U.S. Also vergaleu, virgaloo, -ieu. [var. of VIRGOULEUSE, prob. taken as a pl.] The white doyenné or Warwickshire bergamot.
1828–32. Webster, Vergouleuse, a species of pear; contracted to vergaloo.
1840. J. Buel, Farmer’s Comp., 269. It is as easy to cultivate the vergaleu as it is the choke pear.
1845. A. J. Downing, Fruits & Fruit-trees Amer., 378. Virgalieu, of New York…. Virgaloo, Bergaloo, of some American gardens…. It is an old French variety, but with us, is in the most perfect health.
