Leroy (1869) gives 33 synonyms for this variety and Ragan (1908) gives 60. Full description and color plate in Hedrick (1921). Origin of this ancient variety is uncertain. Agostino Gallo mentioned it as early as 1559. Although questioned by more recent authorities, the German author, Henri Munger, was of the opinion that White Doyenne was the variety referred to by Pliny as Sementinum. The variety is said to have been brought to America by the early French Huguenots. --- Fruit medium in size, ovate-obtuse-pyriform in shape. Skin smooth, waxy, straw-colored, numerous inconspicuous green dots, attractive. Flesh somewhat granular, somewhat buttery at maturity, moderately juicy. Sweet, aromatic flavor but lacks somewhat in dessert quality. Midseason. Tree fairly vigorous, willowy in habit, strong, productive, moderately susceptible to blight. White Doyenne is a cosmopolitan variety, appearing to thrive under a wide range of conditions. Lack of top dessert quality, however, had prevented it from becoming a leading commercial sort. -- H. Hartman 1957.White Doyenne. France. Downing says 'Unquestionably one of the most perfect of autumn pears.' Where White Doyenne succeeds, it is always best. Unfortunately it cracks and is otherwise imperfect some seasons. Its numerous synonyms (60 all told) indicate its great popularity. Synonyms: A Courte Queue, Bergoloo, Beurre Blanc, Beurre Blanc d'Automne, Beurre Doyenne Blanc, Beurre Doree, Beurre Du Roi, Blanc, Bonne-ent, Burgalue, Butter, Butterbirne, Butter Pear, Butter Pear (of Philadelphia), Carlisle, Citron de Septembre, Common Doyenne, Dean's, Dechantsbirne, Die Weisse Herbst Butterbirne, Doyenne, Doyenne Blanc, Doyenne White, Edwige, Gall Butter, Garner or Gardner, Kaiserbirne, Kaiser d'Automne, Monsieur, Neige Blanche, Nouvelle d'Ouef, Passe Colmar d'Autumn, Pine Pear, Poire de Limon, Poire de Neige, Poire de Seigneur, Poire de Simon, Poire du Doyen, Poire Monsieur, Poire Neige, Regnier, Reigner, St. Michael, Saint Michal blanc, St. Michael (of Boston), St. Michael (of New York), St. Michel, Snow Pear, Sublime Garnotte, Valencia, Valentia, Virgalieu, Virgalieu (of New York), Virgaloo, Virgalue, Virgoulouse, Warwick Bergamot, Weisse herbst Butterbirne, White Autumn Beurre, White Beurre, White Butter, White Dean, White Deschantsbirne, White or Autumn Butter, Yellow Butter. -- W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Pear, 1908.
Yellow Butter, or Beurree Doree, or St. Michael's Pear. This pear in the opinion of many good judges, is on a par for excellence of flavour with the Seckle - it is large, fair, handsome, melting, juicy and delicately flavored; to have it in perfection, it should be gathered before fully ripe when it begins to turn yellow, and be kept some time in the house, or otherwise it will lose much of its juicy and melting qualities; it is round and rather oblong in shape, somewhat diminished towards the stem, which is short and thick; the flesh white and singularly cold, the skin a bright yellow, sometimes with a blush, at other times covered with a bright russet - it is in season from the beginning of September to the first part of November, when carefully preserved, by gathering with the hand in dry weather; it is a never failing and abundant bearer, and produces fruit at an early age - the tree is of small size; this is the same with the Doyenne, or Deans pear,and is probably more extensively cultivated than any pear in our country - this fruit is very erroneously called the Virgouleuse in New York, and East Jersey; the Virgouleuse is a late winter pear. -- W. Coxe, A view of the cultivation of fruit trees, 1817.