The Orchard at Sage Hen Farm: Apple Trees

Descriptions of 114 apple varieties presently growing in our orchard in Lodi, NY.

At Sage Hen Farm in Lodi, NY, we have a young orchard and remnants from an old apple orchard now part of a mixed deciduous woods. The fruit charts on this site list and describe about 150 varieties of trees, including: APPLES, PEARS, PEACHES, PLUMS, CHERRIES, AND APRICOTS. For most varieties, we only have one tree, but fora few we have as may as three. We have concentrated on varieties venerated in past generations, apples with stories, cold hardy varieties, and varieties, heirloom or modern, that areespecially known for their fine flavor or special quality. We have no varieties that we think are super-sweet but almost no apple flavor.

LATE JULY
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Lodi (Improved Yellow Transparent) (Montgomery x Yellow Transparent), NY 1912, but introduced in 1924 NFC GRIN USDA+	large classic shape, with a little more tapering mild, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: creamy yellow, occasionally russetting at both ends; thin Flesh: greenish white , fine-grained Crispness: 1-2 Juiciness: 2	Culinary, especially sauce; ornamental T3, upright Fireblight: 5 Scab: 3 PM: 2 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: very hardy (nearly ironclad, to z2 or 3); heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; partially self-pollinating; hangs well on tree for long time. Fruit: prized for sauce. Faults: Tree: partial tip bearer (pruning challenge); tends biennial; bears fruits uneven in size & shape. Fruit: very poor keeper; bruises easily; quickly browning flesh; becomes mealy when overripe. Merit or fault?: Tree: . Fruit: susceptible to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but leads to decay at core]. Ratings: AA: ; Burford; FB1001; Pomologie: **; Vorbeck: Sour13. Special**: Prized by many simply because it produces the first apples of the season. Its early, abundant blooming characteristic has made Lodi an ornamental variety, as well. We might not grow it if we didn't live in Lodi.
EARLY AUGUST
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Discovery (Thurston August) (Worcester Pearmain x unknown, possibly Beauty of Bath) UK before 1950, renamed in 1962 NFC GRIN	medium flatter shape, slightly ribbed rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: predominantly bright red over pale greenish yellow Flesh: creamy yellow with tinges of pink, fine-grained Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, jelly T2, spreading Fireblight: 5 Scab: 1 PM: 3 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit; good pollinator; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: very slow browning flesh. Faults: Tree: part tip bearer; has a narrow harvest window. Fruit: poor keeper; fruit tends to crack. Ratings: Pomologie:***; Royal: AGM-D. Special**: In the 1980s and 1990s, Discovery was the leading early apple sold in the UK. It is still popular there as a home garden variety. Has seen a revival with a new interest in red fleshed apples, but the amount of pink varies from apple to apple and is generally small.
MID AUGUST
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Sops in Wine (Sops of Wine, Sapson) (parentage unknown) UK before 1600 USDA+	medium to large classic shape, slightly ribbed, asymmetric mild, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: purplish red over crimson, some yellow, dotted; moderately thin Flesh: white tinged with variable amount of pink, fine-grained Crispness: 2 Juiciness: 2	Culinary T3, upright, dense Fireblight: 5 Scab: 4 PM: 3 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); early bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; fruit hangs well. Fruit: distinctive red stained white flesh. Faults: Tree: partial tip bearer. Fruit: poor keeper; becomes mealy when overripe. Merit or fault?: Fruit: ripens over several weeks. Ratings: Downing: good; Bull1897: 5-6/; Bull09: g; Beach: good; Hedrick: _ (Superseded by better varieties); Hedrick13: good, superceded; Baker: IL; Barry: "delicious"/"pleasant"; Bridgeman: handsome; Bunyard: flavourless, of no particular merit; Elliott: vg; Cole: neither excellent nor profitable; Dickerman: NE; FB208: R(D); Hansen: g-vg;Hogg2: a curious little dessert apple of good quality; Hooper: 3; HSL: 2; Kenrick: no(much esteemed); Lowther: good,9(31)ME94: good/; Michigan1879: good, 4.6.6; Moore Orchards: mediocre at best; Ont1892: 2/5/2/0; Powell: "an old sort"; Prince [under Sapson]; Ragan: good; Scott: 1 (as a cider sort); S-L: de premiere qualitie pour la table et pour cuire; Thomas: (good flavor, valuable); Warder: g-vg; Waugh: fair; Wilkinson: good Special*: The name, according to an old source, comes not from any wine-like flavor, but because the pink tinge to the flesh made the apple look as though it had been soaked or dipped in red wine. Several varieties with this trait appear to have been given this name, since descriptions of the apple and tree differ widely in different sources.
