Salviati
Pear
Salviati (Pear)
Origin/History
An old variety of French origin. The French pomologist Merlet described this pear in l'Abrege des bons fruits in 1675. It is subsequently referenced in Duhamel's Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (2:137, Pl. IX, 1768) and Hogg's Fruit Manual (643, 1884). By the time of Downing's writing (1900), it was considered an old variety, superseded by better sorts.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: The sources conflict on size. Coxe (1817) describes the fruit as above the common size. Downing (1900) gives it as below medium. Hedrick (1921) says below medium to medium.
Form: The sources conflict on form. Coxe describes the fruit as nearly round, very little lengthened. Downing gives it as obovate pyriform. Hedrick states the form is variable, ranging from obtuse-turbinate to slightly long ovate-turbinate.
Stem: Long and straight (Coxe).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx/Basin: The crown is even with the surface (Coxe).
Skin: Waxy or wax-yellow (all sources agree on the base color). Coxe notes it is sometimes scattered with red spots. Downing describes it as light yellow, dotted with russet. Hedrick gives the most detailed account: skin thin, wax-yellow, dotted with greenish spots, sometimes much stained with scaly russet, and sometimes tinted with reddish-brown on the side touched by the sun.
Flesh/Flavor: The sources conflict considerably on flesh character and quality. Coxe describes the flesh as very fine and half buttery, with juice that is sweet and well flavoured, implying a positive assessment. Downing describes the flesh as breaking and juicy with a musky character, rating it Good. Hedrick describes the flesh as whitish, coarse, and semi-melting, with a gritty center; the juice is scanty, rather saccharine, and sweet, but marked by a strong and disagreeable odor of musk; he assigns it a quality rating of third.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Ripens in August (Coxe); last of August (Downing); September (Hedrick).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Downing lists the following names in connection with this variety: Forniquet, Perfumed, Épine Rose Gris.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)
- SALVIATI.
This pear is above the common size, nearly of a round form, very little lengthened; the stalk is long and straight, the crown even with the surface—the skin is of waxy yellow colour, sometimes with red spots scattered over it; the flesh is very fine, half buttery; the juice sweet and well flavoured; the time of ripening in August.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Salviata.
Forniquet. Perfumed. Épine Rose Gris.
An old variety, now superseded by better sorts.
Fruit below medium, obovate pyriform, light yellow, dotted with russet. Flesh breaking, juicy, musky. Good. Last of August.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Salviati.
i. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:137, Pl. IX. 1768. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 643. 1884. Merlet, French pomologist, described this pear in l'Abrege des bons fruits in 1675. Fruit below medium to medium; form variable from obtuse-turbinate to slightly long ovate-turbinate; skin thin, wax-yellow, dotted with greenish spots, sometimes much stained with scaly russet and sometimes tinted with reddish-brown on the side touched by the sun; flesh whitish, coarse, semi-melting, gritty at the center; juice scanty, rather saccharine, sweet, but with a strong and disagreeable odor of musk; third; Sept.