An ancient variety believed by some European authorities to date back to the beginning of the Christian era. It is definitely known that the variety has been grown in the vacinity of Rheims, France, for several centuries. It is said to have been the favorite pear of King Louis XIV. Fruit small in size, roundish-turbinate in form, somewhat irregular. Skin greenish-yellow in color, blushed with dull red on sunny side, sprinkled with gray russet dots. Flesh white, semi-fine, buttery but not melting, moderately juicy. Extremely sweet, aromatic, spicy flavor. Almost equal to Seckel in dessert quality. A little later than Bartlett in season. Susceptible to core breakdown. Tree very vigorous, spreading and willowy in habit, almost standard tree on quince, productive. Moderately susceptible to blight. -- H. Hartman, 1957.Rheims. Originally from Rheims, France. Synonyms: Autumn Catherine, Green Catharine, Late Catherine, Musk Spice, Petit Rousselet, Rousselet, Rousselet de Rheims, Rousselet Musque, Rousselet of Rheims, Rousselet Petit, Rousselet Spice (of some), Rousselette de Rheims, Spice, Spice or Musk Pear. -- W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Pear, 1908.
Rousselet de Rheims (of Duhamel, 1768; Robert Thompson, 1842). Rousselet. Petit Rousselet (of Louis Noisette, 1839), Spice or Musk Pear. This nice French pear, originally from Rheims, is supposed to have been the parent of our Seckel. There is a pretty strong resemblance in the colour, form, and flavour of the two fruits, but the Seckel is much the most delicious. The growth is quite different, and this pear has remarkably long and thrifty dark brown shoots. It is sugary, and with a peculiarly aromatic, spicy flavour, and if it were only buttery, would be a first rate fruit. Fruit below medium size, obovate, inclining to pyriform. Skin yellowish-green on the shady side, but nearly covered with brownish red, with russetty specks. Stalk rather more than an inch long, curved, and inserted without depression. Calyx spreading, set even with the fruit. Flesh breaking or half buttery, with a sweet, rich, aromatic flavour. Ripe at the beginning of September. -- A.J. Downing, The fruits and fruit trees of America, 1846.
Green Catharine, or Rousselet. Is a fine sprightly pear - very pleasant as an eating fruit, and excellent for baking; it is a great and constant bearer - the size is rather small; the form very irregular; the blossom end round, diminishing towards the stem; the skin of a greenish yellow, with a russet brown cheek, scattered over with spots of a feuille morte colour - the flesh is firm and breaking, of a coarse grain - it ripens in August, and continues a long time - the tree grows somewhat like the early Catharine and is very hardy. -- W. Coxe, A view of the cultivation of fruit trees, 1817.
Musk Spice, or Rousselet de Rheims. This excellent and popular pear, is less than the medium size - the form is oval, a little produced towards the stem, which is short and thick, the blossom end round and even; the eye large; the skin a greenish yellow, with a brilliant cheek towards the Sun, sometimes red, sometimes brown, spotted with small dots in every part; the flesh is half breaking, fine, and of a high and very peculiar musky flavour, whence it derives its name in common use. - - The tree is remarkably vigorous, grows with long shoots like the Catharine, from which it is often called the late Catharine, or autumn Catharine; it does not bear till large, it is then very fruitful; the time of ripening in August and September; it is eaten in the highest perfection when fully ripe from the tree. -- W. Coxe, A view of the cultivation of fruit trees, 1817.