Paradise (d'Automne)
Pear
Paradise (d'Automne)
Origin / History
A pear of foreign origin. Hovey (1852) reports the variety as recently introduced, with the first account appearing in Kenrick's American Orchardist, 3d Ed. (1841), where Kenrick describes it as a new pear received in England from France. It was subsequently enumerated and described in the Catalogue of the London Horticultural Society, 3d Ed. (1842), with the remark by Mr. Thompson that it was "very like the Beurré Bosc," and its general resemblance to that fine pear has induced some authors to consider the two synonymous. Hovey notes, however, that it is quite distinct, and may readily be distinguished by the more irregular and uneven outline of the fruit, as well as by its more melting and buttery flesh; in the wood and foliage, the two are very dissimilar, with Paradise (d'Automne) having small leaves and a reddish wood so thickly and distinctly dotted with large whitish grey specks as to distinguish it at once. In quality, Hovey rates it fully equal, if not superior, to the Bosc. Elliott (1865) likewise notes it is esteemed by many pomologists as superior even to the Beurré Bosc, which it much resembles.
Downing (1900) calls it a Belgian pear of uncertain origin. Thomas (1903) and Budd & Hansen (1914) likewise assign it to Belgium; Budd & Hansen add that it is "Grown east of lakes."
Hovey records that the variety was introduced by Mr. Kenrick, who gave scions to the late R. Manning, in whose Pomological Garden at Salem it first fruited in this country in the autumn of 1844, when the tree produced about a dozen pears. It has continued to bear every year since; Hovey's drawing was made from beautiful specimens sent by Mr. Manning the previous autumn, and his outline engraving is from a specimen from the same tree in 1846.
Tree
Growth very vigorous (Hovey, Elliott, Thomas). Upright when young, with the annual shoots often curved; as the tree becomes older, it assumes a straggling and somewhat pendulous habit (Hovey). Elliott concurs: shoots at first upright, afterwards straggling and pendulous. Thomas: shoots at first upright, afterward becoming straggling. Very productive (Elliott). Hovey notes it is a much more vigorous growing tree than the Beurré Bosc, making long and moderately stout shoots. Downing describes the shoots as long and twisting.
Wood / shoots: reddish brown, thickly dotted with very large, oblong, whitish grey specks, and short-jointed (Hovey). Elliott concurs: reddish brown, with large whitish gray specks. Downing: dull reddish brown, thickly sprinkled with very conspicuous dots. Thomas describes the shoots as yellowish (in one passage) and yellowish-brown, speckled, irregular (in another).
Buds: roundish, shortly pointed, diverging, with very stout, prominent shoulders. Flower-buds medium size (Hovey).
Leaves: small, ovate, rather thick, dark green, tapering towards each end, slightly wavy, and nearly entire on the edge (Hovey). Thomas describes the leaves as finely serrated, slightly wavy. Petioles short, about three-quarters of an inch in length, and moderately stout (Hovey).
Flowers: medium size; petals oval, cupped, and entire on the edge, with a rather short claw (Hovey).
Stock behavior: On the pear, it comes soon into bearing, about the fourth year. Whether it will succeed upon the quince has not yet been fully ascertained; Hovey is under the impression it will not prove long-lived on that stock, as two-year-grafted trees on quince present a rather feeble appearance. Hovey's vignette represents a young pyramidal tree, three years from the bud.
Fruit
Size
Large (Hovey, Elliott, Downing, Budd & Hansen). Hovey gives about three and a half inches long and two and a half in diameter. Thomas describes it as rather large.
Form
Pyramidal, slightly irregular and uneven on the surface, large and full in the middle, little contracted as it tapers to the stem where it ends obtusely (Hovey). Elliott: obovate acute pyriform, irregular and uneven surface. Downing: oblong obovate acute pyriform; surface uneven. Budd & Hansen: oblong, obovate, and acute pyriform; surface of skin uneven. Thomas: distinct pyriform; surface uneven. Thomas adds that it resembles the Bosc, but is less smooth, more irregular in form, has a less narrow neck, and more vigorous growth.
Stem / Stalk
Long, about one and a half inches, moderately slender, uneven, curved, and obliquely attached to the fruit by a fleshy and oftentimes wrinkled base (Hovey). Elliott concurs: about one and a half inch long, rather slender, obliquely attached to the fruit by a fleshy, and often times wrinkled base. Downing: long, enlarged at both ends, and inserted without much cavity, often by fleshy wrinkles or folds. Budd & Hansen: one and one-half inches long, enlarged at both ends, curved, and inserted at top of neck usually by fleshy folds. Thomas: an inch and a half long, not sunk.