American Summer Pearmain (Summer Pearmain) (parentage unknown, possibly English Summer Pearmain) New Jersey before 1815 NFC GRIN USDA	medium blocky very rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: dull purplish red marbling over greenish yellow, occasional russetting near stem Flesh: yellow; fine-grained Crispness: 2-3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating T1, roundish Fireblight: 5 Scab: ?? PM: ?? CAR: ??	Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4). Fruit: highly aromatic; resistant to skin rot; ranked best early season apple by several old authorities. Faults: Tree: shy bearer. Fruit: only fair keeper (but better than most among early apples, perhaps more than a month). Merit or fault?: Fruit: ripens over as many as 8 weeks) throughout August and September). Ratings: Downing: best; Bull09: vgb; Beach: best; Hedrick: dH (of value only as an amatuer's fruit); Hedrick13: best; APS1911:b, *D; Baker: ; Barry: "one of the best"/"a valuable sort for family use," Unimpeachable; Bridgeman: fine flavored, excellent; Brooklyn; Buffalo; Burford; Cole: first quality; Dickerman: US, NY; Elliott: best, amateur's fruit; FB113: &; FB208: HR(D); FB1001; Hogg1: pleasantly flavoured, excellent early apple; Hooper: 1; HSL: listed, but not rated; Kenrick: (highly deserving of cultivatoin); Lear: 10; Leroy: 1; Lowther: best,5(29); Ont1892: 3/1/2/_; Manning: very tender and good; PA1889: S13; Prince; Ragan: best; S-L: de bonne qualite; Richmond: F; Scott: 1; Smith: looks to be an excellent apple; Thomas: (superior); Warder: best. Special*: This variety is a just so apple. When it has grown under the just right conditions and it is picked when its ripeness is just at its peak, there is no better apple for flavor. But achieving that can be difficult, especially since the apples don't ripen all at the same time.
Early Joe (parentage unknown) East Bloomfield, NY before 1800 GRIN USDA+	small to medium flatter shape; slight ribbing sprightly, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: crimson & orangy red over pale yellow Flesh: white, fine-grained Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T1, roundish, dense Fireblight: 3 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: reliably productive. Fruit: aromatic. Faults: Tree: tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: notoriously poor keeper (doesn't keep much more than a few days). Ratings: Downing: best; Bull97: 10; Beach: vg-b; Hedrick13: vg; APS1911: b, D; Bailey: HUSF; Barry: Top20, (G), "a most beautiful and delicious fruit", Unimpeachable; Cole: "an excellent fruit, but little known"; Dickerman: NE, NY; Elliott: fine...worthy; FB113; FB208: R(DM); Hansen: best; Hogg2: firt rate; Michigan1879: best, 10.8.8; Michigan1904: small, but of best quality; Ont: 8/8/7/8; PA1889: S16; Ragan: vg-b; S-L: de premiere qualitie pour la table et pour cuire; Scott: one of the best; Warder: almost best; Waugh: good. Special*: Originated in same orchard as Northern Spy.
Bastian Orange (Bastian Crab) (possibly Centennial Crab open pollinated) New Hampshire discovered circa 2010	small round intense, both sweet and tart; has a zip; doesn't fit easily on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red streaked over orange Flesh: orange, firm, fine-grained < Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Cider; fresh eating, ornamental T3 Fireblight: Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual, precious, prolific bearer. Faults: Tree: very poor keeper; drops heavily. Ratings: n/a Special: Discovery by Jim Bastian by a roadside near his home (then) in Plainfield, NH. He said it became his favorite apple.
Gravenstein (parentage unknown) first identified in Denmark 1669 Red Gravenstein (Banks Gravenstein) (Gravenstein sport) Nova Scotia found in 1876 NFC GRIN USDA+ (original & red)	medium to large roundish, ribbed, often lopsided savory, sprightly rich, 4/3 on the sweet-tart scale 5;	Skin: red stripes & splashes over orangy yellow; thin Flesh: cream, fine-grained Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, upright-spreading, open Fireblight: 3 Scab: 3 PM: 4 CAR: ??	Merits: Fruit: highly aromatic; handles well; called equally good for dessert or cooking; considered best early season cider apple; keeps better than most early apples (perhaps as long as six weeks) Faults: Tree: biennial; slow to start bearing; shy bearer; triploid (does not pollinate); may drop fruit prematurely; partial tip bearer (pruning challenge); has a narrow harvest window; subject to winter damage. Fruit: skin can become greasy; quickly browning. Merit or fault?: Tree: ripens over several weeks (from late August through mid September). Fruit: subject to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but leads to decay at core]. Ratings [most are for Gravenstein, rather than Red Gravenstein]: Downing: vg; Bull97: 5-6; Bull99: 8-9; Bull09: vg; Beach: vg-b; Hedrick: dkM (fruits attractive and excellent. Becoming popular); Hedrick1914: vg-b/; Hedrick13: vg-best, , attractive. excellent; AA: ; Allen; APS1911: vg, DKM; Brooklyn; BC: vg; Baker: *, NY (Top12), MA (Top6), RI (top12), NJ (top20); Bailey: MSF; Barron:very handsome and highly flavoured; Barry: Top20, (A), (G), Unimpeachable "of the first quality"/"peculiar high, aromatic flavor....one of the most profitable," ; Bridgeman: [Germany's] best dessert apple; Buffalo; Bunker: "the most famous of all summer apples and deservedly so"; Bunyard: deserving of wider cultivation; Cole: one of the handsomest and best; Dickerman: US, NY; Engelbrecht: [stongly, elegantly, and peculiarly spicy]; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(DKM); FB1001; Folger: $H= (2 regions); Gardener's: high quality, peculiarly distinct flavour (W); Goodman: best early dessert; Gould: the standard; Hansen: excellent; Hayes; Herefordshire: "very valuable...first quality"; "Hogg2: very excellent; Hooper: sometimes excellent; Jacobsen: "the first great apple of the year"; Kenrick: (first rate); KOB: high quality, with an excellent, room-filling smell; Lear: 9; Leroy: 1; Lewelling; Lowther: vg,20; Manhart: vg/b; Manning: one of the most valuable apples cultivated; ME94: vg/; Michigan1879: vg, 6.7.5; Michigan1890: vg, 7.7.7; Michigan: attractive, of good quality; Ont1892: 9/9/10/10; PA1889: A5; PA1910: (S&N) Unexcelled for cooking, very good for dessert; Phillips: "Refined spritely flavor"; Pomologie: **; Powell: "one of the finest apples now grown," one of the must 6 and must 20; Ragan: vg; Richmond: FM; Royal: 1888: No. 24 dessert, in Top 60 culinary, first quality; S-L: de toute premiere qualitie; Salt; Scott: 1, among earlier apples, none equal; Seattle24; Thomas: (high flavored, excellent); Traverso: F-S; UIll: vg-b; Vorbeck: Sour10; Walker: #2; Warder: vg; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert vg, cooking vg, commercial value - first class; Yepsen: "outstanding". Special: The parentage of the original Gravenstein is unknown, and several European countries claim to be its original home sometime before 1650. We have two Gravenstein trees. Both may be Red Gravensteins. The red sport is reported to be nearly identical to the original except for color and that the red thrives better in northern climates. Red Gravensteins may start to ripen a few days sooner than Gravensteins.
