Queen of the Low Countries
PearQueen of the Low Countries
Origin / History
A seedling of Van Mons' (Downing). Foreign (Elliott); Belgian (Thomas). Elliott condensed his description from Downing.
Tree
Elliott had the variety ten years, often examined it, and was unable as yet to fruit it.
Fruit
Size: Large; often very large (Downing).
Form: Obovate, acute pyriform (Elliott); broad acute pyriform (Downing). Pyriform, neck narrow, body broad or slightly oblate, Bosc-shaped; surface slightly uneven (Thomas).
Stem: One and a half inch long, curved.
Cavity: Not sunk (Thomas).
Calyx: Small; rather deep-set (Thomas).
Basin: Deep (Elliott); ribbed (Thomas).
Skin: Dull yellow in the shade, dotted and russeted around the eye, and overspread with fine dark red on the side next the sun (Downing). Thomas gives dull greenish yellow, crown russeted, with a slight blush; surface slightly uneven.
Dots: Russet, numerous, often confluent (Thomas).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white, buttery, melting, juicy. Flavor vinous, subacid, rich (Downing); moderately rich, sub-acid, "with a second-rate, Brown Beurré flavor" (Thomas). Downing adds: "Variable, sometimes poor."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October. Early October (Elliott); ripe in October (Downing); mid-autumn (Thomas).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1845–1849) from Massachusetts
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
View original book sources (3)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Queen of the Low Countries.
Reine des Pays Bas.
Foreign. We have often examined this sort, but have been unable as yet to fruit it in ten years that we have had the variety. We condense our description from Downing. Fruit, large, obovate acute pyriform, dull yellow, dotted and russeted, dark red in sun ; stem, one and a half inch long, curved ; calyx, small ; basin, deep ; flesh, white, buttery, melting, juicy, vinous, sub-acid. Early October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)QUEEN OF THE LOW COUNTRIES.
Reine des Pays Bas.
A seedling of Van Mons'.
Fruit large, often very large, broad acute pyriform. Skin in the shade dull yellow, dotted and russeted around the eye, and overspread with fine dark red on the side next the sun. Flesh white, buttery, melting, and juicy, with a rich, subacid, vinous flavor. Variable, sometimes poor. Ripe in October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Queen of the Low Countries. Large pyriform, neck narrow, body broad or slightly oblate (Bosc-shaped); surface slightly uneven, dull greenish-yellow, crown russeted, with numerous, often confluent russet dots, and a slight blush; stalk an inch and a half long, curved, not sunk; calyx small, rather deep-set, basin ribbed; buttery, melting, juicy, moderately rich, sub-acid, with a second-rate, Brown Beurré flavor. Mid-autumn. Belgian.