Roi de Rome
PearRoi de Rome (Pear)
Origin/History
This pear was found in the province of Hainaut (Hainault), Belgium, by the Abbé Duquesnes, who is credited with introducing many good fruits. According to Downing, it first fruited in 1810. Downing notes that under the name Roi de Rome, the Napoleon pear was repeatedly received in America, but that as described in the Annals of Pomology, Roi de Rome is an entirely distinct fruit.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and Form: Fruit very large. Downing describes the form as regular, oblong ovate pyriform. Hedrick describes it as pyriform and pyramidal.
Stem: Downing describes the stalk as short, set with little or no cavity, surrounded with slight furrows.
Cavity: Little or no cavity at the stalk (Downing); Hedrick notes dark gray shading around the stalk.
Calyx: Hedrick notes dark gray shading around the calyx. No further calyx description in either source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: The two sources differ in their skin descriptions. Downing describes the skin as clear yellow, marbled with crimson in the sun, specked with russet, and dotted with many small gray dots. Hedrick gives a more detailed account: olive-green ground, with dark gray shading around the stalk and calyx, strongly blushed with orange-red on the side next the sun and dotted with bright gray on that same side, becoming yellow at maturity on the shaded cheek, with brown-black dots on the shaded side.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh yellowish-white. Downing calls it half fine and melting; Hedrick calls it fine and semi-melting. Juice is abundant (Hedrick), and the flavor is sweet (Downing) and saccharine (Hedrick), with an agreeable perfume (Hedrick). Downing describes it overall as agreeable.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
The two sources conflict on ripening period. Downing gives October–November. Hedrick gives September.
Uses
Second quality for table use, first quality for household use (Hedrick).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Roi de Rome.
This variety was found in a province of Hainault, Belgium, by M. l'Abbé Duquesnes, and first fruited in 1810. Under the name of Roi de Rome, the Napoleon has been repeatedly received in this country, but, as described in the Annals of Pomology, is entirely a distinct fruit.
Fruit very large, regular, oblong ovate pyriform. Skin clear yellow, marbled with crimson in the sun, specked with russet, and dotted with many small gray dots. Stalk short, set with little or no cavity, but surrounded with slight furrows. Flesh yellowish white, half fine, melting, juicy, sweet, agreeable. October, November.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Roi de Rome.
- Ann. Pom. Belge 6:51, fig. 1858.
- Downing Fr. Trees Am. 843. 1869.
The Abbé Duquesnes, to whom we are beholden for many good fruits, found this pear in Hainaut, Bel. Fruit very large, pyriform, pyramidal, olive-green, with dark gray shading around the stalk and calyx, strongly blushed with orange-red and dotted with bright gray on the side next the sun, and yellow at maturity on the shaded cheek, with brown-black dots; flesh fine, semi-melting, yellowish-white; juice abundant, saccharine, with an agreeable perfume; second for table, first for household; Sept.