Vicar Of Winkfield
Pear
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Vicar Of Winkfield
Origin / History
French. Found growing wild in a wood, as a natural seedling, by a French curate, whence the French names Le Curé and Monsieur le Curé. Elliott names the curate himself M. Clion, and Downing places the find in the woods of Clion, France. Bunyard gives a wood near Villiers-en-Brenne, France, about 1760, and names the finder M. Leroy, curé of the parish. Hedrick gives Villiers-en-Brenne in 1760.
A short time after it became known at Paris (Downing), it was taken to England by the Rev. W. L. Rham of Winkfield, Berkshire, who grew it in a garden there and cultivated and disseminated it. Elliott styles him Rev. Dr. Rham; Hedrick spells the name Rahm and calls him Vicar of Winkfield. From this circumstance it became known in the neighborhood of London as the Vicar of Winkfield.
Elliott holds that the English name, "concentrating the two associations in the one name, and which, being of our own language, is to be preferred." Hedrick holds the reverse: from this circumstance "it lost its proper name, Curé or Le Curé, and wrongly acquired that by which it is now known here and in England."
Hedrick's earliest citation is under the name "Vicar" in Mawe-Abercrombie, Univ. Gard. Bot., 1778; he also cites that name in Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1883, and Ont. Dept. Agr. Fr. Ont., 1914. In America he cites it as "Clion" in Kenrick, Am. Orch., 1841. He records it as Vicar of Winkfield from 1843 (Gard. Chron.; Mag. Hort.) and in Downing, Fr. Trees Am., 1845. Bunyard cites Her. Pom. II, 66. It was introduced to America early in the nineteenth century and placed on the American Pomological Society's list of recommended fruits in 1852 (Hedrick).
Elliott calls it "a most profitable variety, grown on the quince stock," and adds that "although only second quality, it is always fair and large." Downing reports "some difference of opinion" on its merits, "some persons considering it a fine fruit." He holds that its great productiveness, hardiness, and fine size "will always give it a prominent place in the orchard as a profitable variety." Thomas finds it valuable for its great and uniform productiveness, its fine qualities for cooking, and the long period of its continuance.
Hedrick writes that the fruit varies so much in quality, "often being wretchedly poor," and the trees blight so badly, that it is now seldom planted in America. Many old trees of largest size are still to be found in New York, but young stock is now seldom set.
Tree
A strong, thrifty, vigorous grower; Bunyard calls it very vigorous. Hedrick describes the tree as large, vigorous, handsome, hardy, very productive, and long-lived, and "barring susceptibility to blight," "about all that could be desired." Habit upright-spreading and dense-topped (Hedrick), or spreading and irregular, or straggling (Thomas), with drooping fruit branches (Downing).
Trunk and branches stocky; branches zigzag, greenish-brown overspread with grayish scarf-skin, with lenticels variable in number and size. Branchlets curved, thick, long and willowy, with long internodes, light greenish-brown mingled with red on the newer growth, smooth, glabrous except near the ends of the new growth, sprinkled with conspicuous, raised lenticels (Hedrick). Shoots strong, diverging, dark olive to dark olive brown.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, free (Hedrick). Leaves large, round or roundish, glossy, thick, leathery, the apex sharply or abruptly pointed, a little uncupped, held out, the margin regularly and finely serrate and tipped with minute scattering glands. Hedrick measures them 3 in. long by 2½ in. wide, and 2¾ by 2¼ in. in his Cyclopedia. Petiole variable in length, pinkish-green; stipules short, tinged with pink. Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free, borne singly on very short spurs (Hedrick).
Productive to very productive; fertility good (Bunyard); Thomas notes its great and uniform productiveness, and Veitch calls it an excellent bearer. At the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, British Columbia, trees planted in spring 1890 proved strong growers and regular bearers. Thomas says it grows well on quince stocks. Bunyard says it makes a good standard or pyramid, and Hedrick that it thrives both as standard and dwarf. Hedrick says the trees blight badly. He finds the quality of the fruit depends largely on the soil, being best when the trees stand in a deep, warm loam; Veitch says it requires a warm position.
Fruit
Size: Large, always fair, remarkably large, and handsome; Thomas calls it quite large and Bunyard very large. Downing gives it as often six inches long. Budd and Hansen call it slim, though often five to six inches long. Bunyard gives "3½ by 4½." Hedrick gives 4½ in. long by 3 in. wide, and 3½ by 2½ in. in his Cyclopedia.
