53O THE PEARS OF NEW YORK 



Rousselet de Rheims. i. Duhamel Trait. Arb. Fr. 2:147, PI. XL 1768. 2. Bunyard 

 Handb. Hardy Fr. 196. 1920. 



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 identifi- 

 cation 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 Panache, i. Leroy Dici. 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, i. Guide Prat. 104. 1876. 



On trial with Messrs. Simon-Louis, Metz, Lorraine, in 1876. Fruit medium; first; 

 Sept. 

 Rousselet Saint Nicolas. I. 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. i. 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. 



Rousselet Saint Vincent, i. Mag. Hort. 16:296. 1850. 2. Leroy Diet. Pom. 2:598, 

 fig. 1869. 



The origin of this pear is uncertain. It seems probable to Leroy that it was raised 

 by Van Mons. In this country it was placed on the Rejected List by the second Congress 

 of Fruit Growers at New York in 1850. Fruit above medium, globular-ovate, irregular 

 in outline especially at the summit, bright yellow, dotted with russet; flesh white, fine, 

 juicy, saccharine, acidulous, of a delicate flavor though not recalling in the least that of 

 the Rousselets; first; Oct. 



