THE PEARS OF NEW YORK 267 



what rough, with russet dots; flesh white, firm, or half -breaking, with little juice and an 



acidulated, sugary flavor; good only for kitchen use; Nov. and Dec. 



Belle Williams, i. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. no. 1862. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 669. 1869. 



Of foreign origin, possibly English. Tree vigorous, very erect, hardy; young wood 

 olive, slightly yellow, glossy. Fruit medium to large, oblong-pyriform, with a groove 

 or sunken line from stem to calyx, yellowish, with marblings and tracings of russet; stem 

 long, curved, set in a slight depression by a lip; calyx partially closed; flesh whitish, not 

 juicy or rich; good for cooking; Dec. to Mar. 



Bellissime d'Automne. i. Leroy Diet. Pom. 1:214. 1867. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 496. 

 1884. 



First mentioned by Merlet under the name of Belk-et-Bonne in 1675. It lost its 

 original name and became known by that of Bellissime d'Automne. Fruit variable in 

 size but more medium than small; long-acute-pyriform, occasionally slightly obtuse; 

 skin smooth and shining, greenish-yellow, dotted with fawn on the shaded side and exten- 

 sively washed with red-brown or fine, deep crimson on the side exposed to the sun, with 

 stripes of the same color around the stalk; flesh white, fine, semi-melting; juice plentiful, 

 sweet, with an aromatic flavor; second as a dessert fruit, but useful for culinary purposes; 

 Oct. 



Bellissime d'Hiver. i. Duhamel Trait Arb. Fr. 2:234. 1768. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 496. 

 1884. 



An old French pear described by Duhamel du Monceau in 1768. By some, Merlet 

 is believed to refer to it in 1690 when writing of the Bellissime d'Hiver de Bur, but this 

 latter is regarded by Leroy as synonymous with Belle Angevine. Fruit very large, larger 

 than the Catillac, globular, turbinate, mammillate; skin smooth, thick, green changing 

 to dark yellow, washed on the side of the sun with a beautiful tint of bright carmine, strewed 

 all over with large brown-russet dots; flesh white, fine grained, crisp, tender, juicy, sweet, 

 musky; one of the very best culinary pears; all the winter till May. 

 Belmont. i. Mas Pom. Gen. 6:171, fig. 470. 1880. 2. Hogg Fruit Man. 496. 1884. 



An English cooking pear raised about the year 1840 by T. A. Knight, Downton Castle, 

 Eng. Fruit medium, globular-oval, even and regularly shaped; skin rather rough to the 

 touch, covered with a coating of somewhat rough russet except on the shaded side where 

 it is greenish-yellow, and marked with patches and dots of dark-brown russet ; on the side 

 next the sun it shows a coppery-red glow; flesh yellowish, rather coarse, sugary, vinous, 

 finely flavored like Swan Egg; almost first; Oct. and Nov. 

 Beman. i. Can. Hort. 26:14. 1903. 2. Ibid. 28:219. 1905. 



Originated at Newcastle, Ontario, Can., by E. C. Beman. Tree productive. Fruit 

 large, juicy and delicious; Oct. and Nov. 

 Benadine. i. Dochnahl Fiihr. Obstkunde 2:109. 1856. 



Raised from seed at Oberlausitz, Ger. Published in 1821. Fruit medium, pyriform, 

 medium ventriculous, yellow, sprinkled all over with spots of yellow-ochre; flesh white, 

 buttery, melting, juicy, delicate and full of aroma; first for dessert; Sept. 

 Benoist Nouveau. i. Elliott Fr. Book 367. 1859. 2. Ragan Norn. Pear, B. P. I. Bui. 

 126:34. 1908. 



