Virgouleuse
Pear
Virgouleuse
Origin/History
An old French variety originating at the village of Virgoulée (also spelled Virgoule), near Limoges, in the Limousin region of France. It was first introduced around 1650 by the Marquis Chambrette, who was the baron of that place, from which circumstance it has often been called Chambrette. Coxe imported it directly from France and noted that the yellow Beurré was at the time erroneously called the Virgouleuse by most persons in New York and East Jersey. In Europe it has been regarded as an excellent dessert pear, but in America it has not met with great success (Hedrick).
Tree
Strong and vigorous, but a late and indifferent bearer, and apt to drop its fruit before it is fully ripe. It is said that the fruit is very susceptible to absorbing odors and flavors, and must therefore be stored near materials that will improve rather than impair the flavor (Hedrick).
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium to large (Hedrick); Downing gives size as medium only. Pyriform in shape, rounded towards the eye and tapering thickly towards the stalk (Hedrick). Coxe notes that in size and general appearance it resembles the yellow Beurré.
Stem: About one inch long, fleshy at the base, attached with no depression (Hedrick).
Cavity: No depression at the stem end (Hedrick).
Calyx: Small and open (Hedrick).
Basin: Small and shallow (Hedrick).
Skin: There is a conflict among sources on texture. Coxe describes the skin as thicker and rougher than that of the yellow Beurré. Downing describes it as very smooth. Hedrick likewise calls it smooth and delicate. In color, Downing gives yellowish green at maturity; Hedrick describes it more precisely as a lively green that becomes a beautiful pale lemon-yellow at ripeness. Both Downing and Hedrick agree it is sprinkled with numerous gray and red (or reddish) dots.
Flesh: Downing describes the flesh as white and buttery. Hedrick describes it as yellowish-white, delicate, buttery, and melting, and very juicy, with a sugary and perfumed flavor. Coxe describes it as singularly firm, rich, juicy, and highly flavoured — his use of "firm" is in tension with Hedrick's "melting," and may reflect either a different strain or fruit assessed at a different stage of ripeness.
Quality: Downing rates it Good. Hedrick and Coxe both emphasize the richness and perfume of the flavor.
Season
Ripens in November. Coxe records it as keeping in perfection until March. Downing and Hedrick both give November to January as the season.
Uses
Dessert (Hedrick). Coxe's text is cut off but clearly indicates high regard for the variety's keeping and eating qualities. Downing, by contrast, characterizes it as "of little value," apparently reflecting the American experience rather than the European.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Downing lists several alternate names used in historical literature for this variety: Poire-glace, Le Virgoule, Poire de Glace, Chambrette, Virgolese, Ice Pear, Bujaleuf, Chambrette d'Hiver, and La Virguleuse. The name "Ice Pear" (Poire de Glace) may relate to the fruit's susceptibility to cold storage conditions or its late-keeping nature. Hedrick cites three early pomological references documenting this variety: Duhamel's Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (1768), Brookshaw's Horticultural Repository (1823), and Hogg's Fruit Manual (1884).
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
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
View original book sources (3)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)
- VIRGOULEUSE.
This pear I imported from France; it derives its name from a village called Virgoule' in Limousin---in size and appearance it resembles the yellow Beurree', (which by most persons in New-York and East Jersey is erroneously called the Virgouleuse) but the skin is thicker and rougher; the flesh is singularly firm, rich, juicy, and highly flavoured---it ripens in November and keeps in perfection till March; it is one of
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)VIRGOULEUSE.
Poire-glace. Le Virgoule. Poire de Glace. Chambrette. Virgolese. Ice Pear. Bujaleuf. Chambrette d'Hiver. La Virguleuse.
An old French variety, of little value.
Fruit medium, pyriform. Skin very smooth, yellowish green at maturity, sprinkled with numerous gray or reddish dots. Flesh white, buttery. Good. November to January.
— U.P. Hedrick, The Pears of New York (1921)Virgouleuse. 1. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:224, Pl. 1. 1768. 2. Brookshaw Hort. Reposit. 1:Pl. XLIX, fig. 1. 1823. 3. Hogg Fruit Man. 661. 1884.
This variety originated at the village of Virgoulée, near Limoges, of which the Marquis Chambrette was the baron, and by whom it was first introduced about 1650. From this circumstance it has often been called Chambrette, after the marquis. The tree is strong and vigorous but is a late and indifferent bearer and is apt to drop its fruit before ripe. It is said that the fruit is very susceptible to absorbing odors and flavors and must be stored near materials which will improve rather than impair the flavor. In Europe it is regarded as an excellent dessert pear, but in this country it has not met with great success.
Fruit medium to large, pyriform, rounded towards the eye and tapering thickly towards the stalk; skin smooth, delicate, lively green becoming a beautiful pale lemon-yellow, sprinkled with numerous gray and red dots; calyx small, open, set in a small shallow basin; stem an inch long, fleshy at the base, attached with no depression; flesh yellowish-white, delicate, buttery, melting, very juicy, with a sugary and perfumed flavor; Nov. to Jan.