LATE AUGUST
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Primate (Rough and Ready, North American Best) (parentage unknown) Camillus, NY introduced 1840 NFC GRIN USDA+	above medium to large classic shape, ribbed rich, refreshing, spritely, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: light greenish white with yellow tinge & crimson blush, occasionally russetting near stem; thin Flesh: white, fine-grained Crispness: 1-2 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, cider T3, upright spreading, dense Fireblight: 3 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); precocious bearer. Fruit: very slow browning flesh; highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: tends toward biennial, has a narrow harvest window. Fruit: poor keeper, very tender, bruises easily. Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over several weeks (from late August through September); differing reports on productivity from very productive to light bearer. Fruit: not uniform in size. Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 9*: Beach: vg to best; Hedrick: dH (Tree characters poor, valuable for dessert and local market); Hedrick13: vg-best /1922: vg-b, "choicely good"; APS1911: b, DK; Bailey: HUSF; Baker: NY (Top12), Barry: "excellent dessert sort"; Elliott: best; Engelbrecht: sehr gut, [noticeably sweet, a bit spicy]; Hansen:: vg to best, "one of the best summer dessert apples for the family"; Hayes; Lear: not rated, but listed by Fitz among best 6 summer apples; Lowther: best,10(26); ME94: best; Michigan, 9.3.5: best; Michigan1904: very fine eating; Ont1892: 7/6/6/_; PA1889: S7; PA1910: (S) One of the best of its season for the home orchard;Ragan: vg-b; S-L: tres jolie et excellente variete; Scott: 1; Thomas: (valuable); Warder: best; Waugh: vg; Woolverton: dessert vg-best, cooking fair, commercial value - third class. Special**: The farm of Calvin D. Bingham on Munro Road in Camillus, where the Primate originated (less than an hour's drive from our farm) was located where the Tuscarora Golf Course is now located.
Northfield Beauty (Siberian crab x Hubbardston?) origin uncertain, but named for Northfield, Vermont before 1875 USDA	medium to large slightly flattened, asymmetric complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red & red stripes dominant over yellow, prominently dotted; thin Flesh: white, fine-grained Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating T2, spreading Fireblight: 4 Scab: 1 PM: 3 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; hangs well on tree for long time; resistant to scab. Faults: Fruit: bruises easily; poor keeper. Ratings: Downing: good; Bull99: 6-8_; Bull09: vg_; Hansen: rather poor (good for cooking); Ragan: vg; Waugh: good Special: We were first interested in this variety because Margaret's parents lived in Northfield, Mass., a town near to Hubbardston and Westfield, two other towns that gave names to apples. It turned out that the apple was named for Northfield, Vermont, not Massachusetts, but our homage to Claude and Jean Shepard remains. In an article about hybrid Siberian apples in Transactions of the American Horticultural Society, Volume 3, 1885, the Northfield Beauty was described as Vermont's greatest success, with fruit "of high excellence, approaching 'best' in quality"; nearly lost, but promoted in California by Albert Etter after 1900.
Magog Redstreak (parentage unknown) Newport, Vermont before 1870 USDA+	large somewhat egg- shaped mild, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red splashed over light yellow, some russet; tough, thin Flesh: creamy, coarse Crispness: 2-3 Juiciness: 4	Culinary T2, roundish Fireblight: 5 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: very hardy (ironclad, to z2). Faults: Tree: tends toward biennial; poor keeper. Ratings: Bull99: 7-8/X; Bull09: g_; Beach: good; Hedrick: _(not valuable enough to retain) Hedrick13: good, not valuable enough to retain/1922: has been on probation for nearly a half a century, but of unquestionable excellence as a culinary apple; APS1911: g; BC: medium; Hansen: fair to good; Lowther: good,...; ME94: .../...; Ont1892: 3/7/5/7; Ragan: [described but not rated]; Waugh: good; Wilkinson: good; Woolverton: good, commercial value - third class. Special: We got this on a whim. The nursery had never offered it before and has not offered it since, but Margaret had spent several years of field work in sight of Magog, a great granite dome in Stewart Island, NZ.
