An ancient French pear of unknown origin. Writing of it in 1586 Jacques Daléchamp thought it identical with the pear Nard, of the Greeks. This, however, has not been substantiated; but the pear was in early times spread generally through France under a variety of local names. One Jehan de Meung, a poet born near Orléans in 1280, wrote of it, as also did Gilles Ménage in 1694 who said it was “a kind of pears so called because of their hardness, their whiteness and their taste of rose.” It is probable that it takes its name Cailleau, Calliot, Caillou, Caillorosar, Caillot, from the caillou, a pebble, because of the grit with which it is filled. Fruit medium, globular-oblate, yellowish, with stains of fawn-russet, washed with tender rose on the side of the sun and streaked with the same color around the stem; flesh white, scented, a little coarse, semi-melting, always gritty around the core; juice sufficient, sugary, acid, musky; second; Sept.
Calbasbirn. 1. Christ Handb. 497. 1817.
Graue Flaschenbirne. 2. Dochnahl Führ. Obstkunde 2:140. 1856.
Originated in Holland in 1758. Fruit large, gourd-shaped, irregular, bossed, yellow, with grayish-russet, becoming golden and washed with red; flesh yellowish-white, soft, granular, somewhat woody, musky, sweet; good; Nov. and Dec.
Calebasse. 1. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:512, fig. 1867. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 712. 1869.
Termed by Downing “a very grotesque looking Belgian fruit.” Leroy considered it to have been raised in Brabant, Holland, early in the eighteenth century by Herman Knoop, a Dutch horticulturist. Fruit medium, long gourd-shaped, crooked and undulating in outline; skin rough, dull yellow, with thin, gray russet on the shaded side becoming cinnamon- and orange-russet next the sun; flesh yellowish-white, semi-fine, semi-melting, crisp, juicy and sweet; second; Sept. and Oct.
Calebasse d’Anvers. 1. Guide Prat. 103. 1895.
Sent out by M. Daras de Naghin of Antwerp, Bel., and recommended in 1895 by Simon-Louis Brothers, Metz, Lorraine, as combining all the qualities requisite to render it a fruit suitable for commerce. Fruit large, long, more or less contracted at its center, canary-yellow, dotted with brown specks and stained with fawn at the summit; flesh rather fine, free from granulations, juicy, sugary and savory; good; Oct. and Nov.
Calebasse de Bavay. 1. Mas Le Verger 1:35, fig. 24. 1866-73. 2. Leroy Dict. Pom. 1:514, fig. 1867.