Melt in the Mouth
AppleMelt in the Mouth
Origin/History
Origin: Chester County, Pennsylvania. (Downing)
Tree
Moderately vigorous, spreading habit. Young shoots long, slender, dark reddish brown, downy at the ends. (Downing)
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium, or rather below medium (Downing); Elliott describes it simply as medium. Roundish and slightly conical; Downing does not note flattening, while Elliott describes it as roundish flattened, slightly conical.
Skin: Deep red, splashed and marbled on a yellow ground, with a few small white dots (Downing). Elliott describes the ground color as green rather than yellow, with small white dots — the two sources conflict on ground color.
Stem: Long, very slender, curved. (Both sources agree.)
Cavity: Downing describes the cavity as small; Elliott describes it as broad and deep. The two sources are in direct conflict on this point.
Calyx: Closed; small (Elliott). Set in a rather abrupt basin (Downing).
Basin: Rather abrupt (Downing). Not separately characterized by Elliott beyond the calyx description.
Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish white (Downing; Elliott says simply white), tender, juicy, with a mild, rather rich, pleasant subacid flavor. Both sources rate it Very Good. Downing notes the flavor somewhat resembles that of Summer Bearmain.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September to November (Downing). October and November (Elliott).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Thomas (1903) lists this variety at page 312 with no description:
Melt-in-the-mouth, p. 312.
Description absent; variety present in variety index.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Melt in the Mouth.
Origin, Chester Co., Pa. Tree moderately vigorous, spreading. Young shoots long, slender, dark reddish brown, downy at ends. Fruit medium or rather below, roundish, slightly conic, deep red, splashed and marbled on a yellow ground, with a few small white dots. Stalk long, very slender, curved, in a small cavity. Calyx closed, in a rather abrupt basin. Flesh yellowish white, tender, juicy, with a mild, rather rich, pleasant subacid, somewhat resembling Summer Bearmain. Very good. September to November.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Melt in the Mouth. Melting Mouth, † Melting. Fruit, medium, roundish flattened, slightly conical ; deep red on a green ground, small white dots ; stem, long, slender, curved ; cavity, broad, deep ; calyx, small, closed; flesh, white, tender, juicy, rich, mild sub-acid; very good. October and November.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Melt-in-the-mouth, p. 312.