Form: Long pyriform to oblong-pyriform, with a long, tapering neck and a conical taper toward the crown (Thomas); a little to somewhat one-sided, usually one-sided with unequal sides (Hedrick). Elliott calls it oblong obovate pyriform, and Bunyard a long calebasse, uneven.
Stem: An inch to an inch and a half long; Elliott says an inch or more. Slender to rather slender, curved (Hedrick), long and woody (Bunyard). Obliquely inserted without depression at the top of a narrow neck (Budd and Hansen); Bunyard says generally inserted at an angle.
Cavity: Lacking; the stem is set without depression, often fleshy at the insertion, with a fleshy fold around its base in the form of a lip (Hedrick).
Calyx: Large, open, with open, reflexed segments; Bunyard calls the eye large and clove-like, wide open. Lobes long, unusually broad, obtusely pointed (Hedrick). Hedrick notes the peculiarity that the calyx is not in line with the axis, as in other pears, but is on one side, generally opposite to that in which the stalk is inserted. Calyx-tube long, narrow, funnel-shaped (Hedrick).
Basin: Shallow to very shallow, very slightly sunk; narrow, though Budd and Hansen call it broad but very shallow. Hedrick adds obtuse, smooth, symmetrical.
Skin: Smooth and fair; thick, tough, and dull (Hedrick). Dull pale green or grass green at first, becoming pale yellow; Thomas gives pale yellow or pale yellowish-green. A cheek on the exposed side is given as brownish or brown, sometimes or often present, and as dull reddish (Thomas) or reddish (Agassiz). Hedrick calls it often a faint trace of a brownish-red blush. Hedrick also notes light russet around the calyx and occasionally russet flecks scattered over the surface.
Dots: Small, brown, over the whole surface, quite numerous (Budd and Hansen); Hedrick calls them numerous, small, conspicuous, brownish-russet.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh greenish white, greenish or yellowish-white (Thomas), whitish to white, or pale yellow (Bunyard). Juicy, generally juicy (Downing) or quite juicy (Budd and Hansen), sometimes buttery; Thomas and the Agassiz station call it buttery. Hedrick calls it tender and melting, granular only near the center. Bunyard alone finds it rather firm, dry and woolly.
Flavor sprightly, "a good, sprightly flavor" (Downing), moderate (Thomas), "pleasant" (Agassiz). It is also astringent: sometimes slightly so (Thomas), generally so as a table pear (Downing), "more or less astringent," "somewhat astringent or with a sprightly muskiness, with no pleasant aroma," with "a strong musky smell" (Hedrick).
Elliott calls it "only second quality" yet rates it "very good"; Budd and Hansen and Rivers' catalog call it good. Downing has "occasionally" tasted it "fine as a table Pear," but "generally it is astringent, and only third-rate for this purpose"; "if ripened off in a warm temperature, however, it will generally prove a good second-rate eating Pear." Hedrick rates it "inferior for dessert but good for cooking" and says the quality varies, "often being wretchedly poor." Bunyard notes that "some authors have stated that in a warm year it attains dessert quality but I have not found this so."
Core and seeds: Core small; closed, axile, with clasping core-lines; carpels long-oval (Hedrick). Seeds oblong ovate (Elliott); large, long, not very plump, often abortive (Hedrick).
Season
Late autumn into January. Most authors give November to January or December to January; the Agassiz station gives December, and Budd and Hansen late fall. Thomas says it ripens in late autumn and early winter and continues for about two months. Hedrick says the fruits keep well.
Uses
Chiefly culinary: excellent for all culinary purposes (Hedrick), for baking, stewing, and kitchen use. Downing calls it "always a first-rate baking Pear," Veitch "a good stewing pear and valuable for cooking," and Rivers "very good indeed for stewing and kitchen use."
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Elliott records Belle Epine Dumas as "heretofore considered as a synonym of Vicar of Winkfield" and describes it separately. That pear is medium (Downing, Thomas) or large (Elliott). Form obovate obtuse pyriform, oblong pyriform, or long pyriform. Skin green becoming greenish yellow, or dull yellow with a red cheek in the sun (Elliott), with small russet-brown dots. Stalk long, set in a very small depression or scarcely sunk; calyx partially closed, in a shallow, regular basin. Flesh white, fine grained, buttery, half melting, juicy, sweet or sugary, of a peculiar flavor; "very good" (Elliott, Downing). Season November and December, or late autumn (Thomas).
