Rousselet de Rheims
PearRousselet de Rheims
Origin / History
A French pear of very ancient and uncertain origin. Downing says it is "originally from Rheims," and Hedrick says it has existed, particularly around the city of Reims, France, for some centuries. Hedrick reports that many authors have endeavored to trace it back to the days of the Romans. In his view, Pliny and the other Latin horticulturists did not describe their fruits technically enough to identify their varieties with modern ones with certainty. Hedrick's earliest reference is Duhamel, "Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:147, Pl. XL," of 1768; his second is Bunyard's Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920). Bunyard calls it "a very old variety which was mentioned by Le Lectier in 1628," and writes that "it is occasionally found in old orchards in this country."
Downing reports that it "is supposed to have been the parent of our Seckel." He finds "a pretty strong resemblance in the color, form, and flavor of the two fruits."
Tree
Growth good, making a good standard; fertility excellent (Bunyard). Growth quite different from that of the Seckel, with remarkably long and thrifty dark brown shoots (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Small; 2 by 2½ (Bunyard).
Form: Obovate inclining to pyriform, turbinate, or oval conical; even and regular in form, rarely very obtuse.
Stem: Long and slender, woody, inserted at the apex of the fruit (Bunyard).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Eye large, open (Bunyard).
Basin: Eye set on the level (Bunyard).
Skin: Smooth. Bright green, yellow-green, or greenish yellow. It carries a brown-red flush, extensively shaded with reddish-brown on the side opposed to the sun (Hedrick). Downing gives it as "yellowish green, with brownish red and russety specks."
Dots: Conspicuous (Bunyard). Large and small gray-russet dots sprinkled over the skin (Hedrick); russety specks (Downing).
Flesh and flavor: White to yellowish white, fine or semi-fine. Texture breaking or half buttery to half melting or almost melting. Bunyard calls it juicy; Hedrick calls it not very juicy.
Sweet, sugary, rich, and aromatic. Downing finds it "peculiarly aromatic, spicy." Hedrick calls it rich in sugar, acidulous, refreshing, and highly perfumed. Bunyard notes a "distinct flavour, common to the Rousselets."
Hedrick rates it "one of the best early pears for dessert." Downing holds that "the Seckel is much the most delicious," and that "if it were only buttery and melting, [it] would be a first-rate fruit."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September; at the beginning of September (Downing). Subject to rot at the core (Downing).
Uses
Culinary and dessert. Bunyard calls it "an excellent cooking pear and quite acceptable for dessert uses." Hedrick finds it very good for candying.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Bunyard notes that the Gros Rousselet is often grown under the name "de Rheims," but that it is quite a distinct variety. Bunyard cites Verger, II., 64.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1845–1900) from Massachusetts
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)ROUSSELET DE RHEIMS.
Rousselet. Rousselet Musqué. Petit Rousselet. Late Catherine. Spice or Musk Pear. Autumn Catherine.
This French Pear, originally from Rheims, is supposed to have been the parent of our Seckel. There is a pretty strong resemblance in the color, form, and flavor of the two fruits, but the Seckel is much the most delicious. The growth is quite different, and this Pear has remarkably long and thrifty dark brown shoots. It is sugary, and with a peculiarly aromatic, spicy flavor, and if it were only buttery and melting, would be a first-rate fruit.
Fruit small, obovate, inclining to pyriform. Skin yellowish green, with brownish red and russety specks. Flesh breaking or half buttery, with a sweet, rich, aromatic flavor. Ripe at the beginning of September, subject to rot at the core.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Rousselet de Rheims. Small, obovate pyriform, yellowish-green; sweet, aromatic—rots at core. Early Sept. French.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)ROUSSELET DE RHEIMS. Verger, II., 64. G. Rousselet von Rheims. (Girofle.) Culinary or dessert, September, small, 2 by 2½, oval conical, even. Skin, smooth. Colour, greenish yellow with brown red flush and conspicuous dots. Flesh, yellowish white, half melting, juicy with distinct flavour, common to the Rousselets. Eye, large, open on level. Stem, long and slender, woody, inserted at apex of fruit. Growth, good, making a good standard; fertility excellent. Origin, a very old variety which was mentioned by Le Lectier in 1628. It is occasionally found in old orchards in this country. The Gros Rousselet is often grown also under the name "de Rheims," but is quite a distinct variety. An excellent cooking pear and quite acceptable for dessert uses.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Rousselet de Rheims.
- Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:147, Pl. XL 1768. 2. Bunyard Handb. Hardy Fr. 196. 1920.
This pear is of very ancient and uncertain origin. Many authors have endeavored to trace it back to the days of the Romans. But Pliny and the other Latin horticulturists did not give descriptions of their fruits sufficiently technical to enable us to make identification of their varieties with ours certain. It is, however, clear that the Rousselet de Rheims has existed, particularly around the city of Reims, Fr., for some centuries. Fruit small, turbinate, regular in form, rarely very obtuse, bright green or yellow-green, sprinkled with large and small gray-russet dots and extensively shaded with reddish-brown on the side opposed to the sun; flesh white, fine or semi-fine, almost melting, not very juicy, rich in sugar, acidulous, refreshing, highly perfumed; one of the best early pears for dessert; very good for candying; Sept.