Herefordshire Pearmain
Apple
Origin & History
An old and well-known English apple, about which, as connected with other Pearmains, there has been much confusion. According to the Herefordshire Pomona (1885), Rea is the first who notices it, under the name of Royal Pearmain, and he says "it is a much bigger and better tasted apple than the common kind." In the Horticultural Society's catalogue it was called the Old Pearmain, and thus confused with the Winter Pearmain, as in some nursery gardens it was confused with the Summer Pearmain. It is figured in Ronalds' Pyrus Malus Brentfordiensis, plate xxii, fig. 4. Warder (1867) notes that it reached certain portions of the Western States from the East, though by his time was rarely seen there, as its place had been taken by other Pearmains of American origin and more vigor, such as the Long Island Pearmain.
Tree
Sources disagree on vigor. Warder (1867) describes the tree as slender and a slow grower, medium size, very productive. The Herefordshire Pomona (1885), by contrast, states the tree attains the middle size, is a free and vigorous grower, very hardy, and bears well. Downing (1900) agrees with the English assessment, describing a strong, vigorous, spreading growth, with young shoots dull grayish brown, slightly downy, moderately strong. Elliott (1865) describes the tree as hardy, requiring rich, strong soil, when the fruit is of the highest excellence, with shoots diverging, partially drooping. Thomas (1903), however, states it is best on light soils — and notes it is distinguished from Winter Pearmain by its stronger shoots.
Fruit
Size: Generally medium, though sources vary. Warder (1867) says small to medium. Downing (1900), Elliott (1865), and Thomas (1903) all say medium. The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) describes it as large, three inches wide and the same in height.
Form: Roundish conical, with some variation across sources. Warder (1867) describes it as roundish, slightly conic, truncated sharply. The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) says Pearmain-shaped and slightly angular, having generally a prominent rib on one side of it. Downing (1900) and Elliott (1865) say roundish conical. Thomas (1903) says round-oblong, approaching obtuse-conical.
Stem: Warder (1867) describes it as mostly short, stout, sometimes quite thick. The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) says from half an inch to three quarters long, inserted in a deep cavity lined with russet. Downing (1900) says short. Elliott (1865) says slender. Thomas (1903) says half an inch long.
Cavity: Warder (1867) describes it as medium, regular or wavy, green. The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) says deep, lined with russet. Downing (1900) says medium, with slight russet. Elliott (1865) says acuminate, russeted. Thomas (1903) says small.
Calyx: Generally open. Warder (1867) says medium, open, reflexed. The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) says small and open, with broad segments which are reflexed at the tips. Downing (1900) says partially open. Elliott (1865) says open. Thomas (1903) says large, open.
Basin: Warder (1867) describes it as wide, regular, abrupt. The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) says wide, pretty deep, and plaited. Downing (1900) says rather abrupt, deep, corrugated. Elliott (1865) says medium. Thomas (1903) says narrow, plaited.
Skin: Surface smooth. The ground color is yellow to greenish yellow. Warder (1867) describes it as deep red with splashes of dark or maroon on rich yellow, which only shows where the fruit has been shaded by a leaf, with dots numerous, small, and yellow. The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) gives the most detailed account: dark, dull green at first on the shaded side, but changing during winter to clear greenish yellow, and marked with traces of russet; on the side next the sun it is covered with brownish red and streaks of deeper red, all of which change during winter to clear crimson, strewed with many russety specks. Downing (1900) says yellow, shaded, splashed and marbled with dark red, and thickly sprinkled with conspicuous light areole dots. Elliott (1865) describes brownish red, mottled and slightly striped, on a dull rusty green or, when fully matured, yellow ground, with stripes and marblings of russet from the stem, dotted with greyish specks. Thomas (1903) says the surface is mostly covered with indistinct stripes and soft clouds of light red on greenish yellow, which on ripening becomes a pale clear yellow.
Flesh & Flavor: Flesh yellowish across all sources. Warder (1867) describes it as deep yellow, firm, breaking, very fine-grained, juicy, with flavor rich, sub-acid, aromatic, vinous, spicy, very agreeable; quality best. The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) says yellowish, tinged with green, tender, crisp, juicy, sugary and perfumed, with a brisk and pleasant flavour. Downing (1900) says yellowish, crisp, juicy, rich, slightly aromatic, subacid; very good. Elliott (1865) says yellowish, tender, mild sub-acid, aromatic. Thomas (1903) says yellowish white, fine grained, with a pleasant, mild sub-acid, aromatic, fine flavor.
Core & Seeds: Warder (1867) describes the core as wide, turbinate, closed, regular, clasping the eye, with seeds numerous, small, pointed, dark, some imperfect. Elliott (1865) describes the core as medium, laying nearest the stem end, with seeds large, ovate, light brown.
Season
November to February according to Downing (1900). Warder (1867) and Elliott (1865) say December to February. Thomas (1903) says early winter. The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) gives the longest season: November to March, and will even keep to May.
