FONDANTE DE NOËL
1. Mag. Hort. 21:267, fig. 9. 1855. 2. Ann. Pom. Belge 7:67, Pl. 1859. 3. Pom. France 1: No. 14, Pl. 14. 1863. 4. Mas Le Verger 1:65, fig. 39. 1866-73. 5. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 764. 1869. 6. Hogg Fruit Man. 580. 1884.
Belle après Noël. 7. McIntosh Bk. Gard. 2:459. 1855.
Weihnachtsbirne. 8. Dochnahl Führ. Obstkunde 2:62. 1856. 9. Mathieu Nom. Pom. 296. 1889.
Belle de Noël. 10. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:209, fig. 1867.
It is doubtful whether this rather rare European pear can be purchased from American nurserymen now, but possibly it may be had, and at least it could be re-propagated from old trees. The fruit is distinguished by its trim, top-shaped form and handsome coat, usually enlivened with a dull color on the sunny side. The flesh, while gritty near the core, is tender, juicy, buttery, very rich, sweet, and aromatic. It is just the pear for those who prefer sweetness to vinousness or piquancy, and who object to even a trace of astringency. The trees, while only medium in size, are vigorous, hardy, healthy, and productive. If the variety grows elsewhere as well as it does on the grounds of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station it is too good to be lost. The fruits are in season and at their best for Christmas.
This pear was raised from seed by Major Espéren, Mechlin, Belgium. The tree fruited first in 1842 and was given the name Fondante de Noël to indicate the day on which it was tasted for the first time. In 1862 a pear called Souvenir d’Espéren, attributed to seed grown by Berckmans, a noted Belgian horticulturist living in the United States, was put forth, but after examination there did not appear to be any difference in either the fruit or the wood of this tree from that of the variety grown by Major Espéren. Because the name Souvenir d’Espéren appears in connection with Fondante de Noël, the variety has been confused with another pear which was raised by Major Espéren and named Souvenir d’Espéren. The two, however, are entirely distinct and the last-named sort has long been known and is still found growing in certain pear orchards of the eastern United States.
Tree medium in size and vigor, upright, hardy, productive; trunk thick, smooth; branches brownish-green, nearly covered with gray scarf-skin; branchlets slender, with long internodes, smooth, glabrous, marked with conspicuous, raised lenticels.
Leaf-buds large, long, conical, plump, free. Leaves 3½ in. long, 1½ in. wide; apex taper-pointed; margin glandless, finely serrate; petiole 2⅞ in. long. Flower-buds large, long, plump, free, singly on short spurs; flowers showy, 1½ in. across, white often tinged pink on the edges of the petals, average 9 buds in a cluster; pedicels ⅞ in. long.
Fruit matures December to January; large, 2½ in. long, 2¾ in. wide, roundish-turbinate, irregular; stem ¾ in. long, thick, woody, obliquely set; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, furrowed, often lipped; calyx small, nearly closed; basin narrow, obtuse, furrowed; skin roughened by russet dots and patches; color dull greenish-yellow, with many dots, flecks and patches of russet, often with a faint trace of brownish-red on the sunny side; dots numerous, small, russet, rather conspicuous; flesh white, gritty only near the core, tender, buttery, juicy, sweet, highly aromatic; quality good to very good; core large, with meeting core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide; seeds large, long, plump, acute.
