Muscat Robert
PearMuscat Robert
Origin/History
An old pear of unknown origin (Downing). According to Hedrick, it was mentioned by Le Lectier in 1628 and by La Quintinye in 1690 under the name of Pucelle de Saintonge. Its name of Muscat Robert dates from about 1672, and Merlet wrote of it in 1675 as the Amber Pear or Muscat Robert. It has also been widely known as the Amber Pear (Hedrick).
Tree
Very productive (Downing). All other tree characteristics not described in source.
Fruit
Size
Small (Downing, Hedrick); Thomas describes it as "rather small."
Form
Downing describes the form as roundish pyriform, inclining to ovate. Hedrick characterizes it as globular, very round in all its lower part but slightly conic at the other extremity, where it is a little wrinkled.
Stem
Long, sometimes inserted by a fleshy lip, and sometimes set in a slight cavity (Downing).
Cavity
Slight, or absent when stem is inserted by a lip (Downing).
Calyx
Large and open (Downing).
Basin
Not described in source.
Skin
Greenish yellow (Downing; Thomas); Hedrick describes the ground color as yellowish-green, finely and uniformly dotted with olive-brown, and sometimes rather carmined on the cheek exposed to the sun. Downing notes a dull crimson blush, consistent with Hedrick's carmined cheek.
Flesh and Flavor
Flesh whitish, semi-fine, breaking or semi-breaking, inclined to rot before ripe, granular, very juicy, sugary, and very musky (Hedrick). Downing describes the flesh as breaking, juicy, and sweet. Thomas characterizes it as juicy and pleasant. Quality rated "Good" by Downing; Hedrick grades it second.
Core and Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Mid-July (Hedrick); last of July (Downing); late July (Thomas).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Hedrick's volume contains a separate entry for Robine — listed by Downing as a synonym of Muscat Robert, but treated by Hedrick as a distinct variety. The two differ notably in season and flesh character:
An ancient pear of unascertained origin, though the pomologists Turpin and Poiteau and others have regarded it as French. Often known as Royale d'Été. Fruit below medium, globular-turbinate, bright green changing to yellow, dotted with greenish-gray; flesh white, fine or semi-fine, almost breaking, rather dry, very saccharine, sweet, and having an agreeable musky flavor; second; mid-August. (Hedrick, citing Duhamel 1768 and Hogg 1884)
The Robine entry shares the musky character and globular form with Muscat Robert but ripens approximately a month later (mid-August vs. mid-July) and its flesh is described as rather dry where Muscat Robert's is very juicy. Whether these represent distinct varieties or regional/strain variation is not resolved by the sources.
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)Muscat Robert.
Poire a la Reine. Queen's Amber. D'Ambre. Virgin of Xaintonge. St. Jean Musquee Gros. Muscat d'Ambre. Musk Robine. The Princess. Early Queen. Great Musk Pear of Gone. Queen's Pear. Maiden of Flanders. Beurre a la Reine. Maiden of Xaintonge. Robine. Robert's Muskateller. Muscat Robine.
An old Pear, of unknown origin. Tree very productive. Fruit small, roundish pyriform, inclining to ovate, greenish yellow, with a dull crimson. Stalk long, sometimes inserted by a lip, and sometimes in a slight cavity. Calyx large, open. Flesh breaking, juicy, sweet. Good. Last of July.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Muscat Robert. Rather small, greenish-yellow; juicy, pleasant. Late July.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Muscat Robert,
- Duhamel Trait. Arb.Fr. 2:120, Pl. II. 1768.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 818. 1869.
This pear was mentioned by Le Lectier in 1628 and by la Quintinye in 1690 under the name of Pucelle de Saintonge. Its name of Muscat Robert dates from about 1672 and Merlet wrote of it in 1675 as the Amber Pear or Muscat Robert. It has also been widely known as the Amber Pear. Fruit small, globular, very round in all its lower part but slightly conic at its other extremity where it is a little wrinkled, yellowish-green, finely and uniformly dotted with olive-brown and sometimes rather carmined on the cheek exposed to the sun; flesh whitish, semi-fine, breaking or semi-breaking, inclined to rot before ripe, granular, very juicy, sugary, very musky; second; mid-July.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Robine", pp. 703–703]
Robine.
i. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:174, Pl. XXVII. 1768. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 637. 1884.
This is an ancient pear of unascertained origin, though the pomologists Turpin and Poiteau and others have regarded it as French. It is often known as the Royale d'Ete, and has had various other synonyms. Fruit below medium, globular-turbinate, bright green changing to yellow, dotted with greenish-gray; flesh white, fine or semi-fine, almost breaking, rather dry, very saccharine, sweet and having an agreeable musky flavor; second; mid-Aug.