Uses
Sources disagree on primary use. Warder (1867) classes it as a dessert apple of the best quality, especially adapted to amateur collections, noting that some regard it as first-rate, others as only second, with cultivation, soil, and location making the difference — it is best in Northern sections (per Elliott, 1865). The Herefordshire Pomona (1885) calls it a culinary fruit of high merit.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Thomas (1903) provides a diagnostic distinction: it is distinguished from Winter Pearmain by its stronger shoots, less oblong form, and by the soft shades and clouds of fine red which cover the surface.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1901–1913) from England, Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (5)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Herefordshire Pearmain.
This is supposed to be an old English variety which has reached certain portions of the Western States from the East, though now rarely seen there, as its place has been taken by other Pearmains of American origin and more vigor, such as the Long Island Pearmain, described on another page. Tree slender and slow grower, medium size, very productive.
Fruit small to medium, roundish, slightly conic, truncated sharply; Surface smooth, deep red, splashes dark or maroon on rich yellow, which only shows where the fruit has been shaded by a leaf; Dots numerous, small, yellow. Basin wide, regular, abrupt; Eye medium, open, reflexed. Cavity medium, regular or wavy, green; Stem mostly short, stout, sometimes quite thick.
Core wide, turbinate, closed, regular, clasping the eye; Seeds numerous, small, pointed, dark, some imperfect; Flesh deep yellow, firm, breaking, very fine-grained, juicy; Flavor rich, sub-acid, aromatic, vinous, spicy, very agreeable; Quality best; Use, dessert; Season, December to February.
Especially adapted to amateur collections.
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)PLATE XIV.
- HEREFORDSHIRE PEARMAIN.
[Syn : Royal Pearmain ; Pearmain Royal de longue durée.]
This is a very old and well-known English apple. Rea is the first who notices it, under the name of Royal Pearmain, and he says, "it is a much bigger and better tasted apple than the common kind." In the Horticultural Society's catalogue this is called the Old Pearmain, and thus it is confused with the Winter Pearmain, as in some of the nursery gardens it is confused with the Summer Pearmain. It is figured in Ronalds' Pyrus Malus Brentfordiensis, plate xxii, fig. 4.
Description.—Fruit, large, three inches wide, and the same in height; Pearmain-shaped, and slightly angular, having generally a prominent rib on one side of it. Skin, smooth, dark, dull green at first on the shaded side, but changing during winter to clear greenish yellow, and marked with traces of russet; on the side next the sun it is covered with brownish red, and streaks of deeper red, all of which change during winter to clear crimson, strewed with many russety specks. Eye, small and open, with broad segments, which are reflexed at the tips, and set in a wide, pretty deep, and plaited basin. Stalk, from half an inch to three quarters long, inserted in a deep cavity, which is lined with russet. Flesh, yellowish, tinged with green, tender, crisp, juicy, sugary, and perfumed, with a brisk and pleasant flavour.
The Herefordshire Pearmain is a culinary fruit of high merit. It is in season from November to March, and will even keep to May.
The tree attains the middle size. It is a free and vigorous grower, very hardy, and bears well.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Herefordshire Pearmain. Royal Pearmain, of some. Parmin Royal. Old Pearmain. Royale d'Angleterre. Parmin.
An old and popular English Apple, about which, as connected with other Pearmains, there is much confusion. The variety we have received, and grown for many years, is of a strong, vigorous, spreading growth. Young shoots dull grayish brown, slightly downy, moderately strong.
Fruit medium, roundish conical. Color yellow, shaded, splashed and marbled with dark red, and thickly sprinkled with conspicuous light areole dots. Stalk short. Cavity medium, slight russet. Calyx partially open. Basin rather abrupt, deep, corrugated. Flesh yellowish, crisp, juicy, rich, slightly aromatic, subacid. Very good. November to February.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Herefordshire Pearmain.
Winter Pearmain, erroneously, | Parmin Royal, | Royale d'Angleterre. Royal Pearmain, | Old Pearmain,
Foreign. Tree, hardy, requiring rich, strong soil, when the fruit is of the highest excellence ; some regard this as first-rate, others as only second ; cultivation, soil, and location, make the difference. It is best in Northern sections. Shoots, diverging, partially drooping.
Fruit, medium ; form, roundish conical ; color, brownish red, mottled, and slightly striped, on a dull, rusty green, or, when fully matured, yellow ground, with stripes and marblings of russet, from the stem, dotted with greyish specks ; stem, slender ; cavity, acuminate, russeted ; calyx, open ; basin, medium ; flesh, yellowish, tender, mild sub-acid, aromatic ; core, medium, laying nearest the stem end ; seeds, large, ovate, light brown. December to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Herefordshire Pearmain. (Royal Pearmain, Winter Pearmain, erroneously.) Medium in size, round-oblong, approaching obtuse-conical; surface mostly covered with indistinct stripes and soft clouds of light red on greenish yellow, which on ripening becomes a pale clear yellow; stalk half an inch long, cavity small; calyx large, open; basin narrow, plaited; flesh yellowish white, fine grained, with a pleasant, mild sub-acid, aromatic, fine flavor. Early winter. Best on light soils. Distinguished from Winter Pearmain by its stronger shoots, less oblong form, and by the soft shades and clouds of fine red, which cover the surface. Fig. 424.