Raised by one of the pioneers of pear breeding, Abbe Hardenpont of Mons, Belgium about 1750 and introduced into Britain in 1820. -- J. Arbury 1997This old winter pear is nearly lost to cultivation, but is worth growing because of the high quality of the fruit, and because the pears come in season in early winter when there are few others. The fruits are not attractively colored, but are rich and sugary without the least trace of acid. When poorly grown can be astringent. The quality is better in fruits from dwarf trees, and when grown on heavy soils. The fruits keep and ship remarkably well. The tree is neither very large nor vigorous, but usually productive.
Glou-Morceau. Thomp. Lind.
Of the French: Gloux Morceaux, Beurre d'Hardenpont, Hardenpont d'Hiver, Colmar d'Hiver, Linden d'Automne.
Of the Germans: Goulu Morceau, Rol de Wurtemberg, Kronprinz Ferdinand, Kronprinz von Oestreich, Beurre d'Cambron, Got Luc de Cambron.
The Glou-morceau is universally admitted to be one of the best of the Flemish winter pears; and as it is perfectly suited to our climate, bearing excellent crops, it should have a place in every good garden. It has been confounded with the Beurre d'Aremberg, as has already been explained, but is readily distinguished from that pear, by its sweeter, more sugary flavour, more oval figure, and more slender stalk. The growth of the tree is also distinct, having dark olive shoots, spreading and declining in habit, with wavy leaves, and makes one of the finest pyramids, and succeeds well on the quince.
Much confusion has existed in reference to this pear; but it is now so well known by the above name, that we retain it, although Beurre Hardenpont is the true name. It has long been and is still known in France as Beurre d'Aremberg, and in England as Beurre Kent.
Fruit rather large, varying in form but usually obtuse-oval. Skin smooth, thin, pale greenish yellow, marked with small green dots, and sometimes with thin patches of greenish-brown. Stalk rather slender and straight, an inch or more long, planted in a small, regular cavity. Calyx usually with open divisions, set in a moderately deep basin. flesh white, fine grained, and smooth in texture, buttery, very melting, with a rich, sugary flavour, with no admixture of acid. Sometimes astringent in heavy soils. December. -- A.J. Downing. 1859. The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America. Revised and corrected by Charles Downing.