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Pear

Origin/History

A Belgian pear obtained by Alexandre Bivort, director of the nurseries of the Society Van Mons at Geest-Saint-Rémy, Jodoigne, Belgium, in 1847 (Hedrick).

Tree

Vigorous, very productive (Downing). Young wood stout, olive yellow brown (Downing).

Fruit

Size: Medium (Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Hedrick describes it as above medium.

Form: Obovate pyriform (Downing). Hedrick describes it as rather irregular-ovate, bossed, often much swelled in the lower half.

Skin: Pale yellow, with a tinge of red in the sun, and thickly sprinkled with minute brown dots (Downing). Hedrick describes lemon-yellow or golden skin, dotted and a little speckled with bright maroon, carmined on the cheek turned to the sun. Elliott describes the skin as thin, smooth, light green passing to golden-yellow at maturity, deeply shaded with carmine in the sun. Thomas describes rich yellow with a red cheek.

Stem: Medium length, moderately stout (Downing).

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Open (Downing).

Basin: Not described in source.

Flesh and Flavor: White, a little coarse, juicy, breaking, sweet, and pleasant; rated Good (Downing). Hedrick describes the flesh as white, semi-fine and semi-melting, having a pleasant muscat flavor; rated second quality. Elliott describes white flesh, half melting, half buttery, sweet, and strongly perfumed. Thomas describes it as sweet and perfumed.

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Sources vary on ripening and storage. Downing gives February. Hedrick gives January to March. Elliott says it ripens in December but may be kept until April. Thomas gives winter.

Uses

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

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A French Pear. Tree vigorous, very productive. Young wood stout, olive yellow brown.

Fruit medium size, obovate pyriform. Skin pale yellow, with a tinge of red in the sun, and thickly sprinkled with minute brown dots. Stalk medium length, moderately stout. Calyx open. Flesh white, a little coarse, juicy, breaking, sweet, and pleasant. Good. February.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

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Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:552, fig. 1869. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 633. 1884.

Obtained by Alexandre Bivort, director of the nurseries of the Society Van Mons at Geest-Saint-Rémy, Jodoigne, Bel., in 1847. Fruit above medium, rather irregular-ovate, bossed, often much swelled in the lower half, lemon-yellow or golden, dotted and a little speckled with bright maroon, carmined on the cheek turned to the sun; flesh white, semi-fine and semi-melting, having a pleasant muscat flavor; second; Jan. to Mar.

— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)

Prevost. Poire Prevost. Foreign. Fruit of medium size; skin, thin, smooth, light green, passing to golden-yellow at maturity, deeply shaded with carmine in the sun ; flesh, white, half melting, half buttery, sweet, and strongly perfumed. Ripens in December, but may be kept until April. (Al. Pom.)

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Prevost. Medium, rich yellow with a red cheek; sweet, perfumed. Winter. Belgian.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

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