Orange Musquee
Pear
Orange Musquee Pear
Origin/History
An old pear of uncertain origin, though probably French or Italian (Hedrick). It is documented as far back as 1768 in Duhamel's Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (Pl. X, 2:140) and subsequently cited in Hogg's Fruit Manual (1884) and Mathieu's Nomenc. Pom. (1889). Known in German as Muskierte Pomeranzenbirne; also recorded in English sources under the names Orange Musk, Musk Orange, and Orange d'Été (Downing).
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium in size. Round to globular in form (all sources agree), with Coxe noting the fruit diminishes slightly toward the stalk. Hedrick adds that the fruit is more or less bossed and flattened at both ends, though sometimes rather conic and obtuse at the top.
Stem: Rather large and long (Coxe).
Cavity: Irregular (Coxe, describing the stem cavity).
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Smooth, punctured like an orange (Hedrick). Color is greenish yellow at first (Coxe), described by Hedrick as yellow-green changing to fine lemon at maturity. In the sun, the fruit takes on a lively red, though this is rather variable (Hedrick); Downing similarly describes it as yellow, marbled and shaded with red in the sun.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh white, coarse, and breaking in texture, with a gritty center (Hedrick). Juice not very abundant, rather saccharine and sweet, possessing a musky flavor and perfume (Hedrick); Downing characterizes it as breaking with a musky juice. Coxe describes the flesh as juicy and well flavored. Quality is variable but on the whole good (Hedrick; Downing rates it simply as "Good").
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Ripens in August. Coxe: August. Downing: last of August. Hedrick: end of August.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Coxe notes the variety is uncommonly subject to rot.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)
- ORANGE MUSQUEE, OR MUSK ORANGE PEAR.
This pear is of a moderate size, of a round form, diminishing a little towards the stalk, which is rather large and long, and planted in an irregular cavity. The flesh is juicy and well flavoured, but uncommonly subject to rot—the skin is a greenish yellow: it ripens in August.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Orange Musquee.
Orange Musk. Musk Orange. Orange d'Été.
Fruit medium, round, yellow, marbled and shaded with red in the sun. Flesh breaking, with a musky juice. Good. Last of August.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Orange Musquee.
- Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:140, Pl. X. 1768. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 625. 1884. Muskierte Pomeranzenbirne. 3. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 255. 1889.
This is an old pear of uncertain origin, though probably French or Italian. Fruit medium, globular, more or less bossed, flattened at both ends though sometimes rather conic and obtuse at the top; smooth skin punctured like an orange, yellow-green changing to fine lemon, with a lively red next the sun but rather variable; flesh white, coarse, breaking, gritty at center; juice not very abundant, rather saccharine, sweet, possessing a musky flavor and perfume; quality variable, on the whole, good; end of Aug.