Plate XIV. 
5. MANNINGTON’S PEARMAIN. 
This excellent apple originated about the year 1770, in a garden at Uckfield, in Sussex, 
which belonged at that time to Mr. Turley, but which is now in the possession of his grandson, 
Mr. Mannington. The original tree grew up at the root of a hedge where the refuse from 
the cider press had been thrown. The original tree never attained any great size, and died about 
the year 1820. The great merit of its fruit however had been well recognized long before, and grafts 
had been freely distributed to many persons in the neighbourhood. It does not seem to have been 
much known beyond its own locality, until the Autumn of 1847, when Mr. Mannington sent 
specimens of the fruit to the London Horticultural Society, where it was pronounced to be a dessert 
fruit of the highest excellence. It thus received the name from Mr. Thompson of Manningtons 
Pearmam. 
Description. —Fruit, medium sized, abrupt Pearmain-shaped. Skin, of a rich golden yellow 
colour, covered with thin brown russet on the shaded side, but covered with dull brownish red on 
the side next the sun. Eye, partially closed, with broad flat segments, set in a shallow and plaited 
basin. Stalk, three quarters of an inch long, obliquely inserted in a moderately deep cavity, with 
generally a fleshy protuberance on one side of it. Flesh, yellow, firm, crisp, juicy, and very sugary, 
with a brisk and particularly rich flavour. 
This is one of the best and richest flavoured dessert apples, in season from November even 
till March. The fruit should be allowed to hang late on the tree to secure its richness of flavour, 
and its good keeping properties, for if gathered too soon it is apt to shrivel. The only objection to 
this is the difficulty of protecting the fruit from the birds. 
The tree is very hardy, but does not attain a large size. It is an early and excellent bearer, 
even at two or three years from the graft. 
