Besi de Montigny. 1. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:207, Pl. XLIV, fig. 6. 1768. 2. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:279, fig. 1867. 3. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 701. 1869.
The origin of this pear is ancient and uncertain. The monks of the Chartreuse at Paris, however, propagated and described it in 1752 and Duhamel du Monceau again wrote of it in 1768. Fruit medium, obovate but variable, one type being pyriform, ventriculous; color greenish-yellow, smooth, shining, sprinkled with exceedingly fine dots of fawn and russeted around both stem and calyx; flesh white, tender, buttery, semi-melting, gritty around the core; juice abundant, saccharine, acidulous, having a pleasant, musky flavor; first; end of Sept. occasionally to Nov.
Besi de la Motte. 1. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:206, Pl. XLIV, fig. 5. 1768. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 507. 1884.
First reported by La Quintinye, the creator of the fruit gardens of Louis XIV of France, as having been found by him at the end of October, 1685. Tree hardy, vigorous, a prolific bearer. Fruit above medium to large, globular, more swelled generally on one side than on the other, greenish-yellow or bright green, sprinkled with large russet dots; flesh whitish, fine, melting, buttery, slightly gritty; juice very abundant and full of sugar, savory and delicate; first; Sept. and Oct. and sometimes later.
Besi de Naghin. 1. Guide Prat. 86. 1895.
On trial with Simon-Louis of Metz, Lorraine, in 1895. Fruit above medium, apple-shaped; in character it is an improvement on the Chaumontel but its flesh is less firm, finer and more piquant; its perfume is similar, and it has less bitterness than is often found in the older fruit; Jan.
Besi de la Pierre. 1. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:283, fig. 1867.
A gain of A. de la Farge, Salers, Fr., from a bed of mixed seeds made in 1847. Fruit medium and often less, ovate, regular in form, slightly swelled and bossed, lemon-yellow, partly covered with dots, marblings, and stains of fawn especially around the eye and the stem; flesh whitish, semi-fine, melting; juice extremely abundant, saccharine, vinous, very delicate; first; all Oct. to mid-Nov.
Besi de Quessoy. 1. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:285, fig. 1867. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 508. 1884.