Pearson's Plate

Pearson's Plate

Origin/History

Downing describes the variety as being from England, where it has a very high reputation. Bunyard gives the origin as unknown and notes it is now very little grown. The variety is figured in the Herefordshire Pomona at plate 47. Robert Thompson considered de Hanovre to be identical with this variety.

Tree

Growth moderate; fertile. Leaf rather small, oval, bi-serrate. (Bunyard.)

Fruit

Size: Small — Downing gives approximately two and a half inches in diameter; Bunyard gives dimensions of 2 by 1¾ inches and characterizes the fruit as very small.

Form: Regularly formed. Downing describes the fruit as flat; Bunyard describes it as square-conical. [These two sources conflict on form.]

Stem: Long, in a moderately even cavity. (Bunyard.)

Cavity: Moderately even. (Bunyard.)

Calyx: Eye open. (Bunyard.)

Basin: Shallow, ribbed. (Bunyard.)

Skin: Greenish yellow, becoming yellow (Downing), with a brown-red flush, stripes, and russet (Bunyard). Downing notes a little red in the sun.

Flesh/Flavor: Crisp (both sources). Downing describes the flesh as white, tender, and sprightly subacid, rating the fruit Good. Bunyard describes the flesh as yellow and rich. [The two sources conflict on flesh color: Downing gives white, Bunyard gives yellow.]

Core/Seeds: Core small. (Downing.)

Season

February to March.

Uses

Dessert.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.