Antonovka (the People's Apple) (parentage unknown) Tambov Oblast, Russia introduced in 1888 NFC USDA	large flatter shape. irreguoar mild, 4 on the sweet-tart scale Note: called both refreshing and tasty to too tart to not very flavorful.	Skin: green to greenish yellow; tough Flesh: creamy yellow, coarse Crispness: 2-3 Juiciness: 2	Culinary T3, upright-spreading Fireblight: 3 Scab: 1 PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: very hardy (ironclad, to z2 or 3); heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit, late blooming protects it from frost damaget. Fruit: aromatic; does not bruise easily; good keeper. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing. Fruit: quickly browning flesh. Ratings: Bull97: 7_; Bull09: p; Beach: "of no practical value for this state [Beach later revised rating to "good for dessert use" in northern New York; Hedrick: _ (May be of value where superior hardiness is a prime requisite); Hedrick13: good, of no value; BC: good; Bunyard: hardly worthy of retention; Engelbrecht: [noticeably spicy, but not very sweet]; FB: T (KM); Hansen: good; KOB: suitable only in extreme cold climates; Pomologie: *; Ragan: poor; S-L: douteuses ou peu meritantes; Woolverton: quotes Hansen's good Special**: Primarily used for standard sized root stock.
Dorsett Golden (Golden Delicious sport or open pollinated) Bahamas originated in 1953, introduced 1964 NFC GRIN	medium to large classic shape rich; 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Creamy yellow with pink blush thin skinned creamy yellow firm, crisp fine-grained Juiciness: 5	Fresh eating; culinary T3, spreading Fireblight: 5 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual, extremely precocious bearing; somewhat self pollinating. Fruit: very aromatic; better keeper than most early ripening apples. Faults: Tree: early blossoming a challenge for northern climes Merit or fault?: Fruit: occasionally seedless. Special: This is a warm climate apple where it is very early to ripen, but we saw a tree full of apples in Geneva, NY, in September, and liked the taste and quality of the apple enough tha we decided to try growing one.
EARLY SEPTEMBER
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Baker's Delicious (Bendigedig, Daughter of Wales) (unknown) Wales discovered in 1932 when it as an old tree. NFC	medium to large classic shape sprightly, distinctive, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red-orange over golden yellow with a small amount of russetting, thin Flesh: cream, fine grained Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 5	Fresh eating T3, upright spreading Fireblight: 4 Scab: 1 PM: CAR:	Merits: Fruit: handsome, very aromatic. appearance; very juicy. Faults: Tree: partial tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: poor keeper, bruises easily. Ratings: n/a Special: Not the same as Baker's Delight, a more recent, trademarked apple tree. Introduced by Bakers of Wolverhampton, a nursery that is not located in Wales and was not very original in their apple naming. Bendigedig is Welsh for "Wonderful."
Redflesh (Hansen's Red Flesh) (Niedzwetzkyana x Elk River) Brookings, SD introduced by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in 1928 GRIN USDA	crab elongated astringent, 6 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: deep red; thin Flesh: red, coarse Crispness: 3-4 Juiciness: 3	Cider-blending, jelly, ornamental T1, upright Fireblight: 3 Scab: 5 PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: hardy (to z3 or 4); beautiful red buds and pink flowers; greenish bronze foliage. Fruit: rich in health-beneficial anthocyanins; keeps well for an early apple (for a couple of months) Faults: Tree: biennial. Fruit: good for jellies, sauces, and cider. Special: Although Roger Way (Cornell, 1992) called it inedible, Maine pomologist Donald Wyman rated it among the best crabs for flower and best for fruit in 1950. Used as pollinator and food for wildlife.
Garden Royal (Garden Royale) (parentage unknown) Sudbury, Massachusetts before 1800 NFC USDA+	small to medium wider than classic apple shape, slightly ribbed rich & pleasant, sub-acid; 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: green yellow with dull red & orange-red stripes, dotted; thin Flesh: creamy yellow, fine-grained Crispness: 2 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, ornamental T1 or T2, upright Fireblight: 5 PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: hardy. Fruit: very aromatic. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; biennial. Fruit: poor keeper. Merit or fault?: Tree: inconsisently a heavy cropper Ratings: Downing: best; Bull1897: 10/; Bull99: 10/; Beach: vg; Hedrick: H, "too small for market"; Bailey:HUSF; APS1911: b; Baker: --, OH (Top 6); Barry: delicious, but not adapted for the orchard either in tree or fruit/perhaps in quality the best apple grown, but not profitable; Cole: nothing superior; Elliott: suitable to small orchards where delicious fruit is desired; Hansen: best; Lowther: 6(8); ME94: best/; Michigan1879: best, 10.5.3; Pomologie: ; Ragan: best; Scott: 1, a fine American apple; Thomas: first-rate dessert; UIll: taken out as of no value; Walker: [not in Top 26, but deserving] Waugh: best Special**: Tree size has been listed as naturally dwarfing, medium, and very vigorous in different sources. Our first Garden Royal tree was of dwarf size on Antonovka rootstock.
