420 



HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 



patches of darker red on a russety ground on 

 the side exposed to the sun; form somewhat 

 conical, but very irregular in outline, on account 

 of the prominency and unequal size of the ribs; 

 size medium. In use from January till May. 

 Quality first-rate, deserving more general cultiva- 

 tion. By no means a common fruit in nurseries, 

 but one which should be found in all. It origi- 

 nated from a pip of a Newtown pippin imported 

 in 1777. Synonyms — Simpson's pippin, but not 

 /Simpson's seedling, which is an inferior fruit. 



Osterley pippin. — Colour yellowish green, with 

 many russety dots on the shaded side; palish 

 red, with russety specks on the side exposed 

 to the sun ; form orbicular ; size rather below 

 medium. In use from October to February. 

 Quality excellent, as may be supposed, seeing 

 that it was raised from a seed of the Ribston 

 pippin at Osterley Park, Middlesex. Synonym 

 — Osterley apple. 



Pearmain* — This is an extensive section. 

 The following may be considered the best. 



Pearmain, Adam's. — Colour yellowish red; 

 form pearmain shaped — that is, of the form of a 

 truncated cone, to which the whole section al- 

 most bears a striking resemblance ; size medium ; 

 quality first-rate. In use from October till Feb- 

 ruary. Tree moderately hardy, and an abundant 

 bearer. Synonym — Norfolk pippin. 



Pearmain, Claygate. — Colour yellowish red ; 

 form similar to the last ; size medium ; quality 

 first-rate. In use from November till the end of 

 March. This excellent dessert apple was first 

 discovered in a hedgerow at Claygate, near 

 Esher, Surrey. Tree hardy; an abundant bearer, 

 requiring a rather strong soil. 



Pearmain, Herefordshire. — Colour yellowish 

 green and red ; form same as the last ; size large ; 

 quality first-rate. In use from November till 

 March. A very old and excellent Herefordshire 

 variety. Tree hardy and a good bearer. It is 

 known also as the Old pearmain, Parmain, and 

 Royal pearmain of some. So highly is it esteemed 

 in America, that Downing says of it, " this deli- 

 cious old variety, generally known here (Ame- 

 rica) as the winter or autumn pearmain, is one 

 of the finest of all winter dessert fruits; and its 

 mild and agreeable flavour renders it here, as 

 abroad, a universal favourite, both as a dessert 

 apple and for cooking." 



Pearmain, Mannington's. — Colour rich golden 

 yellow, covered with thin brownish russet on 

 the shaded side, with dull brownish red on the 

 side exposed to the sun ; form pearmain shaped; 

 size medium. In use from the latter end of 

 October till the beginning of March. Tree 

 hardy, an early and abundant bearer, frequently 

 producing fruit the second and third year from 

 the graft; in habit rather a smallish tree, and 

 well adapted for small gardens; quality first-rate, 

 out by far too little known. It is somewhat sin- 

 gular that this excellent apple, although known 



to have originated so early as about 1770, was 

 not made generally known till 1847, through 

 the London Horticultural Society. " The ori- 

 ginal tree grew up at the root of a hedge where 

 the refuse from a cider-press had been thrown ; it 

 never attained any very great size, but continued 

 to preserve a stunted and diminutive habit of 

 growth till it died about the year 1820." — Hogg. 



Pearmain, Lamb Abbey.— Colour green, yel- 

 low, and red; form same as the last; size medium; 

 quality first-rate. In use during January, and 

 continuing till April, keeping well without shri- 

 velling. Tree healthy, a free grower, and an ex- 

 cellent bearer. Originated from a seed of an im- 

 ported Newtown pippin, sown in 1804 by the lady 

 of Neil Malcolm, Esq., of Lamb Abbey, Kent. 



This is an extraordinary kind. " If the Pit- 

 maston has a rival," says Errington, " in point 

 of sure bearing, this is the fruit. It grows com- 

 pact, and the fruit generally in clusters like 

 bunches of nuts." 



Pearmain, scarlet— Colour yellow; form as 

 the last; size medium; quality first-rate. In use 

 from September till January. Tree hardy and 

 a good bearer. Synonyms — Bell's scarlet pear- 

 main, Oxford peach-apple. 



Pearmain, Eushock. — Colour deep yellow, al- 

 most entirely covered with cinnamon-coloured 

 russet; form conical, very handsome; size rather 

 under medium. In use from December to 

 April. Quality first-rate. First brought into 

 public notice by Mr B. Maund, and figured by 

 him in his interesting work on "Flowers and 

 Fruits." This excellent apple is of Worcester- 

 shire origin, raised about the year 1821. 



Pearmain, Hubbard's. — Colour, generally 

 covered with pale-brown russet, yellowish green 

 where shaded, and brownish red where most 

 exposed to the sun. In hot seasons the russety 

 ground disappears, and then the yellowish green 

 becomes predominant, mottled with orange or 

 pale red next the sun. Form more ovate than 

 is general in this section; size small. In use 

 from November to April. Quality one of the 

 richest flavoured of dessert apples. Tree hardy 

 and healthy, although of slender growth, and an 

 excellent bearer. Requires a warm situation in 

 Scotland, and in many places is well deserving 

 a place on an east or west wall. It is a real 

 Norfolk apple, and largely grown for the Nor- 

 wich market. 



Pearmain, royal. — Colour dark green while 

 on the tree, changing after gathering, first to a 

 greenish yellow, and afterwards to a clear crim- 

 son strewed with russety specks ; form pear- 

 main-shaped, having a very prominent rib on 

 one side ; size large ; in use from November to 

 March ; tree vigorous, hardy, and an abundant 

 bearer. A very old English apple, and must not 

 be confounded with the summer pearmain, which 

 in some nurseries is sold for this. Herefordshire 

 pearmain of some. 



* " Much doubt has existed," Mr Hogg remarks, " as to the origin of this word, and in a communication to " The 

 Gardeners' Chronicle" for 1848, I there stated what I conceived to be its meaning. The early forms in which it was 

 written were Pearemaine and Peare-maine. In some early historical works of the same period " (it should be under- 

 stood that the pearmain has been in cultivation in Norfolk since the year 1200) " I have seen Charlemagne written 

 Charlemaine, the last portion of the word having the same termination as pearemaine. Now, Charlemagne being de- 

 rived from Carolus inagnus, there is every probability that pearemaine is derived from Pyrus magnus. The signification, 

 therefore, of pearmain is the Great pear-apple — in allusion, no doubt, to the varieties known by that name bearing 

 a resemblance to the form of a pear." 



