Pym Square
Apple
PYM SQUARE
Origin and History
The Pym Square apple originated at Eastnor Farm, near Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire. According to the historical account, Henry Izard planted three pips from an apple he was eating in a flower pot around 1839, when he was staying at the farm as a boy. Charles Bourne, the gardener from Ledbury, subsequently planted the seedlings in a waste corner of the garden. After grafting onto young stocks, one plant grew very vigorously and bore fruit the second year after grafting; the other two seedlings proved worthless.
Bourne originally called the successful seedling Izard's Kernel, but it later became known as Pym Square. The name was adopted under the mistaken belief that it was a Devonshire apple introduced into Herefordshire. The true origin of the name Pym Square is unknown, described as "very peculiar," and no Devonshire apple of that name has been identified. The name is retained despite its uncertain provenance.
Synonyms: Izard's Kernel; Eggleton Red.
Tree
Hardy and vigorous in wood. Crops well.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium size, round, inclining to oblate, with even and regular outline.
Skin: Smooth and shining, entirely covered with bright crimson, which is rather paler on the shaded side and slightly mottled with yellow where the ground colour is visible.
Eye: Small and closed, with flat segments, surrounded with small bosses or knobs on the margin of the depression.
Tube: Funnel-shaped.
Stamens: Marginal.
Stalk: Highly variable—sometimes a mere knob on the rounded base of the fruit; at other times half an inch long, slender, and inserted in a deep narrow cavity.
Flesh: Yellowish, tinged with red under the skin, very tender and juicy. Briskly and well flavoured.
Core: Cells open; cell-walls obovate.
Flavor and Juice Analysis
The apple has a brisk and well-developed flavour. The juice is plentiful and somewhat thin, of a very pale brownish-pink colour, with a delicate flavour, subacid and astringent.
Chemical analysis by Mr. G. H. With, F.R.A.S. (1878 season):
- Sugar: 10.219%
- Tannin, Mucilage, Salts, etc.: 2.499%
- Water: 87.282%
- Density of fresh juice: 1.031
- Density after 24 hours: 1.035
Season and Storage
Poor keeper—noted as apt to prove a bad keeper once its culinary virtues are discovered and the fruit is in regular use.
Uses
Excellent for culinary purposes. Brilliant in colour and good in flavour, commanding good prices as pot fruit during scarce seasons. Produces excellent cider; cider made from this variety was exported to India and arrived with great credit to itself.
Cultivation and Spread
Following its initial cultivation at Eastnor Farm, the Pym Square apple has spread into the neighbouring orchards of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, where it was increasing in favour at the time of this description (1885).
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)
- PYM SQUARE. [Syn : Izard's Kernel; Eggleton Red.]
This apple originated at Eastnor Farm, near Eastnor Castle. Mr. Henry Izard, some forty years ago (c. 1839), when staying there as a boy, planted three pips of an apple he was eating, in a flower pot. The seedlings were afterwards planted by Charles Bourne, the gardener, from Ledbury, in a waste corner of the garden. In due course they were grafted on young stocks. This plant grew very vigorously, and bore fruit the second year after grafting. The two others proved worthless. Bourne called it Izard's Kernel, but it afterwards got the name of Pym Square, under the mistaken idea that it was a Devonshire Apple introduced into Herefordshire. The origin of the name Pym Square is not known, but it is very peculiar, and since there does not seem to be any Devonshire apple of that name, it is retained here.
Description.—Fruit, of medium size, round, inclining to oblate, even and regular in its outline. Skin, smooth and shining, entirely covered with bright crimson, which is rather paler on the shaded side, and slightly mottled with yellow where the ground colour is visible. Eye, small and closed, with flat segments, and surrounded with small bosses or knobs on the margin of the depression; tube, funnel-shaped; stamens, marginal. Stalk, sometimes a mere knob, on the rounded base of the fruit; at others, half an inch long, slender, and inserted in a deep narrow cavity. Flesh, yellowish, tinged with red under the skin, very tender and juicy, briskly and well flavoured. Cells of the core, open; cell-walls, obovate.
The tree is hardy, grows strong in the wood; and crops well. The apples are brilliant in colour, and good in flavour, so that in scarce seasons they will sell to advantage as pot fruit.
"For culinary purposes they are excellent" says Mr. Izard, "and as soon as the cook finds out their virtues, they are apt to prove bad keepers."
Analysis of Pym Square apple, by Mr. G. H. With, F.R.A.S., season 1878:—Juice, plentiful and somewhat thin, of a very pale, brownish pink colour, with a delicate flavour, subacid and astringent.
Density of fresh juice ... ... ... ... 1·031 Density after 24 hours ... ... ... ... 1·035
100 parts by weight contain of Sugar ... ... ... ... ... 10·219 Tannin, Mucilage, Salts, &c. ... ... 2·499 Water ... ... ... ... ... 87·282
The Pym Square apple has spread from Eastnor into the neighbouring orchards of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and is increasing still in favour. Its cider is excellent, and has made the voyage to India with great credit to itself.
This apple is described and figured here for the first time.