Summer Rambo (Rambour Franc, Rambour d'Ete) (parentage unknown) Picardy, France before 1550 USDA+	large flatter shape, slightly ribbed, asymmetric on the sweet side of sweet-tart	Skin: red streaks and blush over greenish yellow, prominently dotted; thin Flesh: yellow, fine-grained Crispness: 3 Juiciness; 4	Fresh eating, culinary T3 Fireblight: 3 Scab: 3 PM: 3 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing. Fruit: highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: poor keeper, becomes mealy. Ratings: Beach: good; Hedrick13: b/; Michigan1879: good, 9.9.4; BBG; Burford; Engelbrecht: [a little sweet, but not at all spicy]; FB208: D3; Gould: of merit; HSL: 1; Jacobsen: "conquered the word"; Keil: among top 9 summer and fall apples; Leroy: 2/1; Manning: firm and juicy; PA1889: S4; PA1910: (S)* Highly prize, high quality; Prince; Ragan: good; Waugh: fair; UIll: vg; Y. Special: In France the name was Rambour, but after it was introduced to colonial America, its name was altered to Rambo. It can be speculated with good reason that the name change was influenced by the then-popularity of the Rambo, a much later ripening apple that shared some of the same traits, shape and skin coloring. There are many different Rambours in Europe, but no other of the few that crossed the ocean gained popularity. One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Chestnut Crab (Chestnut Sweet Crab) (Wealthy x (Keswick Codling x ?); originally thought to be Malinda x Siberian Crab) Minnesota introduced by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station in 1946 GRIN	small (but large for a crab) flatter shape rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow orange with red stripes, some russeting especially at both ends; thin Flesh: yellow, fine-grained Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 5	Fresh eating, jelly, cider blending T2, spreading Fireblight: 1 Scab: 3 PM: CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); annual, good pollinator. Fruit: keeps well for an early apple (for more than a couple of months). Faults: Tree: early blooming makes it susceptible to killing frosts. Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks (through September). Ratings: AA: *; Browning; Bunker: "the apple version of “Sun Gold” tomatoes"; Burford; Heavy: "doll-sized and taste like they have been dipped in honey, with a fantastic snap"; Jacobsen: "One of my favorite apples"; Smith: top late August variety [in Zone 7]. Special**: Flavor has been called nutty -- does the name inspire the taste buds, or did the nutty taste inspire the name?
Autumn Crisp (was NY 674) (Golden Delicious x Monroe) Geneva, NY 1968? introduced by the New York Sate Agricultural Experiment Station in 2009	medium to large classic shape 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: predominantly red; some greenish yellow; tough Flesh: white, fine-grained Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary T1, spreading Fireblight: 2 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: precocious bearer. Fruit: exceptionally non-browning flesh; holds shape well in baking. Merit or Fault: Fruit: its tartness may vary from year to year. It has been called "too tart" and "tart without much complexity," and tartness was its chief feature the first year we harvested it. In 2016, it was more mellow, and one taster even called it "too sweet." Ratings: AA: [no stars]; Jacobsen: wicked fun to bite into....If only it didn't try so hard to please." Special: Mott's valued it enough to negotiate with Cornell for exclusive rights to it, I think for the purpose of developing apple slices or chips as a new snack food. As the new name and increased availability in 2009 indicates, the deal was not completed. There are claims that it is very high in Vitamin C, but that is true of all acidic apples. Winner of the 2016 Sage Hen Farm taste test. Autumn Crisp garnered the most votes for #1 also had the highest average rating 4.7 on a scale of 1 to 5.
Striped Harvey (parentage unknown) Maine before 1800	medium classic shape sprightly, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	red stripes over yellow; thin Flesh: yellow, fine-grained Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, roundish, dense Fireblight: ?? Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3). Fruit: rich, well blended flavor. Ratings: Ragan: listed as Harvey Stripe, but not described nor rated. Special: Might have been lost and forgotten but for the efforts of George Stilphen, author of the book Apples of Maine, who promoted it as his favorite apple.
Detroit Red (Grand Sachem; Detroit Black, perhaps mistakenly) (parentage unknown) colonial French Canada before 1790 USDA	variable from medium to very large flatter shape, ribbed mild, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: variable, glossy crimson, deep purple, or black over red and occasional yellow, prominently dotted; thick Flesh: white, occasionally stained with red, coarse Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 5	Culinary, cider T2, roundish, dense Fireblight: 1 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); late blooming protects it from late frosts, annual, productive. Fruit: highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely. Merit or fault?: Fruit: great variability in size. Ratings: Beach: g/vg; Hedrick: _dH (Surpassed by McIntosh); Hedrick13: good-vg; Allen; APS1911: g; Lowther: g,1; Michigan1879: good, 6.4.2; Ont1892: _/4/2/4; Scott: 1, agreeable, sprightly; Thomas: (agreeable sub-acid); Warder: good? [Note: the confusion between the Detroit Red, Detroit Black, and Red Detroit makes some ratings uncertain]. Special: planted by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello; may be a parent of the McIntosh; twice finished at the bottom of the top 20 in taste tests held by Tom Burford at Monticello, but Detroit was primarily used as a cider apple by Jefferson and is past its prime in Virginia when the tasting is done.
Glowing Coal (unknown; likely related to Gravenstein; possibly a sport of Ohio Nonpariel, if not identical to Ohio Nonpareil) New Jersey or Ohio introduced as Glowing Coal in 1891 USDA	large classic shape sprightly rich; 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Predominently scarlet and crimson, solid or with striping over a bright red over greenish yellow thin skinned creamy yellow firm fine-grained, waxy Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3 Fireblight: 4 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual. Fruit: very aromatic; slow browning flesh; fruit hangs well. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; light bearer. [These despite advertising claims to the contrary.] Ratings: Michigan1904: "promising market variety...large, handsome... of good quality". Ragan: vg Special: First appeared in the 1891 Lovett's Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees and Plants. An illustration appeared in the 1895 catalog. It was marketed as a new variety of "large size, great beauty, and superb quality." It was challenged a few years later by a member of the New York Horticultural Society and others as being the same as Ohio Nonpariel. In season, flesh quality, and productivity, both are similar. Defenders said it was different. Glowing Coal apples are larger and more brightly red skinned. However, Ohio Nonpareil apples have great variation in size and coloration.
