Red Winter Pearmain
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Red Winter Pearmain
Origin / History
Described by Elliott (The Western Fruit Book, 1865) under the name "Meigs". Planted in spring 1894 at the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, British Columbia, and listed in the Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900).
Tree
Tree a vigorous grower (Agassiz).
Fruit
Size: Medium (Agassiz) to large (Elliott).
Form: Regular, oblong, narrowing to the eye, sometimes slightly ribbed (Elliott); oblong, conical (Agassiz).
Stem: Very short, thick.
Cavity: Narrow, deep.
Calyx: Small and closed.
Basin: Narrow.
Skin: Yellow (Elliott) or pale yellow (Agassiz), mostly concealed with a marbling of red (Elliott), or nearly covered with red (Agassiz).
Dots: Sprinkled over the surface; prominent, yellow (Elliott); whitish (Agassiz).
Flesh and flavor: Yellowish white (Elliott) or whitish (Agassiz); tender; juicy (Elliott) or moderately juicy (Agassiz). Flavor rich, slightly sub-acid (Elliott); nearly sweet (Agassiz). Quality good (Agassiz).
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Autumn (Elliott, citing White's Gard.); January and February at Agassiz, British Columbia.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (2)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Meigs. Fruit, large, regular oblong, narrowing to the eye, sometimes slightly ribbed; skin, yellow, but mostly concealed with a marbling of red, and sprinkled with prominent yellow dots; calyx, small and closed, set in a narrow basin; stem, very short, thick, in a narrow, deep cavity; flesh, yellowish white, tender, juicy, with a rich, slightly sub-acid flavor. Autumn. (White's Gard.)
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1894. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit of medium size, oblong, conical. Skin pale yellow, nearly covered with red, and sprinkled with whitish dots. Flesh whitish, tender, moderately juicy, nearly sweet, quality good Season January and February.