The tree of Belle Epine Dumas is vigorous and succeeds on quince. Downing describes it as pyramidal and a good bearer, with young wood dull yellow brown and sharp-pointed buds. Thomas gives the shoots as dark, speckled, and the leaves narrow.
Hedrick describes the same pear as Épine du Mas. He records it as a wilding found about 1760 by a M. Chemison in the forest of Rochechouart near Mas, Department of Haute-Vienne. Its fruit is obtuse-pyriform, lively yellow or lemon-yellow, finely dotted with brown and washed with carmine on the sun-exposed cheek. The flesh is fine, tender, melting, sweet, gritty at center, juicy, acid, musky; good.
[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — the George Bunyard & Co. catalog entry (1914) is garbled and self-contradictory, and its "English first found in 1852" conflicts with the French origin given by the book sources. The Thomas Rivers catalog entry (1914) gives the season as "Jan.-Dec." and includes the unexplained word "pressed."] The George Bunyard catalog entry reads: "Dec.; Jan.; fairly large; pale yellow; flesh white, fairly good flavored; flesh very good. English fairly good. Fairly tender; fairly productive. English first found in 1852 and fairly good. English well known fairly Vigorous very hardy. Hardy. Vicar of Winkfield; Medium; fairly hardy; pretty good." The Rivers entry reads in part: "large; fine flesh in the autumn; good; pressed." and closes "Jan.-Dec."
Book Sources
Described in 7 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 50 catalogs (1845–1936) from Alabama, California, England, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Virginia, Washington
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849 — listed as Colmar du Lot
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849 — listed as Belle Epine Dumas
- Azell Bowditch (Nursery / Fruit Catalog) , Boston , Massachusetts — 1850
- Joseph Breck & Co. , Boston , Massachusetts — 1855
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell Prairie, Marion County, OR (Marion Co., Ogn.) — 1864 — listed as Vicar of Wakefield
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1888
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1889
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1890
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1891
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894 — listed as Vicar of Wakefield
- Multnomah Nurseries , Russellville , Oregon — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1895
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1897
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
- The Salem Nursery (John A. Francis , Proprietor), Salem , Virginia — 1897
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Vicar of Wakefield
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900 — listed as Vicar of Winkfield, or Bon Chretien
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Belle Epine Dumas
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903 — listed as Vicar of Wakefield
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903 — listed as Vicar of Wakefield
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907 — listed as Vicar of Wakefield
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Milton Nursery Co. (A. Miller & Sons , Proprietors), Milton , Oregon — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- C.F. Lansing , Salem , Oregon — 1910
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1910
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1911
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Ballygreen Nurseries , Hanford , Washington — 1912
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
- Van Holderbeke Nursery Co. , Incorporated, Spokane, Washington (nurseries at Otis Orchards WA, Pasadena WA, Kennewick WA) — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1914
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1915
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1916
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1917
- Hudson's Wholesale Nurseries , Tangent , Oregon — 1936
View original book sources (11)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Vicar of Winkfield.
Vicar of Wakefield, Monsieur le Curé, Le Curé, Clion.
Foreign. First found growing wild in a wood by M. Clion, a French curate, hence the names, Clion, Le Curé, &c.; afterwards it was grown in a garden at Winkfield, Berkshire, by Rev. Dr. Rham, and received the name of Vicar of Winkfield, concentrating the two associations in the one name, and which, being of our own language, is to be preferred. It is a most profitable variety, grown on the quince stock, and, although only second quality, it is always fair and large. Tree, a vigorous grower, with large, roundish, glossy leaves; shoots, diverging, dark olive color.
Fruit, large, oblong obovate pyriform; color, dull pale green at first becoming pale yellow, with sometimes a brownish cheek, marked with brown dots over the whole surface; calyx, with open reflexed segments; stem, an inch or more long, rather slender, obliquely inserted without depression; core, small; seeds, oblong ovate; flesh, greenish white, juicy, sprightly: 'very good.' November to January.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Belle Epine Dumas", pp. 365–365]
Belle Epine Dumas. Epine Dumas, | Du Mas, | Duc de Bordeaux. Foreign. Heretofore considered as a synonym of Vicar of Winkfield. Fruit, large, oblong pyriform, dull yellow, with red cheek in sun ; flesh, fine grained, juicy, sugary; "very good." November, December.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)VICAR OF WINKFIELD.
