Early Pennock
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin/History
Origin unknown. It was first brought to notice in Ohio more than fifty years before 1846, where it was widely disseminated from some of the nurseries of that state (Beach). Elliott suggests it is "probably an old Eastern variety, so changed by our Western soils as not to be recognized," and states it was distributed West from Harrison or Belmont counties, Ohio. At one time it was being planted to a limited extent in New York but has been almost wholly discarded (Beach). It was a very productive and favorite variety with many at the West (Downing). Elliott notes it resembles, but is distinct from, Summer Queen.
Tree
Hardy, thrifty, upright, an early and abundant bearer. Warder describes the tree as not long-lived. Downing notes that "the fruit, however, is only showy, and salable in market where a better quality of fruit is unknown." Beach describes it as a biennial cropper and moderately productive. Elliott calls the trees "thrifty, hardy, early, prolific bearers of fruit, rather below second-rate quality."
Fruit
Size: Large.
Form: Variable. Warder describes it as sometimes oval and conical, averaging roundish-conic, regular, handsome, sometimes inclined in the axis. Downing gives roundish conic, ribbed. Thomas gives roundish, conical. Elliott gives roundish, tapering to the eye.
Skin: Smooth (Warder). Ground color yellow to greenish yellow. Partially covered with mixed and striped scarlet, splashed carmine — often the yellow prevails (Warder). Downing describes it as splashed, mottled, and shaded with light red. Beach says yellow covered with mixed striped red, but often the yellow predominates. Elliott gives greenish yellow, blotched and streaked with lively red. Thomas gives striped bright red on greenish yellow. Dots numerous, dark (Warder).
Stem: Sources disagree: Warder describes the stem as medium or short; Elliott and Thomas both describe it as long.
Cavity: Deep. Warder says regular, brown. Elliott and Thomas say irregular.
Calyx/Eye: Small, closed (Warder).
Basin: Shallow, plaited or regular (Warder).
Flesh: Sources vary on color: Warder says yellow; Downing says whitish; Elliott and Thomas say yellowish white. A little coarse (Downing), rather coarse (Warder, Thomas). Moderately juicy (Beach); juicy (Elliott). Breaking (Warder).
Flavor: Acid (Warder). Subacid (Downing, Elliott, Thomas, Beach).
Core/Seeds: Core large (Downing). Warder describes the core as long, tapering to both ends, partially open in some, clasping the eye. Seeds large, numerous, plump, dark (Warder).
Quality: Poor (Warder). Good (Downing). Rather poor (Thomas). Beach says suitable for culinary use but not esteemed for dessert. Not recommended for planting in New York (Beach).
Season
Last of August and September (Downing). July and August (Warder). August (Elliott). August and September (Thomas). August (Beach).
Uses
Market and kitchen (Warder). Suitable for culinary use but not esteemed for dessert (Beach). Esteemed at the West for its hardiness and productiveness (Thomas).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (Lowther, 1914) — description absent; variety present in variety-characteristic table:
Early Pennock................ L | re | fg | G | m | S | 2* | 10* | 2*
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 4 catalogs (1892–1912) from Illinois, Nebraska, Washington
- Puyallup & Yakima Nurseries , Puyallup, Washington (Lock Box 191) and North Yakima , Washington — 1892
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- Galbraith Nursery Co. (DeWitt Hansen , Pres.-Mgr.), Fairbury , Nebraska — 1911
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
View original book sources (6)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Early Pennock.
SHAKER YELLOW — HOMONY, of the South ?
Origin unknown. Tree thrifty, upright, early bearer, productive, not long-lived.
Fruit large, variable in form, being sometimes oval, and conical, averaging roundish — conic, regular, handsome, sometimes inclined in the axis; Surface smooth, yellow, partially covered with mixed and striped scarlet, splashed carmine — often the yellow prevails; Dots numerous, dark.
Fig. 216. — EARLY PENNOCK.
Basin shallow, plaited or regular; Eye small, closed.
Cavity deep, regular, brown; Stem medium or short.
Core long, tapering to both ends, partially open in some, clasping the eye; Seeds large, numerous, plump, dark; Flesh yellow, breaking, rather coarse; Flavor acid; Quality poor; Use, market and kitchen; Season, July and August.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Early Pennock.
Shakers' Yellow. Indian Queen. August Apple. New Jersey Red Streak. Warren Pennock. Harmony.
A very productive and favorite variety with many at the West.
Fruit large, roundish conic, ribbed, light yellow, splashed, mottled, and shaded with light red. Flesh whitish, a little coarse, subacid. Good. Core large. Last of August and September.
Tree hardy, an early and abundant bearer. The fruit, however, is only showy, and salable in market where a better quality of fruit is unknown.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)EARLY PENNOCK.
REFERENCES. 1. Humrickhouse, Mag. Hort., 12:472. 1846. fig. 2. Cole, 1849:104. 3. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:14. 1851. 4. Barry, 1851:332. 5. Hooper, 1857:33, 106, 109. 6. Gregg, 1857:36. 7. Downing, 1857:137. 8. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 9. Warder, 1867:594. fig. 10. Fitz, 1872:145. 11. Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1875:49. 12. Thomas, 1875:191. 13. Downing, 1881:11 index, app. 14. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:238. 15. Budd-Hansen, 1903:74.
SYNONYMS. August Apple (7). EARLY PENNOCK (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15). Heicke's Summer Queen (13). Harmony (7, ? of the south, 9). Indian Queen (7). N. J. Red Streak (7). Shaker's Yellow (7, 9). Sleeper's Yellow (5). Warren Pennock (5, 7).
Fruit large, showy, yellow covered with mixed striped red, but often the yellow predominates. Flesh yellow, moderately juicy, subacid, coarse, suitable for culinary use but not esteemed for dessert; season August. Tree hardy, a biennial cropper and moderately productive. Not recommended for planting in New York.
Historical. Origin unknown. It was first brought to notice in Ohio more than fifty years ago (1) where it was widely disseminated from some of the nurseries of that state. At one time it was being planted to a limited extent in New York but it has been almost wholly discarded.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Early Pennock................ L | re | fg | G | m | S | 2* | 10* | 2*
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Early Pennock. Shakers' Yellow, | August Apple, | Warren Pennock, Indian Queen ? | New Jersey Red Streak ? | Harmony.
This is probably an old Eastern variety, so changed by our Western soils as not to be recognized. It was distributed West from Harrison or Belmont counties, Ohio. Trees, thrifty, hardy, early, prolific bearers of fruit, rather below second-rate quality. Fruit, large, roundish, tapering to the eye, greenish yellow, blotched and streaked with lively red ; stem, long ; cavity, deep, irregular ; flesh, yellowish white, juicy, sub-acid. August. Resembles, but is distinct from, Summer Queen.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Early Pennock.
Fruit large, roundish, conical; striped bright red on greenish yellow; stem long; cavity deep; irregular; flesh yellowish white, rather coarse, sub-acid, of rather poor quality. Esteemed at the West for its hardiness and productiveness. August and September.