, found in a wood at Valeuil (Dordogne), about 1810, by M. Monchallard. According to a writer in the Revue Horticole (1863, 179), the fruit was first named Monsallard. A very delicious early fruit, now rather overlooked.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Monchallard.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:429, fig. 1869.
- Bunyard Handb. Hardy Fr. 189. 1920.
Found about 1810 by M. Monchallard at Valeuil, Dordogne, Fr. Fruit above medium to large, long-obovate, very obtuse; skin delicate, yellow, clear and dull, speckled uniformly with greenish dots and often washed with dark red on the cheek next the sun; flesh very white, fine or semi-fine, extremely melting, juicy, saccharine, acidulous, slightly aromatic and of delicious flavor; first; end of Aug. and Sept.
— Thomas Rivers & Son, Thomas Rivers Catalogue of Fruits (1914) (1914)...very handsome, very robust and productive; dark; excellent pear of good flavour; large and productive...