Long Island Pearmain
AppleLong Island Pearmain
Origin / History
An old variety, described by Coxe in 1817 (as quoted by Beach) as "a handsome large apple." Downing, who also heads it Hollow Crown Pearmain, notes that it was somewhat extensively grown but has sometimes been confounded with Winter Pearmain, "an entirely different fruit." Warder finds it in all the early orchards of Ohio and Indiana that were within the influence of Silas Wharton's nursery, and gives Winter Pearmain as its name in Western markets. He calls it "a good, profitable variety that has been overlooked in the rage for novelties." Beach writes that, so far as he can discover, Long Island Pearmain is now obsolete in New York.
Tree
Tree large, spreading, very productive (Warder).
Fruit
Size: Large (Coxe, Downing); about the size of a Priestly (Coxe). Warder alone calls it full medium.
Form: Oblong (Coxe), roundish oblong (Downing). Warder: round, elongated, tapering slightly from the base, always truncated at the apex, regular.
Stem: Short, not deeply planted (Coxe); long (Warder).
Cavity: Rather wide (Warder).
Calyx: Eye medium, open; segments long (Warder).
Basin: Large and hollow, a hollow crown (Coxe, Downing). Warder: regular, wide, rather deep, slightly leather-cracked.
Skin: Smooth (Warder). Ground yellow, rich yellow (Coxe) or yellowish green (Warder). Splashed and streaked with red (Downing), streaked with large blotches of red (Coxe); Warder gives covered with dull red and striped maroon.
Dots: Numerous, minute, gray; russet-veined toward the base (Warder). Faint russet spots (Coxe, Downing).
Flesh and flavor: Yellow, firm, breaking, not very juicy (Warder). Coarse and tender (Coxe, Downing), somewhat dry (Downing); Coxe adds that it partakes "of that dryness characteristic of all the varieties of the pearmain." Flavor subacid, aromatic, rich, agreeable (Warder); "pleasant" (Coxe); aromatic (Downing). Quality good (Warder, Downing).
Core and seeds: Core medium, heart-shaped, regular, closed, not clasping. Seeds numerous, large, plump, brown (Warder).
Season
October to March. Most of the record falls in winter: Coxe says it ripens in October and keeps till March; Downing gives October to February; Warder gives November till March.
Uses
Family and market (Warder).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Long Island Pearmain. — [Coxe.] AUTUMN PEARMAIN, Thompson, according to Downing. — Winter Pearmain, Western markets.
An old variety found in all the early orchards of Ohio and Indiana, that were within the influence of Silas Wharton's nursery. A good, profitable variety that has been overlooked in the rage for novelties.
Tree large, spreading, very productive; Fruit full medium, round, elongated, tapering slightly from the base, always truncated at the apex, regular; Surface smooth, yellowish green, covered with dull red, and striped maroon; Dots numerous, minute, gray; russet-veined towards the base.
Basin regular, wide, rather deep, slightly leather-cracked; Eye medium, open; Segments long.
Cavity rather wide; Stem long.
Core medium, heart-shaped, regular, closed, not clasping; Seeds numerous, large, plump, brown; Flesh yellow, breaking, firm, not very juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic, rich, agreeable; Quality good; Use, family and market; Season, November till March.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Long Island Pearmain. Hollow Crown Pearmain. An old variety, described by Coxe, and while it is somewhat extensively grown, has been sometimes confounded with Winter Pearmain, which is an entirely different fruit. Fruit large, roundish oblong, having a large hollow basin or crown, yellow, splashed and streaked with red, and some faint russet spots. Flesh coarse, tender, somewhat dry, aromatic. Good. October to February.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)LONG ISLAND PEARMAIN.
REFERENCES. 1. Coxe, 1817:144. fig. 2. Warder, 1867:682. 3. Downing, 1869:255.
SYNONYMS. Autumn Pearmain (2). Hollow Crown Pearmain (3). LONG ISLAND PEARMAIN (1, 2, 3). Winter Pearmain (2).
This is an old variety which Coxe (1) thus describes: "A handsome large apple, of an oblong form, about the size of a Priestly — the stem is short, not deeply planted; the crown large and hollow; the skin streaked with large blotches of red on a rich yellow ground, with faint russet spots — the flesh is tender, coarse and pleasant, partaking of that dryness characteristic of all the varieties of the pearmain — it ripens in October and keeps till March."
Downing (3) states that it has sometimes been confused with Winter Pearmain which is an entirely different fruit. So far as we can discover, Long Island Pearmain is now obsolete in New York.