Le Curé. Missive d'Hiver. Monsieur le Curé. Cueillette d'Hiver. Clion. Cornice de Toulon. Belle de Berry. Du Curé. Belle Heloise. Grosse Allongée. Bon Papa. Du Pradel. De Clion. Vicar of Wakefield. Monsieur. Pradello de Catalogne. Belle Andreane. Curette. De Monsieur Le Curé. Jouffroy. Belle Adrienne. Messire d'Hiver. Vicaire de Winkfield.
This large and productive Pear was discovered, as a natural seedling, in the woods of Clion, France, by a French curate, whence it obtained in France the familiar name of Le Curé, or Monsieur le Curé. A short time after it became known at Paris, it was imported into England by the Reverend Mr. Rham, of Winkfield, Berkshire, and cultivated and disseminated from thence, being known in the neighborhood of London as the Vicar of Winkfield. With regard to its merits there is some difference of opinion—some persons considering it a fine fruit. It is always remarkably large, fair, and handsome. We think it always a first-rate baking Pear. Occasionally we have tasted it fine as a table Pear, but generally it is astringent, and only third-rate for this purpose. If ripened off in a warm temperature, however, it will generally prove a good second-rate eating Pear. But its great productiveness, hardiness, and fine size, will always give it a prominent place in the orchard as a profitable variety. The tree grows thriftily, with drooping fruit branches. Shoots dark olive brown.
Fruit large and long pyriform, often six inches long, and a little one-sided. Skin fair and smooth, pale yellow, sometimes with a brownish cheek, and marked with small brown dots. Stalk an inch or an inch and a half long, slender, obliquely inserted without depression. Calyx large, open, set in a basin which is very slightly sunk. Flesh greenish white, generally juicy, but sometimes buttery, with a good, sprightly flavor. November to January.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Belle Epine Dumas", pp. 691–691]
Belle Epine Dumas.
Due de Bourdeaux. Beurre Rochechourt Epine du Rochoir. Beurre St. Louis. Epine de Limoges. Colmar de Lot. Epine Dumas. Comte de Limoges. Beurre de Rochoir. Emile de Rochois. Beurre d'Elberg.
Tree vigorous, pyramidal form, good bearer. Young wood dull yellow brown, with sharp-pointed buds.
Fruit medium, obovate obtuse pyriform. Skin green, becoming greenish yellow when ripe, with small russet brown dots. Stalk long, set in a very small depression. Calyx partially closed, in a shallow, regular basin. Flesh white, buttery, half melting, juicy, sweet, and of a peculiar flavor. Very good. November and December.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Vicar of Winkfield.* (Le Curé, Monsieur le Curé, Clion.) Quite large, long pyriform, with a conical taper toward the crown; skin smooth, pale yellow, or pale yellowish-green, with a dull reddish cheek; stalk an inch to an inch and a half long, slender, often fleshy at insertion, oblique not sunk; basin narrow, very shallow; flesh greenish or yellowish-white, juicy, buttery, with a moderate flavor—sometimes slightly astringent. Ripens late autumn and early winter, for about two months. Growth spreading and irregular, or straggling; shoots strong, dark olive. Grows well on quince stocks. The great and uniform productiveness of this pear, its fine qualities for cooking, and the long period of its continuance, render it valuable. France. Fig. 646.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Belle Epine Dumas", pp. 783–783]
Belle Épine Dumas. See Dumas.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Dumas", pp. 544–544]
Dumas. (Belle Épine Dumas, Duc de Bordeaux.) Medium, long pyriform; greenish-yellow; stalk long, scarcely sunk; basin shallow, regular; calyx partly closed; buttery, half melting, sweet, flavor peculiar. Late autumn. Growth vigorous, succeeds on quince. Shoots dark, speckled; leaves narrow.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Vicar of Winkfield. — Large, long pyriform, somewhat one-sided; though slim it is often five to six inches long; color pale yellow, often with brown cheek and quite numerous small brown dots; stalk one to one and one-half inches long, inserted obliquely without cavity at top of narrow neck; basin broad, but very shallow. Flesh greenish white, quite juicy, sometimes buttery, with sprightly flavor, good. Season, late fall. France.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)VICAR OF WINKFIELD. Her. Pom., II., 66. F. Curé. G. Pastorenbirn. Culinary, December to January, very large, 3½ by 4½, long calebasse, uneven. Skin, smooth. Colour, grass green fading to pale yellow. Flesh, pale yellow, rather firm, dry and woolly. Eye, large and clove like, wide open in a shallow narrow basin. Stem, long and woody, generally inserted at an angle. Growth, very vigorous; fertility good. Leaf, round, sharply pointed, a little uncupped, held out, regularly and finely serrate. Origin, discovered in a wood near Villiers-en-Brenne, France, about 1760, by M. Leroy, curé of the parish. It was introduced to England by the Rev. W. L. Rham, of Winkfield, Berkshire, to which circumstance it owes its English name. This variety grows very vigorously and makes a good standard or pyramid. Some authors have stated that in a warm year it attains dessert quality but I have not found this so.
