Major
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin/History
Originated with Major Samuel McMahon, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Described by Downing as a showy market apple of really excellent quality. Elliott, writing earlier in 1865, also places its origin in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.
Tree
A rapid and vigorous grower, with rather irregular, upright, spreading shoots, reddish brown and slightly grayish. (Downing.) Elliott provides no tree description.
Fruit
Size: Large. (Both Downing and Elliott agree.)
Form: Downing describes the fruit as roundish, often oblate, slightly inclining to conic, with sides sometimes unequal. Elliott describes it simply as roundish.
Stem: Downing reports the stalk as short. Elliott describes the stem as variable in length and of medium thickness — a conflict; both versions are reported here.
Cavity: Downing describes the cavity as deep. Elliott describes it as rather wide and moderately deep.
Calyx: Large, with stiff, short segments. (Downing.) Not described by Elliott.
Basin: Downing reports the basin as large, broad, and furrowed. Elliott describes it as uneven and shallow — a direct conflict on depth and character; both are reported.
Skin/Color: Downing describes the color as greenish, shaded and rather obscurely striped and splashed with deep red, with many light russet gray dots. Elliott describes it as red, sometimes blended with yellow on the shaded side. These descriptions differ substantially: Downing's ground color is greenish with red striping obscuring it; Elliott's ground impression is predominantly red with yellow on the shade side. Both accounts are preserved as independent observations.
Flesh/Flavor: Both sources agree the flesh is yellowish and crisp. Downing adds that it is rather firm, juicy, and of rich subacid flavor. Elliott describes the flavor as pleasant and agreeably saccharine, and notes that it resembles in some measure that of the Carthouse apple, to which it is, however, superior. Elliott's quality rating is "very good" (attributed to W. D. B.).
Core: Small. (Downing.) Not described by Elliott.
Season
November to April. (Downing.) Not described by Elliott.
Uses
A showy market apple. (Downing.)
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914) includes the Major in a variety-characteristic table but provides no prose description.
Major............ L rob VG b W
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Major.
Originated with Major Samuel McMahon, Northumberland Co., Pa. This is a showy market Apple of really excellent quality. The tree is a rapid and vigorous grower, with rather irregular, upright, spreading shoots, reddish brown, slightly grayish.
Fruit large. Form roundish, often oblate, slightly inclining to conic. Sides sometimes unequal. Color greenish, shaded and rather obscurely striped and splashed with deep red, many light russet gray dots. Stalk short. Cavity deep. Calyx large, with stiff, short segments. Basin large, broad, and furrowed. Flesh yellowish, rather firm, crisp, juicy, rich subacid. Core small. Very good. November to April.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Major............ L rob VG b W
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Major.
Native of Pennsylvania, Northumberland Co. Size, large, roundish ; red, sometimes blended with yellow on the shaded side ; stem, variable in length, of medium thickness ; cavity, rather wide, moderately deep ; basin, uneven, shallow ; flesh, yellowish, crisp ; flavor, pleasant, agreeably saccharine, and resembles, in some measure, that of the Carthouse, to which, however, it is superior ; quality, "very good." (W. D. B.)