Golden Pearmain
Apple
Golden Pearmain
Origin/History
An old English apple (Downing). Warder describes a distinct Southern variety of the same name received from J. S. Downer of Kentucky, who procured it from Tennessee; its origin is otherwise unknown. Coxe records the variety being called "the Ruckmans, or Dutch Pearmain" in New-York and East-Jersey, and "the Red Russet" in other places.
Tree
Tree grows luxuriantly, with strong shoots and a close, compact head (Coxe). Downing describes the tree as upright and very productive. Warder describes his Southern strain as vigorous, but tardy and shy in bearing, with stout, dark shoots and medium foliage. Coxe calls it "a great and uniform bearer," in contrast to Warder's characterization of shy bearing.
Fruit
Size
Sources disagree. Coxe: middling. Elliott: medium. Downing: medium. Warder: small to medium. Ronalds (as quoted by Downing, describing "an entirely different Apple under this name"): small.
Form
Coxe: rather flat. Elliott: roundish flattened. Downing: roundish conical. Warder: globular, rather conical, truncated, lop-sided. Ronalds (per Downing): oblong roundish conical.
Stem / Cavity
Warder: cavity acute, regular; stem short to medium, slender. Not described in the other sources.
Calyx / Basin / Eye
Warder: basin abrupt, wide, regular; eye large, open. Not described in the other sources.
Skin
Coxe: rough, with a large portion of bright russet, mingled with red towards the sun when fully ripe. Elliott: red, russet. Downing: yellow, orange in the sun, with patches and dots of russet. Warder: surface yellow, blushed and russeted. Ronalds (per Downing): yellow, with some slight russet and a good deal of red striping.
Flesh / Flavor
Coxe: flesh rich, tender, and rather dry. Elliott: flesh yellowish, dry, sub-acid. Downing: flesh yellowish, firm, crisp, juicy, sweet; "very good." Warder: flesh yellow, breaking, fine-grained; flavor acid, aromatic, sprightly; quality very good, almost best. Ronalds (per Downing): flesh firm, rich, and high-flavored.
Sources conflict on texture and moisture: Coxe and Elliott describe the flesh as dry, while Downing describes it as juicy. Sources also conflict on flavor character: Downing calls it sweet, while Elliott and Warder call it sub-acid / acid, aromatic, and sprightly.
Core / Seeds
Warder: core somewhat open, meeting the eye; seeds plump and imperfect. Not described in the other sources.
Season
Coxe: ripens in November and keeps well through the winter. Elliott: November, December. Downing: November. Warder: December to February. Ronalds (per Downing): December, January.
Uses
Coxe: a most valuable apple for cider and for family use. Warder: dessert. Not otherwise described.
Subtypes/Variants
Downing notes that Ronalds describes an entirely different apple under the name Golden Pearmain: fruit small, oblong roundish conical, yellow with some slight russet and a good deal of red striping; flesh firm, rich, and high-flavored; season December, January. Warder's Southern variety received from J. S. Downer of Kentucky (via Tennessee) may likewise represent a distinct strain circulating under the same name, with tardy and shy bearing habit and a later December–February season, and Warder cross-references "Columbian Russet."
Other
Warder cross-references "Columbian Russet" at the end of his entry.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 37. GOLDEN PEARMAIN.
Called in New-York and East-Jersey, the Ruckmans, or Dutch Pearmain; and in other places the Red Russet; is a most valuable apple for cider, and for family use: the size is middling, the form rather flat, the skin rough, with a large portion of bright russet, mingled with red towards the sun when fully ripe—the flesh is rich, tender, and rather dry—it is a great and uniform bearer; the tree grows luxuriantly, with strong shoots, and a close compact head—the fruit ripens in November, and keeps well through the winter.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Golden Pearmain. Buckman's Pearmain, | Dutch Pearmain, | Red Russet. Medium, roundish flattened, red, russet ; flesh, yellowish, dry, sub-acid. November, December.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Golden Pearmain. — [Of Kentucky.]
This is another very promising Southern variety, received from J. S. Downer, of Kentucky; Origin unknown; he procured it from Tennessee.
Tree vigorous, but tardy and shy in bearing; Shoots stout, dark; Foliage medium.
Fruit small to medium, globular, rather conical, truncated, lop-sided; Surface yellow, blushed and russeted.
Basin abrupt, wide, regular; Eye large, open.
Cavity acute, regular; Stem short to medium, slender.
Core somewhat open, meeting the eye; Seeds plump and imperfect; Flesh yellow, breaking, fine-grained; Flavor acid, aromatic, sprightly; Quality very good, almost best; Use, dessert; Season, December, February.
— See Columbian Russet.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Golden Pearmain. Dutch Pearmain. Ruckman's Pearmain. Red Russet of some. An old English Apple. Tree upright, very productive. Fruit medium, roundish conical, yellow, orange in sun. Patches and dots of russet. Flesh yellowish, firm, crisp, juicy, sweet. Very good. November. Ronalds describes an entirely different Apple under this name, as follows : Fruit small, oblong roundish conical, yellow, with some slight russet and a good deal of red striping. Flesh firm, rich, and high-flavored. December, January.