Napoleon Savinien
PearNapoleon Savinien
Origin / History
Obtained in the garden of the Society Van Mons at Geest-Saint-Remy, Belgium, in 1854. Described in Annales de Pomologie Belge (vol. 4, p. 71, with figure, 1856) and in Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1869). Downing calls it a new French variety, resembling Napoleon in appearance but maturing later in the season. Hedrick says "the long period of its ripening is its very valuable quality."
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Obovate, acute, pyriform (Downing); turbinate-ventriculous or pyriform-ventriculous (Hedrick). Acute at the top.
Stem: Short; the fruit passes into the stalk at its acute top.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Large, open; segments reflexed.
Basin: Large, uneven.
Skin: Yellow to greenish yellow, partially netted and patched with russet.
Dots: Thickly sprinkled with russet dots (Downing); dotted with gray russet (Hedrick).
Flesh and flavor: Whitish to white, rather coarse (Downing) or semi-fine (Hedrick); juicy; half melting (Downing) or melting (Hedrick). Perfumed, saccharine; juice musky, delicate (Hedrick). Quality "Good" (Downing).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October to March; Downing gives January.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
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 (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Napoleon Savinien.
This is a new French variety, resembling Napoleon in appearance but maturing later in the season.
Fruit medium, obovate acute pyriform, yellow, partially netted and patched with russet, and thickly sprinkled with russet dots. Stalk short. Calyx large, open. Segments reflexed. Basin large, uneven. Flesh whitish, rather coarse, juicy, half melting. Good. January.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Napoleon Savinien.
- Ann. Pom. Belge 4:71, fig. 1856. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 819. 1869.
Obtained in the garden of the Society Van Mons at Geest-Saint-Remy, Bel., in 1854. Fruit medium, turbinate-ventriculous or pyriform-ventriculous, acute at the top which passes into the stalk; greenish-yellow, dotted with gray-russet; flesh white, semi-fine, melting, juicy and perfumed, saccharine; juice musky, delicate; Oct. to Mar.; the long period of its ripening is its very valuable quality.