MID SEPTEMBER
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Ohio Nonpareil (Myers Nonpareil) (possibly a sport of Gravenstein) Ohio introduced by a Mr. Myers of Massillon in 1848 GRIN USDA	large classic shape, but can be asymmetrical sprightly rich; 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Bright red with scarlet striping and mottling over pale yellow; some russeting thin skinned, waxy creamy yellow firm, crisp fine-grained Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, spreading Fireblight: 4 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual, productive most years; stout limbs bear fruit well. Fruit: very aromatic; slow browning flesh; fruit hangs well. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; irregular bearer. Ratings: Downing: vg; Beach: g-vg [but has not been much disseminated in New York; Bull97: 5-6_; Hedrick: g-vg; Hedrick22: g-vg, tree is seldom satisfactory; APS1911:vg; Bailey: MSF; Hansen: vg; Keil: among top summer and fall apples for dessert; Lowther: vg,2(6); Michigan1879: vg, 8.7.9, one of the most valuable late autumn apples; Ragan: vg; Salt: "similar juicy, savoury, yet sweet flavour to the Gravenstein, yet is firmer fleshed"; Thomas: excellent, much valued; Warder: First quality, better than best; Waugh: fair. Special: See Glowing Coal above for note about identity.
Saint Edmund's Russet (St. Edmund's Pippin, Early Golden Russet) (parentage unknown) Bury Saint Edmunds, Suffolk, UK before 1870 NFC GRIN	medium flatter shape rich, complex, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: russeting over greenish yellow; thick Flesh: cream, fine-grained Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating T2 Fireblight: ?? Scab: ?? PM: 2 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh. Faults: Tree: tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: not a good keeper. Merit or Fault?: Fruit: russet qualities. Ratings: BC: nr; Browning; Potter; Ragan: not described; Royal: FCC, AGM-D Special: It is reported in multiple sources that Richard Harvey of Bury St. Edmunds introduced this variety, but no one includes any personal information about him. It is probably only a coincidence that several British apples and one from Maine have "Harvey" in their name.
Kerr (Kerr's Crab, orginally Morden 352) (Dolgo x Haralson) Manitoba introduced 1952 GRIN	small (large for a crab) classic apple shape intense, rich, hint of astringency; 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: dark purple-red Flesh: cream with hints of yellow, occasionally tinged with red Crispness: 2 Juiciness: 4	Culinary, cider, fresh eating, ornamental T2 or T3, upright spreading; open Fireblight: 1 Scab: 3 PM: 2 CAR: 1	Merits: Tree: annual; very hardy (nearly ironclad, to z2 or 3); heavy cropper; developed to be wind resistant. Fruit: highly aromatic; excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: drops fruit prematurely. Fruit: quickly browning flesh Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit hangs well, but several sources report that the fruit can be messy if allowed to drop. Ratings: n/a Special: Used as pollinator and food for wildlife.
Honeycrisp (Keepsake x Frostbite [parentage includes Malinda, Northern Spy, Duchess of Oldenburg, & Golden Delicious]) Minnesota introduced by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station in 1991 GRIN	large classic shape sprightly, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red & orange over yellow, dotted; moderately thick Flesh: cream Crispness: 5 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating T1, upright, spreading Fireblight: 2 Scab: 2 PM: 4 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); late blooming protects it from late frosts; annual. Fruit: exceptionally, explosively crisp. Faults: Fruit: moderately quick browning, not tart enough or right texture for good cooking or baking. Merit or fault?: Tree: claims are that it is an precocious bearer, but ours have been slow to start bearing. Ratings: AA: ; Browning; Burford; Jacobsen: "ir shatters your mouth like an apple-flavored Cheeto"; Manhart: notable new; Phillips: "explosively crisp flesh" and "has a honeyed sweetness in its good flavor years"; Seattle24; Traverso: F-S; Vorbeck: Sweet3. Special*: Minnesota's State Apple. Crispness is due to the rupture or popping its cells that are twice the size of those of other apples. The researchers must have kept poor records, because it was once thought that it was a cross of Macoun & Honeygold. But the actual parentage was finally worked out in 2017.
Jefferis (Jefferies) (unknown) Chester County, Pennsylvania before 1840 NFC GRIN USDA+	medium classic shape rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: light, dark and orangy red over yellow-green, occasional russeting around stem, thin Flesh: pale cream Crispness: 3-4 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary T3, upright, open Fireblight: 2 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); precocious bearer; very prolific. Fruit: highly aromatic. Faults: Fruit: not a good keeper. Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over long season (from mid September through early October). Ratings: Bull97: 8-9/; Bull09: vgb; Beach:vg; Hedrick: dH (excellent for the home orchard); Hedrick13: vg,, excellent for the home market; APS1911: vg, D; Barry: (A), /"juicy, rich" A; Burford; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(D); Folger: H (0 regions); Gould: of merit; Hansen: vg; Keil: among top 9 summer and fall apples &among top for pie; Lowther; vg,3; Michigan1879: vg, 9.6.6; Michigan1904: of highest quality, and should be in every collection; PA1889: A11; S-L: a l'etude; de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Smith: solid reliable early apple...with a nice fruity flavor, 9th overall top: Thomas: (very pleasant); Warder: best. Special*: In his Report of the Pomologist* to the US Commissioner of Agriculture, 1888, Henry E. Van Deman stated, "If I should be asked to select the choicest early autumn apple known to me, I would say the Jefferies."
