Monseigneur des Hons
PearMonseigneur des Hons
Origin/History
Raised from seed in 1856 by M. Gibey-Lorne of Troyes, France. Described as a new summer pear in Downing (1900), with reference to the Annales de Pomologie; cited by Hedrick (1921) from Leroy, Dictionnaire de Pomologie 2:431, with figure, 1869.
Tree
Vigorous and spreading. Young wood reddish brown. (Hedrick and Thomas do not describe the tree.)
Fruit
Size: Downing describes the fruit as medium; Hedrick gives it as below medium and often small; Thomas agrees with the smaller assessment, calling it rather small.
Form: Downing describes it as oblong ovate pyriform. Hedrick gives greater variability: usually turbinate, rather long and obtuse, but sometimes cylindrical and bossed. Thomas describes it simply as pyriform.
Stem: Medium length, inserted without depression (Downing). Not described in Hedrick or Thomas.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Open (Downing). Not described in Hedrick or Thomas.
Basin: Shallow (Downing). Not described in Hedrick or Thomas.
Skin: Sources partially agree but differ in emphasis. Downing describes the ground color as rich warm yellow veined with green, with a warm red cheek on the sun-exposed side. Hedrick describes the shaded side as olive-green dotted with russet, the exposed face as golden, and notes that it is sometimes blushed with carmine. Thomas gives greenish-yellow with some russet. Taken together: ground color ranges from olive-green to golden yellow, veined or tinged with green, dotted with russet on the shaded side, with a warm red to carmine blush on the sun side.
Flesh: Yellowish-white (Hedrick), fine or half-fine, melting, and buttery. Juice abundant, saccharine, acidulous, and aromatic. Described as sweet by Downing and Thomas.
Quality: Hedrick rates it second. Thomas calls it good, of moderate quality.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Downing gives early August; Hedrick gives end of August; Thomas gives August without further specification. The sources thus conflict on timing within the month.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Monseigneur des Hons.
A new summer Pear, from Troyes, France. Tree vigorous, spreading. Young wood reddish brown.
Fruit medium, oblong ovate pyriform, rich warm yellow, veined with green, and shaded with a warm red cheek in the sun. Stalk medium, inserted without depression. Calyx open. Basin shallow. Flesh half fine, melting, aromatic, sweet. Early August. (An. Pom.)
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Monseigneur des Hons.
- Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:431, fig. 1869.
M. Gibey-Lorne, Troyes, Fr., raised this pear from seed in 1856. Fruit below medium and often small, usually turbinate, rather long and obtuse, but sometimes cylindrical and bossed, olive-green dotted with russet on the shaded side, golden on the exposed face, sometimes blushed with carmine; flesh yellowish-white, fine, melting; juice abundant, saccharine, acidulous, aromatic; second; end of Aug.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Monseigneur des Hons. Rather small, pyriform, greenish-yellow with some russet; buttery and melting, sweet, good, of moderate quality. August. French.