Palmer
ApplePalmer
[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — Downing's Palmer is a Georgia summer apple ripening in mid-June, with a closed calyx; Beach's is a New Zealand winter apple with an open calyx and large core. The two accounts may describe different fruits.]
Origin / History
An old variety of uncertain origin, supposed by Downing to have originated in Washington County, Ga. Little known out of its locality, where it is much esteemed for its quality, market value, and home use in its season.
Beach describes a New Zealand apple received in 1897 for testing from G. B. Brackett, U. S. Pomologist, Washington, D. C.: fruit large or above medium, "rather attractive in appearance for a yellow apple," brisk subacid in flavor and good in quality.
Tree
Downing: moderately vigorous, spreading, producing moderate crops annually.
Beach: vigorous, with long, moderately stout branches. Form roundish, rather dense. Twigs long, curved, moderately stout; internodes short. Bark dull brown, tinged with green, heavily streaked with scarf-skin, heavily pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small, round, not raised. Buds large, broad, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.
Fruit
Size: Medium to large (Downing); medium to above medium, or sometimes large (Beach).
Form: Roundish oblate, slightly conical (Downing); roundish varying to roundish oblate or to slightly oblong, irregular (Beach).
Stem: Medium length, slender (Downing); long, moderately thick (Beach).
Cavity: Medium, slight russet (Downing). Acuminate, deep, rather broad, sometimes faintly russeted, not symmetrical (Beach).
Calyx: Closed or nearly so (Downing); open or nearly so, rather large (Beach). Calyx tube long, moderately wide to wide, funnel-shape or urn-shape; stamens marginal (Beach).
Basin: Large, deep, slightly plaited (Downing); deep, wide, abrupt, slightly wrinkled (Beach).
Skin: Light yellow, streaked and splashed with pale red rather thinly over most of the surface (Downing); rather attractive yellow or greenish yellow (Beach).
Dots: Numerous, rather large, light (Downing). Conspicuous, large and small, russet, sometimes areolar (Beach).
Flesh and flavor: Whitish yellow, half fine, a little firm, juicy, pleasant subacid, slightly aromatic (Downing). Tinged with yellow or greenish yellow, moderately coarse, rather tender, breaking, juicy, sprightly, brisk subacid; Beach rates it "good."
Core and seeds: Core medium (Downing). Core large, abaxile; cells symmetrical, open; core lines slightly clasping; carpels broadly roundish, varying from somewhat elliptical to slightly cordate, tufted; seeds large, moderately narrow, plump, acute, rather dark brown (Beach).
Season
Downing: a week or two later than Red Astrachan; ripens the middle of June in Central Georgia. Beach: winter.
Uses
Much esteemed in its locality for market value and home use in its season (Downing). Good in quality, brisk subacid (Beach).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Beach cites Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:224, 1905.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1900–1901) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Palmer Of N. Z
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901 — listed as Palmer Of N. Z
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Palmer Apple.
Pear Apple.
An old variety, of uncertain origin, but supposed to have originated in Washington County, Ga., and said to be little known out of its locality, where it is much esteemed for its quality, market value, and home use in its season, which is a week or two later than Red Astrachan. Tree moderately vigorous, spreading, producing moderate crops annually.
Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate, slightly conical; skin light yellow, streaked and splashed with pale red rather thinly over most of the surface, and sprinkled with numerous rather large light dots; stalk of medium length, slender; cavity medium, slight russet; calyx closed, or nearly so; basin large, deep, slightly plaited; flesh whitish yellow, half fine, a little firm, juicy, pleasant subacid, slightly aromatic; core medium. Ripens the middle of June in Central Georgia.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)PALMER.
REFERENCES. 1. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:224. 1905. SYNONYM. PALMER OF N. Z.
A New Zealand apple received in 1897 for testing here from G. B. Brackett, U. S. Pomologist, Washington, D. C. The fruit is large or above medium, rather attractive in appearance for a yellow apple, brisk subacid in flavor and good in quality.
TREE.
Tree vigorous with long, moderately stout branches. Form roundish, rather dense. Twigs long, curved, moderately stout; internodes short. Bark dull brown, tinged with green, heavily streaked with scarf-skin, heavily pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small, round, not raised. Buds large, broad, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium to above or sometimes large. Form roundish varying to roundish oblate or to slightly oblong, irregular. Stem long, moderately thick. Cavity acuminate, deep, rather broad, sometimes faintly russeted, not symmetrical. Calyx open or nearly so, rather large. Basin deep, wide, abrupt, slightly wrinkled. Skin rather attractive yellow or greenish-yellow. Dots conspicuous, large and small, russet, sometimes areolar. Calyx tube long, moderately wide to wide, funnel-shape or urn-shape. Stamens marginal. Core large, abaxile; cells symmetrical, open; core lines slightly clasping. Carpels broadly roundish varying from somewhat elliptical to slightly cordate, tufted. Seeds large, moderately narrow, plump, acute, rather dark brown. Flesh tinged with yellow or greenish-yellow, moderately coarse, rather tender, breaking, juicy, sprightly, brisk subacid, good. Season winter.