Porter (parentage unknown) Sherburne, Massachsetts before 1800 NFC GRIN USDA Not Porter's Perfection, a cider apple	medium elongated and tapered, asymmetric rich, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: bright yellow, with dull orange or red blush, occasionally russetting at both ends; thin Flesh: cream Crispness: 2 Juiciness: 1	Culinary, especially baking T2, roundish, dense Fireblight: 5 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); although biennial, still has decent off-year production; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: retains shape remarkably well. Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: quickly browning flesh; poor keeper. Merit or fault?: Tree: ripens over several weeks. Fruit: bruises somewhat easily. Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 8-9*; Bull09: vgb; Beach: g-vg; BC: vg; Hedrick: dkH (has many merits); Hedrick1914: g-vg/; Hedrick13: g-vg, , has many merits for home use and local markets/1922:best of all yellow fall apples; APS1911: b, DM; Bailey: MSF; Baker: , NY (Top20), RI (Top6), VA; Barry: (A), "excellent flavor"/"sprightly, highly esteemed" AL; Bridgeman: spritely and agreeable; Buffalo; Bunker: " an excellent late summer-early fall all-purpose cooking apple"; Burford; Cole: excellent; Dickerman: NE, NY; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(DM); Hansen: vg; Hooper: 2, deserves a place in every orchard for beauty; Jacobsen: "Middle-of-the-road appleness"; Kenrick: (sprightly and pleasant); Lear: 10; Leroy: 1; Lowther: best,16; Manning: one of the finest of its season; ME94: best/; Michigan1879: vg, 7.6.7; Ont1892: 5/4/5/3; PA1889: A7; Powell: "an excellent apple"; Prince; Ragan: vg-b; Scott: 1; Thomas: (fine flavor); UIll: vg-b; Walker: #7; Warder: g-vg; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: vg-best; Woolverton: dessert vg, cooking vg, commercial value - third class. Special*: specifically recommended for jelly and the only apply recommended for canning in early editions of the Boston Cooking School cookbook by Fannie Farmer.
Wealthy (once thought Siberian crab x Jonathan, DNA evidence identifies Duchess of Oldenburg x Jonathan) Hennepin County, Minnesota 1860 NFC GRIN USDA	medium to large classic shape, slightly ribbed mild, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red stripes over pale greenish yellow; tough Flesh: greenish white tinged with pink Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating T1, upright-spreading, open Fireblight: 4 Scab: ?? PM: 4 CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: very hardy (nearly ironclad); precocious bearer; heavy cropper only when tree is young;non-browning flesh. Fruit: does not bruise easily Faults: Tree: biennial; thinning required for good sized fruits; may drop fruit prematurely; Fruit: skin can become greasy. Merit or fault?: Tree: ripens over several week Ratings: Beach: g-vg; Hedrick: * [ in some other NY regions]; Hedrick1914: g-vg/; NY1916: l/sp; APS1911: vg; BC: good; B-H: vg; Bull91: 6/ [97: no change; 99: 6-7/]; Bunker: "one of the most famous of the hardy, all-purpose varieties"; Can; dessert good, cooking good, commercial value - first class; Gadener's: rich and distinct, (D&C12)(HC)(P); Lowther: vg,13(18); ME94: vg/; Michigan1879: f/m; Michigan1904: one of the most valuable market varieties on trial; PA1910: (S&N) Good for dessert or cooking; Ont1892: 8/6/9/9; Ragan: vg; Royal: AM; Waugh: fair ; Wilkinson: vg/; Y. Special*: Developed out of seed from Maine by Peter Gideon, the first non-crab apple to thrive in Minnesota well enough to be grown commercially. We think it is rather cool that got its name, not out of any pecuniary association, but for a sentimental reason. Gideonn named the variety after his wife, whose first name was Wealthy. One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Mother (American Mother) (parentage unknown) Bolton, Mass. introduced 1844 NFC GRIN USDA+	medium somewhat elongated rich & complex, but not intense, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red stripes over yellow, occasionally russeting near stem; thin Flesh: cream Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, cider T2, upright-spreading, open Fireblight: 5 Scab 1 PM: 2 CAR: ??	Merits: Tree: late blooming protects it from frost damage; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: non-browning flesh; highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing. Fruit: not a good keeper. Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks (from mid September through early October). Fruit: quality and flavor are quite variable from year to year. Ratings: Downing: best; Beach: vg-best; Hedrick: dH (Tree characters poor. Appearance and quality of the best); Bull97: 8-9; Bull09: b; Hedrick13: vg-best, , Tree characteristics poor, appearance and quality of the best; AA: , Alwood: "most excellent quality for table or culinary"; APS1911: b; Bailey: HUSF; Baker: , NY (Top20); Barron: first quality; Barry: (W), "rich"/"valuable dessert" WL; BC: vg; Browning; Buffalo; Bunyard: a very choice desert fruit; Burford; Cole: has no superior, and few equals, delightful mingling of sub-acid & saccharine; Elliott: vg; FB113: NE&; FB208: R(D); Gardener's: very satisfactory, (R6)(W); Gould: "of exquisite dessert quality," "of merit, but largely unknown"; Hansen: best; Herefordshire: "one of the best dessert apples"; Hogg2: first rate; Hooper: 2; Jacobsen:"It's worth finding"; Keil: "undoubtedly the finest apple of its season" & listed among top summer & fall apples & top for stewing, pie & baking; KOB: listed, but quality not described; Lowther: best,12; ME94: best/*; Michigan1879: best, 8.7.6; Michigan1904: best; Ont1892: 8/7/6/6; Potter [only American apple included]; Powell: "one of the best dessert apples...of indescribable richness," "invaluable": Ragan: best; Royal: 1888: first quality, AGM-D; S-L: de toute premiere qualitie pour table, tres meritante; Scott: first-rate; Smith: rich unique taste when well-grown, 16/11 top flavor; Thomas: (rich, very spicy); Warder: vg; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: best. Special*: The Mother apples used by Adam to review in the Adam's Apple website were two that we sent him. They might have been more highly rated if we had sent the apples a week earlier.