Vlesembeek: see Thompson's.
White Doyenné: see Doyenné Blanc.
Wiehelmine: see Beurré d'Amanlis.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)VICAR OF WINKFIELD
- Gard. Chron. 20, fig. 1843. 2. Mag. Hort. 9:129, 269. 1843. 3. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 448, fig. 208. 1845. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 53. 1852. 5. Elliott Fr. Book 344, fig. 1854. 6. Jour. Hort. N. S. 7:414. 1864. 7. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 875, fig. 1869. 8. Hogg Fruit Man. 660. 1884. Vicar. 9. Mawe-Abercrombie Univ. Gard. Bot. 1778. 10. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 40. 1883. 11. Ont. Dept. Agr. Fr. Ont. 183. 1914. Clion. 12. Kenrick Am. Orch. 159. 1841. Le Curé. 13. Hovey Fr. Am. 1:47, Pl. 1851. Curé. 14. Pom. France 1: No. 18, Pl. 18. 1863. 15. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:610, fig. 1867. 16. Guide Prat. 61, 261. 1876. 17. Soc. Nat. Hort. France Pom. 396, fig. 1904. 18. Cat. Cong. Pom. France 321, fig. 1906. Pastorenbirne. 19. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 262. 1889. 20. Gaucher Pom. Prak. Obst. No. 59, Pl. 49. 1894.
Though large and handsome, the pears of this variety vary so much in quality, often being wretchedly poor, that trees of it are now seldom planted in America. The variety is not liked, also, because the trees blight badly. The fruits, besides being large and handsome, keep well, and are excellent for all culinary purposes. They are in season from November to January. The pears have a strong musky smell, and are more or less astringent. The quality depends largely on the soil, and is best when the trees stand in a deep, warm loam. The fruits are long-pyriform, usually one-sided, and are further characterized by the peculiarity that the calyx is not in line with the axis, as in other pears, but is on one side, generally opposite to that in which the stalk is inserted as shown in the accompanying illustration. The trees, barring susceptibility to blight, are about all that could be desired — large, vigorous, handsome, and thrive both as standards and dwarfs. Many old trees of largest size of this variety are still to be found in New York, but young stock is now seldom set.
In 1760, this pear was found as a wilding by a French curate at Villiers-en-Brenne. In due course it was introduced into England by the Rev. W. L. Rahm, Vicar of Winkfield, in Berkshire, and from this circumstance it lost its proper name, Curé or Le Curé, and wrongly acquired that by which it is now known here and in England. The variety was introduced to America early in the nineteenth century. It was placed on the list of recommended fruits by the American Pomological Society in 1852.
Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, dense-topped, hardy, very productive, long-lived; trunk and branches stocky; branches zigzag, greenish-brown overspread with grayish scarf-skin, with lenticels variable in number and size; branchlets curved, thick, long and willowy, with long internodes, light greenish-brown which is mingled with red on the newer growth, smooth, glabrous except near the ends of the new growth, sprinkled with conspicuous, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds small, short, pointed, free. Leaves 3 in. long, 2½ in. wide, thick, leathery; apex abruptly pointed; margin tipped with minute scattering glands, finely serrate; petiole variable in length, pinkish-green; stipules short, tinged with pink. Flower-buds small, short, conical, plump, free, singly on very short spurs.
