PEERLESS
ApplePeerless
Origin/History
Peerless originated near Richland, Minnesota, in 1864 or 1865 (Hansen 1902; Budd & Hansen 1914), with Hedrick (1922) giving the date as 1867. The seed which produced Peerless was grown by Geo. Dorrance of Rice County, Minnesota, and planted by John Geo. Miller of the same county (Hansen 1902). Hedrick (1922) attributes the origination to J. G. Miller of Rice County, Minnesota. The variety was grown from seed of Duchess (Hansen 1902). Peerless has been tested in nearly all of the apple-growing sections of the United States, and, in nearly all, discarded; however, the capacity of the trees to endure cold and blight and their great productiveness make it desirable in some regions. It seems to be more popular in Canada and the Middle West than elsewhere (Hedrick 1922).
Tree
Vigorous, healthy, productive, hardy. The trees have the capacity to endure cold and blight, and are greatly productive (Hedrick 1922).
Fruit
Size
Large (Hansen 1902; Budd & Hansen 1914); medium to large (Hedrick 1922); medium (Lowther 1914).
Form
Roundish oblate, regular (Hansen 1902; Budd & Hansen 1914); irregular (Lowther 1914).
Stem
Short.
Cavity
Wide, with radiating green (a characteristic).
Calyx
Closed, or half open.
Basin
Wide, usually abrupt and wavy.
Skin
Surface greenish, striped and splashed rather thinly with dull red, slightly marbled on sunny side (Hansen 1902; Budd & Hansen 1914); yellowish-green with stripes and splashes of carmine (Hedrick 1922); red-yellow (Lowther 1914).
Flesh/Flavor
Flesh firm, juicy, pleasant subacid, good (Hansen 1902; Budd & Hansen 1914); flesh yellowish-white, fine-grained, subacid, agreeable but not rich; quality fair to good (Hedrick 1922); quality good (Lowther 1914).
Core/Seeds
Core closed, clasping; cells round, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; seeds eight to ten, long, pointed, rather slender.
Season
Late fall, early winter (Hansen 1902; Budd & Hansen 1914); October to March (Hedrick 1922); winter (Lowther 1914).
Uses
Family (Lowther 1914).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
Originated at Richland, Minn., in 1864.
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 8 catalogs (1901–1921) from Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910
- Galbraith Nursery Co. (DeWitt Hansen , Pres.-Mgr.), Fairbury , Nebraska — 1911
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1912
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
View original book sources (4)
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Peerless. Size: medium. Form: ir. Color: red-yellow. Quality: good. Use: family. Season: winter.
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Peerless.
Peerless—Originated near Richland, Minnesota, in 1864 or 1865, from seed of Duchess—Fruit large, roundish oblate, regular; surface greenish, striped and splashed rather thinly with dull red, slightly marbled on sunny side; cavity wide, with radiating green (a characteristic); stem short; basin wide, usually abrupt and wavy; calyx closed or half open. Core closed, clasping; cells round, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; seeds eight to ten, long, pointed, rather slender; flesh firm, juicy, pleasant subacid, good. Late fall, early winter. The seed which produced the Peerless was grown by Geo. Dorrance, Rice County, Minnesota, and planted by John Geo. Miller of same county.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Peerless. — Originated near Richland, Minnesota, in 1864 or 1865. Fruit large, roundish oblate, regular; surface greenish, striped and splashed rather thinly with dull red, slightly marbled on sunny side; cavity wide, with radiating green (a characteristic); stem short; basin wide, usually abrupt and wavy; calyx closed, or half open. Core closed, clasping; cells round, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; seeds eight to ten, long, pointed, rather slender; flesh firm, juicy, pleasant subacid, good. Late fall, early winter.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)PEERLESS. Peerless has been tested in nearly all of the apple-growing sections of the United States, and, in nearly all, discarded. However, the capacity of the trees to endure cold and blight and their great productiveness make it desirable in some regions. It seems to be more popular in Canada and the Middle West than elsewhere. Peerless originated with J. G. Miller, Rice County, Minnesota, in 1867. Tree vigorous, healthy, productive, hardy. Fruit medium to large, yellowish-green with stripes and splashes of carmine; flesh yellowish-white, fine-grained, subacid, agreeable but not rich; quality fair to good; October to March.