VICOMTE DE SPOELBERCH
PearVICOMTE DE SPOELBERCH
Origin / History
VICOMTE DE SPOELBERCH is a Belgian variety, a seedling raised by Van Mons, described in 1830 and dedicated to M. le Vicomte de Spoelberg de Lovenjoul (Downing). Thomas also confirms its Belgian origin.
Tree
Sources disagree slightly on vigor: Elliott describes the tree as moderately vigorous, while Downing calls it vigorous and productive. Branches are upright (Elliott). The young wood is described by Elliott as yellowish brown with whitish gray specks; Downing describes it as reddish yellow brown. Thomas does not describe the tree beyond its national origin.
Fruit
Size
Sources differ: Elliott calls the fruit large; Downing describes it as medium; Thomas says medium or rather large.
Form
Sources also disagree on form: Elliott describes the fruit as obovate obtuse pyriform; Downing as roundish acute pyriform; Thomas as obovate, somewhat conic.
Stem
The stem (stalk) is long (Elliott), stout (Elliott, Thomas), and curved (Downing, Thomas), fleshy at its base or insertion (Elliott, Downing). Downing notes a slight russet on the stalk. Thomas gives the length as an inch and a quarter.
Cavity
Not described in source.
Calyx
Elliott describes the calyx as medium, with segments short and erect. Downing describes it as open. Thomas describes it as erect and short. Elliott and Thomas thus agree on the erect posture of the segments, while Downing characterizes the calyx as open.
Basin
Downing describes the basin as small. Thomas describes it as round and shallow.
Skin
All three sources agree the ground color is pale yellow at maturity. Elliott notes a little red on the sun-exposed side, with russet patches and specks. Thomas describes the skin as slightly rough, yellow, with a purplish blotched cheek toward the sun, and very slightly russeted. Downing describes the skin as covered with numerous small dots and small patches of russet, without mentioning sun coloring.
Flesh and Flavor
All three sources agree that the flesh is buttery and melting. Elliott adds that it is white, fine-grained, juicy, and sugary, rating it "best." Downing describes the flesh as white, buttery, juicy, and melting, but characterizes it as "not high flavored," rating it Good — a notable conflict with Elliott's "best" and Thomas's "rich, fine." Thomas describes the flesh as buttery, melting, rich, and fine, and notes that the variety needs high cultivation to develop its fine qualities.
Core / Seeds
Elliott describes the core as medium. No further detail on seeds in any source.
Season
Elliott: December. Downing: November and December. Thomas: early winter. All three sources place the variety in the early-to-mid winter ripening window.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Thomas's note that VICOMTE DE SPOELBERCH "needs high cultivation to develop its fine qualities" may partly explain the discrepancy between Elliott's "best" and Downing's "not high flavored" — suggesting that fruit quality is strongly dependent on growing conditions.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Vicompte de Spoelberch
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as De Spoelberg
View original book sources (3)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)VICOMPTE DE SPOELBERCH. Despoilberg, | Bezi de Spoelberch, | Vicompte de Spoelberg. Foreign. Tree, moderately vigorous, branches upright, yellowish brown, with whitish gray specks. Fruit, large, obovate obtuse pyriform, pale yellow when mature, little red in sun, and russet patches and specks ; stem, long, stout, fleshy at base ; calyx, medium ; segments, short, erect : core, medium ; flesh, white, fine-grained, buttery, melting, juicy, sugary ; "best." December.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)VICOMTE DE SPOELBERCH.
De Spoelberg. Beurré de Spoelberg. De Spoilberg.
A seedling of Van Mons', described in 1830, and dedicated to M. le Vicomte de Spoelberg de Lovenjoul. Tree vigorous, productive. Young wood reddish yellow brown.
Fruit medium, roundish acute pyriform. Skin pale yellow, covered with numerous small dots, and small patches of russet. Stalk curved, fleshy at its insertion, with slight russet. Calyx open. Basin small. Flesh white, buttery, juicy, melting, not high flavored. Good. November, December.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Vicomte de Spoelberch. (De Spoelberg, Delices Van Mons.) Medium or rather large, obovate, somewhat conic; skin slightly rough, yellow, with a purplish blotched cheek to the sun, very slightly russeted; stalk an inch and a fourth long, stout, curved, basin round, shallow; calyx erect, short; flesh buttery, melting, rich, fine. Needs high cultivation to develop its fine qualities. Early winter. Belgian.