Cavity
Little to none. Downing: inserted without much cavity. Thomas: stalk not sunk.
Calyx / Eye
Rather large, open, and moderately depressed (Hovey). Segments of the calyx long, reflexed (Hovey); segments reflexed (Elliott). Downing: calyx open. Elliott: calyx rather large, open.
Basin
Much-furrowed (Hovey). Furrowed (Elliott). Downing: abrupt, and surrounded by prominences. Budd & Hansen: abrupt with elevations around it. Thomas: small, irregular.
Skin
Slightly rough, dull yellow, profusely covered with bright russet, thickest on the sunny side where it has a ruddy tinge (Hovey). Elliott: dull yellow, covered with bright russet, deepening on the sunny side. Downing: yellow, mottled, and often entirely overspread with bright cinnamon russet. Budd & Hansen: color yellow, mottled and very often covered with bright cinnamon-colored russet. Thomas: yellowish-orange, with some thin russet patches.
Flesh / Flavor
Yellowish white, coarse, melting, buttery and juicy (Hovey). Flavor: rich, sugary, sprightly, perfumed and delicious (Hovey). Elliott: yellowish white, rather coarse, buttery, melting, juicy, delicious. Downing: moderately fine, sometimes slightly granular, juicy, melting, with a very rich vinous, aromatic flavor; rated "Very good." Budd & Hansen: quite fine, sometimes granular, juicy, melting, rich, vinous, very good. Thomas: melting, very buttery, with a rich, high, and excellent flavor.
(Note: sources disagree on flesh texture — Hovey and Elliott describe it as coarse or rather coarse, while Downing calls it moderately fine and Budd & Hansen call it quite fine; Downing and Budd & Hansen both add that it is sometimes slightly granular.)
Core / Seeds
Core small (Hovey, Elliott). Seeds medium size, long and pointed (Hovey); long, pointed (Elliott).
Season
Ripe in September, and will keep two or three weeks (Hovey). Elliott: September and October. Downing: September, October. Thomas: ripens about mid-autumn. Budd & Hansen: autumn.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Hovey notes a long-standing confusion with the Beurré Bosc, with which Paradise (d'Automne) has been considered synonymous by some authors but is distinct — distinguishable by its more irregular and uneven fruit outline, more melting and buttery flesh, smaller leaves, and reddish wood thickly dotted with large whitish grey specks. Thomas similarly notes that it resembles the Bosc but is less smooth, more irregular in form, has a less narrow neck, and more vigorous growth.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as Paradise d'Automne
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Paradise D'Automne
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Autumn Paradise
- Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852) — listed as Paradise d'Automne Pear
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1884) from California
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884 — listed as Paradise d'Automne
View original book sources (5)
— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)THE PARADISE D'AUTOMNE PEAR.
Paradise d'Automne. Kenrick's American Orchardist, 3d Ed.
Among the more recently introduced pears, the Paradise d'Automne holds a conspicuous place. The first account we find of it is in the American Orchardist, 3d Ed. 1841, where Mr. Kenrick describes it as a new pear, received in England from France. Subsequently, it was enumerated and described in the Catalogue of the London Horticultural Society, 3d Ed. 1842, with the remark, by Mr. Thompson, that it was "very like the Beurré Bosc," and its general resemblance to that fine pear has induced some authors to consider the two synonymous. It is, however, quite distinct, and may readily be distinguished by the more irregular and uneven outline of the fruit, as well as by its more melting and buttery flesh. In the wood and foliage, the two are very dissimilar; the Paradise d'Automne having small leaves, and a reddish wood so thickly and distinctly dotted with large whitish grey specks, as to distinguish it at once. In quality, it is fully equal, if not superior, to the Bosc.
The Paradise d'Automne was introduced by Mr. Kenrick, who gave scions to the late R. Manning, in whose Pomological Garden, at Salem, it first fruited in this country in the autumn of 1844, when the tree produced about a dozen pears: it has continued to bear every year since, and our drawing, which is a most correct representation of the fruit, was made from some beautiful specimens sent us by Mr. Manning last autumn: our outline engraving is from a specimen from the same tree in 1846.
