This pear originated about 1830 in the seed beds of Major Espéren, the well-known pomologist of Mechlin (Malines), Belgium, who named it Joséphine de Malines in honor of his wife. It was introduced in America prior to 1850, and in 1862 was added to the fruit-list of the American Pomological Society, a place it has since retained. Tree large, vigorous, spreading, tall, dense-topped, rapid-growing, hardy, very productive; trunk stocky; branches thick, shaggy, reddish-brown overlaid with gray scarf-skin, marked with few lenticels; branchlets thick, dull reddish-brown, smooth, glabrous, with small, raised, inconspicuous lenticels. Leaf-buds short, obtuse, plump, appressed. Leaves 2-1/4 in. long, 1-1/4 in. wide, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely serrate; petiole 1-3/4 in. long. Flower-buds short, plump, free; flowers early, 1-3/8 in. across, white, occasionally tinged with pink, well distributed, average 7 buds in a cluster; pedicels 3/4 in. long, slender, thinly pubescent. Fruit ripe December to February; medium in size, 2-1/2 in. long, 2-3/8 in. wide, turbinate, inclined to truncate; stem long, very thick; cavity obtuse, shallow, narrow, slightly furrowed; calyx large, open; lobes short, broad, obtuse; basin narrow, obtuse, smooth; skin thick, tough, dull; color pale greenish-yellow, netted and patched more or less with russet; dots numerous, small, brown or russet, conspicuous; flesh light salmon, granular, melting, buttery, very juicy, sweet, slightly aromatic; quality good. Core large, closed, axile, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide; carpels pyriform; seeds large, wide, long, plump, acuminate. [Illustration: KIEFFER] KIEFFER =1.= _Gard. Mon._ =22=:49, fig. 1880. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 38. 1883. =3.= _Jour. Hort._ 3rd Ser. =12=:131. 1886. =4.= _Garden_ =68=:398. 1905. =5.= _Ibid._ =69=:68. 1906. =6.= _Cornell Sta. Bul._ =332=:483. 1913. =7.= _Country Gent._ =84=:26, fig. 1919. _Kieffer's Hybrid._ =8.= _W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 53. 1879. _Keiffer._ =9.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 3rd App. 179. 1881. =10.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 240. 1889. =11.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._ 178. 1909.