Passe-Tardive
PearPasse-Tardive
Origin and History
Obtained by Major Esperen of Mechlin, Belgium, and first published in 1843. Listed in Leroy, Dictionnaire de Pomologie (1869) with figure, and in Downing's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1869 and 1900 editions).
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as medium and obovate acute pyriform. Hedrick characterizes it as above medium to large, turbinate, regular, bossed and much swelled in all its lower part and greatly contracted at the summit.
Surface: Uneven. Skin pale yellow with a tinge of red in the sun, thickly sprinkled with gray-brown dots. (Downing)
Stem: Stout, fleshy at insertion, set without a cavity. (Downing)
Calyx: Open. (Downing)
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh white. Downing describes it as juicy, breaking, sweet, and pleasant, rating it Good. Hedrick describes the flesh as semi-fine and semi-melting, gritty around the core; juice seldom abundant, sugary, agreeable, though but slightly perfumed — rating it second or third for dessert and first for the kitchen.
[NOTE: The two sources conflict on juiciness — Downing calls the flesh "juicy" while Hedrick states juice is "seldom abundant." Both descriptions are included as this conflict may reflect different strains or growing conditions.]
Season
[NOTE: The two sources give irreconcilably different seasons — Downing: January to March; Hedrick: April to June. Both are stated here as this is a critical identification detail and the discrepancy may reflect differences in storage practice, climate, or strain.]
Uses
Second or third quality for dessert; first quality for kitchen use. (Hedrick)
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Passe Tardive.
One of Major Esperen's seedlings.
Fruit medium, obovate acute pyriform. Surface uneven, pale yellow, tinge of red in the sun, and thickly sprinkled with gray brown dots. Stalk stout, fleshy at insertion, and without cavity. Calyx open. Flesh white, juicy, breaking, sweet, pleasant. Good. January to March.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Passe-Tardive.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 506. fig. 1869. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 829. 1869.
Obtained by Major EspeYen of Mechlin, Bel., and first published in 1843. Fruit above medium to large, turbinate, regular, bossed and much swelled in all its lower part and greatly contracted at the summit; flesh white, semi-fine and semi-melting, gritty around the core; juice seldom abundant, sugary, agreeable, though but slightly perfumed; second or third for dessert, first for the kitchen; Apr. to June.