The Paradise d'Automne is a much more vigorous growing tree than the Beurre Bosc, making long and moderately stout shoots, upright at first, but afterwards becoming straggling and irregular. Our vignette represents a young pyramidal tree, three years from the bud. Whether it will succeed upon the quince, has not yet been fully ascertained: we are under the impression it will not prove long-lived on that stock, as we have trees, two years grafted, which present a rather feeble appearance. On the pear, it comes soon into bearing, about the fourth year.
Tree.—Vigorous, upright when young, with the annual shoots often curved; but, as the tree becomes older, assuming a straggling and somewhat pendulous habit.
Wood.—Reddish brown, thickly dotted with very large, oblong, whitish grey specks, and short-jointed; buds roundish, shortly pointed, diverging, with very stout, prominent shoulders: Flower-buds medium size.
Leaves.—Small, ovate, rather thick, dark green, tapering towards each end, slightly wavy, and nearly entire on the edge; petioles short, about three quarters of an inch in length, and moderately stout.
Flowers.—Medium size; petals oval, cupped, and entire on the edge, with a rather short claw.
Fruit.—Large, about three and a half inches long, and two and a half in diameter: Form, pyramidal, slightly irregular and uneven on the surface, large and full in the middle, little contracted as it tapers to the stem where it ends obtusely: Skin, slightly rough, dull yellow, profusely covered with bright russet, thickest on the sunny side where it has a ruddy tinge: Stem, long, about one and a half inches, moderately slender, uneven, curved, and obliquely attached to the fruit by a fleshy and oftentimes wrinkled base: Eye, rather large, open, and moderately depressed in a much-furrowed basin; segments of the calyx long, reflexed: Flesh, yellowish white, coarse, melting, buttery and juicy: Flavor, rich, sugary, sprightly, perfumed and delicious: Core, small: Seeds, medium size, long and pointed.
Ripe in September, and will keep two or three weeks.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Paradise D'Automne.
Calebasse Bosc.
Foreign. This is esteemed by many pomologists as superior even to the Beurre Bosc, which it much resembles. Tree, of very vigorous growth, shoots at first upright, afterwards straggling and pendulous; wood, reddish brown, with large whitish gray specks, very productive. Fruit, large, obovate acute pyriform, irregular and uneven surface; color, dull yellow, covered with bright russet, deepening on the sunny side; calyx, rather large, open; segments, reflexed; basin, furrowed; stem, about one and a half inch long, rather slender, obliquely attached to the fruit by a fleshy, and often times wrinkled base; core, small; seeds, long, pointed; flesh, yellowish white, rather coarse, buttery, melting, juicy, delicious. September and October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Paradise d'Automne.
Calebasse Bosc. Maria Nouvelle. Princesse Marianne. Faux Spreciew. False Spreciew. Marianne. Calebasse. Calebasse Princesse Marianne.
A Belgian Pear, of uncertain origin. Tree very vigorous. Shoots long and twisting, dull reddish brown, thickly sprinkled with very conspicuous dots.
Fruit large, oblong obovate acute pyriform, yellow, mottled, and often entirely overspread with bright cinnamon russet. Surface uneven. Stalk long, enlarged at both ends, and inserted without much cavity, often by fleshy wrinkles or folds. Calyx open. Basin abrupt, and surrounded by prominences. Flesh moderately fine, sometimes slightly granular, juicy, melting, with a very rich vinous, aromatic flavor. Very good. September, October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Autumn Paradise.* (Paradise d'Automne.) Rather large, distinct pyriform; surface uneven, yellowish-orange, with some thin russet patches; stalk an inch and a half long, not sunk; basin small, irregular; flesh melting, very buttery, with a rich, high, and excellent flavor. Ripens about mid-autumn. Shoots yellowish, at first upright, afterward becoming straggling, growth vigorous. This pear resembles the Bosc, but is less smooth, more irregular in form, has a less narrow neck, and more vigorous growth. Shoots yellowish-brown, speckled, irregular, leaves finely serrated, slightly wavy. Belgium.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Paradise (d'Automne). — Large, oblong obovate, and acute pyriform; color yellow, mottled and very often covered with bright cinnamon-colored russet; surface of skin uneven; stalk one and one-half inches long, enlarged at both ends, curved, and inserted at top of neck usually by fleshy folds; basin abrupt with elevations around it. Flesh quite fine, sometimes granular, juicy, melting, rich, vinous, very good. Season, autumn. Grown east of lakes. Belgium.