Fruit ripe December to January; large, 4½ in. long, 3 in. wide, oblong-pyriform, with a long, tapering neck, with unequal sides; stem 1½ in. long, slender, curved; cavity lacking, with stem obliquely set without a depression and often with a fleshy fold around the base in the form of a lip; calyx large, open; lobes long, unusually broad, obtusely pointed; basin very shallow, narrow, obtuse, smooth, symmetrical; skin thick, tough, smooth, dull; color pale yellow, often with a faint trace of a brownish-red blush over the exposed cheek, marked with light russet around the calyx, and occasionally with russet flecks scattered over the surface; dots numerous, small, conspicuous, brownish-russet; flesh white, granular only near the center, tender and melting, juicy, somewhat astringent or with a sprightly muskiness, with no pleasant aroma; quality inferior for dessert but good for cooking. Core small, closed, axile, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube long, narrow, funnel-shaped; carpels long-oval; seeds large, long, not very plump, often abortive.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Épine du Mas", pp. 558–558]
Épine du Mas.
- Pom. France 1:No. 31, Pl. 31. 1863.
- Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:412, fig. 1869. Belle Épine Dumas. 3. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 668. 1869. Dumas. 4. Rural N. Y. 45:480, figs. 292, 293. 1886.
A wilding found about 1760 by a M. Chemison in the forest of Rochechouart near Mas, Department of Haute-Vienne, Fr. Fruit medium, obtuse-pyriform, lively yellow or lemon-yellow, finely dotted with brown and washed with carmine on the sun-exposed cheek; flesh white, fine, tender, melting, sweet, gritty at center, juicy, acid, musky; good; Nov. and Dec.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)VICAR OF WINKFIELD. Vicar. The pears of this variety are so variable in quality, often being wretchedly poor, that this sort is now seldom planted in America. The variety is not liked, also, because the trees blight badly. The fruits are large and handsome, keep well, and are excellent for all culinary purposes. They have a strong musky smell, and are more or less astringent, the quality depending largely on the soil, being best when the trees stand in a deep, warm loam. The pears are long-pyriform, usually one-sided, and are further characterized by the peculiarity that the calyx is not in line with the axis as in other pears, but is on one side, generally opposite to that in which the stalk is inserted. The trees, barring susceptibility to blight, are about all that could be desired — large, vigorous, handsome, and thriving both as standards and dwarfs. In 1760 this pear was found as a wilding by a French curate at Villiers-en-Brenne.
Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, dense-topped, hardy, very productive, long-lived; trunk and branches stocky; branches zigzag, greenish-brown, with lenticels variable in number and size. Leaves 2¾ inches long, 2¼ inches wide, thick, leathery; apex abruptly pointed; margin tipped with minute scattering glands, finely serrate; petiole variable in length, pinkish-green.
Fruit ripe December-January; large, 3½ inches long, 2½ inches wide, oblong-pyriform, with a long, tapering neck, with unequal sides; stem 1½ inches long, slender, curved; cavity lacking with stem obliquely set and often with a fleshy fold around the base in the form of a lip; calyx large, open; lobes long, obtusely pointed; basin shallow, narrow, obtuse, smooth, symmetrical; skin thick, tough, smooth, dull; color pale yellow, often with a faint brownish-red blush over the exposed cheek, marked with light russet around the calyx, and occasionally with russet flecks scattered over the surface; dots numerous, small, conspicuous, brownish-russet; flesh white, granular only near the center, tender and melting, juicy, astringent or with a sprightly muskiness; good only for cooking; core small, closed, axile, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube long, narrow, funnel-shaped; carpels long-oval; seeds large, long, often abortive.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1890. Tree a strong grower and a regular bearer. Fruit large, long pyriform. Skin smooth, pale yellow, often with a reddish cheek. Flesh whitish, juicy, buttery, with a pleasant flavour. Season December.
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)large, long and handsome; a good stewing pear and valuable for cooking; productive; an excellent bearer; requires a warm position.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)Dec.; Jan.; fairly large; pale yellow; flesh white, fairly good flavored; flesh very good. English fairly good. Fairly tender; fairly productive. English first found in 1852 and fairly good. English well known fairly Vigorous very hardy. Hardy. Vicar of Winkfield; Medium; fairly hardy; pretty good.
— Thomas Rivers & Son, Thomas Rivers Catalogue of Fruits (1914) (1914)large; fine flesh in the autumn; good; pressed. Very good indeed for stewing and kitchen use. Vigorous; very productive. Jan.-Dec.