This pear is of very ancient and uncertain origin. Many authors have endeavored to trace it back to the days of the Romans. But Pliny and the other Latin horticulturists did not give descriptions of their fruits sufficiently technical to enable us to make identification of their varieties with ours certain. It is, however, clear that the Rousselet de Rheims has existed, particularly around the city of Reims, Fr., for some centuries. Fruit small, turbinate, regular in form, rarely very obtuse, bright green or yellow-green, sprinkled with large and small gray-russet dots and extensively shaded with reddish-brown on the side opposed to the sun; flesh white, fine or semi-fine, almost melting, not very juicy, rich in sugar, acidulous, refreshing, highly perfumed; one of the best early pears for dessert, very good for candying; Sept.
Rousselet de Rheims Panaché. 1. Leroy Dict. Pom. 2:597, fig. 1869. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 639. 1884.
A variety similar in all respects to the preceding, of which it is a bud sport, except that the leaves and fruit are striped with yellow and green. Its propagation antedates 1830.
Rousselet Royal. 1. Guide Prat. 104. 1876.
On trial with Messrs. Simon-Louis, Metz, Lorraine, in 1876. Fruit medium; first; Sept.
Rousselet Saint Nicolas. 1. Mas Le Verger 3:Pt. 2, 13, fig. 103. 1866-73.
Obtained by M. Bivort. Fruit small, turbinate-ventriculous, gray-green tinted with yellow, sprinkled with large brown or green dots, numerous and evenly distributed, changing at maturity to pale yellow, the side exposed to the sun being washed with brown-red on which are blackish-red dots; flesh yellowish, very fine, melting, rather gritty at the center, full of sweet juice, saccharine, agreeably perfumed; good; Oct.
Rousselet Saint-Quentin. 1. Mas Pom. Gen. 7:53, fig. 507. 1881.
De Quentin. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 635. 1884.
Gained by M. Van Dooren, a former director of the middle school at Namur, Bel. Fruit small or medium on a pruned tree, globular-ovate or globular-conic, symmetrical in its contour, somber green sprinkled with large, widely spaced gray dots, changing to yellow, and well colored with brownish-red on the side next the sun; flesh white, slightly greenish, fine, buttery; juice sufficient, saccharine, having the characteristic perfume of the Rousselets; first; Sept. and Oct.