Monseigneur Affre

Pear

Origin & History

Raised by Van Mons, though the tree did not produce fruit until 1845, three years after his death (Hedrick). Downing describes it as "one of Bivort's introducing," suggesting Bivort distributed the variety after Van Mons's death. Elliott notes simply "Foreign."

Tree

Hardy, vigorous, and productive. Young wood dull olive brown (Downing).

Fruit

Size: Medium, though Downing describes it as "below medium."

Form: Roundish. Hedrick describes the form as variable — globular-obtuse-truncate to pyriform. Elliott adds "somewhat angular."

Stem: Long, curved, inserted in a moderate cavity.

Cavity: Moderate.

Calyx: Small, open, persistent.

Basin: Broad.

Skin: Rough, greenish, considerably covered with thick russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Hedrick describes the color as greenish-yellow, without mentioning russet.

Flesh & Flavor: White. Hedrick adds "reddish under the skin." Downing and Elliott describe it as "rather coarse"; Elliott and Thomas describe it as "granular." Downing describes it as "melting, sweet, pleasant" and rates it Good. Hedrick describes it as "very melting, juicy, sugary, acidulous, aromatic, with a fine flavor" and rates it first quality. Elliott describes it as "rich, and perfumed." Thomas describes it as "rich, perfumed."

Core & Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

November.

Uses

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

Monseigneur Affre.

One of Bivort's introducing. Tree hardy, vigorous, and productive. Young wood dull olive brown.

Fruit below medium, roundish, greenish, considerably covered with thick russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk long, curved, inserted in a moderate cavity. Calyx small, open, persistent. Basin broad. Flesh white, rather coarse, melting, sweet, pleasant. Good. November.

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

Monseigneur Affre.

Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:430, fig. 1869.

Hogg Fruit Man. 618. 1884.

Raised by Van Mons though the tree did not produce fruit until 1845, three years after his death. Fruit medium, form variable, globular-obtuse-truncate, pyriform, greenish-yellow; flesh white, reddish under the skin, very melting, juicy, sugary, acidulous, aromatic, with a fine flavor; first; Nov.

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

MONSEIGNEUR AFFRE.

Foreign. Fruit, medium, roundish, somewhat angular ; skin, rough, greenish, considerably covered with thick russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots ; stalk, long, curved, inserted in a moderate cavity ; calyx, small, open, persistent ; basin, broad ; flesh, white, rather coarse, granular, rich, and perfumed. November.

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

Monseigneur Affre. Medium, roundish, rough greenish-russet; granular; rich, perfumed. November.

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

Affre's Dechants B Affre’s Dechants B Erzbischof Affre Monseigneur d'Affre Monseigneur d’Affre Rousselet Aelens