Double Blossom. 3. Langley Pomona 132. 1729. 4. Lindley Guide Orch. Gard. 412, 1831.
Of ancient and unknown origin. Mentioned by Nicholas de Bonnefonds in 1651 in his first edition of the Jardinier Francais, by Merlet in 1675 and Claude Saint-Etienne in 1660. Worth growing for ornament, its large, double flowers, with from twelve to fifteen petals, being very handsome. Fruit above medium, globular or globular-turbinate, generally enlarged on one side more than on the other, green but yellow when ripe, dark red or pale purple on the side of the sun; flesh greenish, semi-fine, quite crisp, juicy, sweet, rather sugary; excellent culinary pear; Feb. to May.
Double de Guerre. 1. Garden 56:426. 1899. 2. Bunyard Handb. Hardy Fr. 167. 1920.
Introduced into England from Mechlin, Bel., about 1835. Tree hardy, productive. Fruit medium to above, pyriform, tapering to the stem, yellow-brown speckled with russet; stem short, stout, generally obliquely inserted; calyx open in a shallow basin; flesh yellow, firm, slightly acid; Dec. to Feb.
Double-Plouvier. 1. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:47, fig. 1869.
Origin and age uncertain. Fruit above medium, long-ovate, more or less bossed, greenish, dotted all over with gray-russet; flesh whitish, semi-fine, semi-melting, scented; juice moderate but sugary; first for the kitchen; Jan. to Mar.
Double Rousselet. 1. Ann. Pom. Belge 6:21, fig. 1858. 2. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:48, fig. 1869.
Raised by Major Espéren, Mechlin, Bel., about 1845. Fruit medium, globular-turbinate, regular in contour; skin fine, tender, green but almost entirely covered with cinnamon-colored russet; when ripe the russet becomes more golden and warmer in tint on the side next the sun; flesh white, very fine, melting, with abundant sugary juice, vinous, very agreeable; first; Oct.
Dow. 1. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 92. 1858. 2. Elliott Fr. Book 377. 1859. 3. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 741. 1869.
Raised by Dr. Eli Ives, New Haven, Conn., in the middle of the nineteenth century. Fruit above medium, obovate, acutely pyriform, sometimes turbinate; skin rough, yellowish-green, with russet patches and dots; flesh white, buttery, juicy, melting, vinous flavored sometimes slightly astringent; good; Sept. and Oct.