Fruit, large; conical, and slightly angular. Skin, smooth, greenish-yellow at first, but changing as it ripens to clear pale-yellow, tinged with rich orange-red on the side next the sun; but sometimes, when fully exposed, assuming a clear bright-red cheek. Eye, small and closed, set in a small, plaited, and pretty deep basin. Stalk, three quarters of an inch long, more or less fleshy, sometimes straight, but generally obliquely inserted, and occasionally united to the fruit by a fleshy protuberance on one side of it. Flesh, yellowish-white, firm, brisk, juicy and slightly perfumed.
A very valuable early culinary apple, of first-rate quality. It is ripe in the beginning of August, and continues in use till November.
The tree is very hardy, and healthy, but not a large grower. It is a very early and abundant bearer, young trees in the nursery quarters generally producing a considerable quantity of fruit, when only two years old from the grafts. It is well suited for planting in exposed situations, and succeeds well in shallow soils. It forms a beautiful little tree when grafted on the paradise stock, and is well adapted for espalier training.
220. MANNINGTON’S PEARMAIN.—H.
Fruit, medium sized; abrupt pearmain-shaped. Skin, of a rich golden-yellow color, 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 flavor.
This is one of the best and richest flavored of our dessert apples. It is only of recent introduction; but will no doubt, ere long, prove one of the most popular, as it is one of the most valuable varieties in its class; not only on account of its excellence, but for the long period during which it is in perfection; it comes into use in October and November, and continues in good condition till March.
A communication of some importance has been forwarded to me by Mr. Cameron of Uckfield, by whom this variety was first propagated. He says the fruit should be allowed to hang late on the tree before it is gathered, so as to secure its peculiar richness of flavor, and long period of duration; for if gathered too soon, it looses much of its fine richness and is very apt to shrivel.
The tree does not attain a large size, but is perfectly hardy, and an early and excellent bearer; young trees, only two or three years from the graft, producing a considerable crop of handsome, well-grown fruit.
This esteemed variety originated about the year 1770, in a garden now in the possession of Mr. Mannington, a respectable butcher at Uckfield in Sussex. At the time it was raised the garden belonged to Mr. Turley, a blacksmith, and grandfather of Mr. Mannington. The original tree grew up at the root of a hedge, where the refuse from a cider press had been thrown; it never attained any great size, but continued to preserve a stunted, and diminutive habit of growth, till it died about the year 1820. Previous to this, however, grafts had been freely distributed to persons in the neighbourhood, many of whom were anxious to possess such a desideratum; but it does not seem to have been known beyond its own locality, till the autumn of 1847, when Mr. Mannington caused specimens of the fruit to be forwarded to the London Horticultural Society, and by whom it was pronounced to be a dessert fruit of the highest excellence. It was designated by Mr. Thompson “Mannington’s Pearmain.”