Vineuse
PearVineuse
Origin/History
Raised by Major Esperen at Mechlin, Belgium, and introduced about 1840. Cited in Pomologie de la France 4: No. 148, Pl. 148 (1859) and Annales de Pomologie Belge 7:89, fig. (1859).
Tree
Vigorous and productive. Wood slender; young wood reddish olive brown (Downing).
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as medium or above; Hedrick gives medium. Shape is pyriform — Downing specifies obovate ovate, slightly obtuse pyriform.
Stem: Downing gives the stalk as medium length. Hedrick describes the stem as short and fleshy. (Sources conflict on stem length.)
Cavity: Small (Downing).
Calyx: Large, open.
Basin: Broad and shallow (Downing).
Skin: Greenish, slightly bronzed in the sun (Downing); Hedrick describes the ground color as pale yellowish-green. Both sources agree on patches and nettings of russet, and many small brown and green dots.
Flesh/Flavor: Hedrick describes the flesh as yellowish-white, half-fine, melting, very juicy, vinous, and delicately perfumed. Downing describes it as coarse, juicy, melting, and acid. (Sources conflict on texture — half-fine vs. coarse — and flavor character — vinous/perfumed vs. acid.) Quality: Good.
Season
October.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
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)VINEUSE.
Vineuse d'Esperen.
A seedling of Major Esperen's, first introduced in 1840. Tree vigorous, with slender wood, productive. Young wood reddish olive brown.
Fruit medium or above, obovate ovate slightly obtuse pyriform. Skin greenish, slightly bronzed in the sun, a few patches and nettings of russet, and many small brown and green dots. Stalk medium. Cavity small. Calyx large, open. Basin broad, shallow. Flesh coarse, juicy, melting, acid. Good. October.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Vineuse.
i. Pom. France 4 : No. 148, Pl. 148. 1859. Vine-use Esperen. 2. Ann. Pom. Belge 7:89, fig. 1859.
Raised by Major Esperen, Mechlin, Bel., and introduced about 1840. Tree vigorous, productive. Fruit medium, pyriform, pale yellowish-green, patched and netted with russet, dotted with many small, brown and green dots; calyx large, open; stem short, fleshy; flesh yellowish-white, half-fine, melting, very juicy, vinous, delicately perfumed; good; Oct.