Kidd's Orange Red (Delco [original name]) (Cox's Orange Pippin x Red Delicious) Greytown, NZ 1924 NFC GRIN	medium to large classic shape, slightly ribbed rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: crimson over yellow, dotted, occasionally russeting near stem; thick Flesh: deep cream Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, cider T2, upright, but easily trained Fireblight: 1 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: annual; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing. Fruit: highly aromatic; very juicy; non-browning flesh Faults: Tree: requires thinning for large sized fruit. Ratings: Burford; Manhart: vg; Phillips: "Deep aromatic overtones surpass its rich sweetness"; Pomologie: **; Royal: AM, AGM-D; Smith: low acid sweet aromatic, 11/12 top flavor, 6/7 top overall; Way; Yepsen: "superior to Gala". Special**: The first variety that New Zealand apple breeder J.H. Kidd (Gala, Freyberg) thought worthy of further propogation.
MID TO LATE SEPTEMBER
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
King of the Pippins (King of Pippins, Reine des Reinettes, Reine de Reinettes, Golden Winter Pearmain, Frogstar) (parentage unknown) France, Belgium, UK? before 1800 (an old German source claims early 1200s) Reine de Reinettes (King of the Pippins, Reine des Reinettes, Golden Winter Pearmain, Frogstar) (parentage unknown) France, Belgium, UK? before 1800 (an old German source claims early 1200s) NFC GRIN USDA+ (King) USDA (Reine)	small to medium somewhat elongated, sometimes lopsided rich, complex, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red and orange stripes dominant over yellow; thick Flesh: pale cream Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, roundish, dense Fireblight: 5 Scab: 2 PM: 5 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: highly aromatic; rich flavor; prized for nutty character in cider blending. Faults: Tree: poor keeper for an apple of this season. Fruit: quickly browning flesh. Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks; flavor and quality varies from year to year more than most varieties. Ratings: AA: **, Barron: first quality; BC: nr; Buffalo: 2nd rate; Bunyard: distinct flavour; Elliott: unworthy; Engelbrecht: [flavored like a pure reinette]; Gardener's: pleasantly brisk, (D6)(HC); HSL: 2; Hedirck: good [but seemed to be describing a different, late winter apple]; Herefordshire: "its greatest merit is its beauty'; Hogg1: unequalled by any other of its season; Hogg2: valuable; HSL3: 1; Jacobsen "In the upper echelon of flavor"; Kenrick: no(first rate; no garden should be without); KOB: a top variety; Leroy:1; Manning: high flavored; Pomologie: ***; Prince; Ragan: g; Royal: 1888: No. 1 desert, first quality, AGM-C/D; S-L: de premier qualitie tous la usages, aussi pour cidre; Scott: 1; Smith: very rich flavor...one of the best cooking/processing apples, 1 in 2022, 9/10 top flavor & 5 top overall in 2018; UIll: g-vg; VT. Special**: King of the Pippins may or may not be the same as the Dutch and the French Reine des Reinettes or the Reine de Reinettes sold in North America. King of the Pippins may or may not be identical to the original Golden Winter Pearmain. I've also seen speculation that the Clarke Pearmain grown at Monticello was the same apple. We have both a King of the Pippins and a Reine de Reinettes. Reinette suggests little queen, but there is speculation that Reinette is a pun on Rainette, or little frog, because of those apples' thick, spotted skins. Frogstar suggests the this apple is the best of that little frog family of apples.
Fall Pippin (Reinette d'Espagne) (Either identical to White Spanish Reinette [Camuesar] or White Spanish Reinette open pollinated) US before 1800 or Spain before 1700 NFC GRIN USDA+	large flatter shape, ribbed, sides sometimes unequal sprightly, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow-green, becoming fine yellow, with occasional dull orange blush, occasionally russeting near stem; thin Flesh: white, tinged with yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary T2, upright spreading, dense Fireblight: 4 Scab: ?? PM: 2 CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing. Fruit: good keeper for an early apple, highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate); may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: quickly browning flesh. Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over long season from September into October. Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 10/; Bull09: gvg; Beach:vg; Hedrick: *dk (well recommended for local market); Hedrick13: vg,, excellent for the home market; Allen; Bailey: HUSF; Baker:CT (Top 12), NJ (Top 12), NY** (Top 6), RI (Top 20), KY, MS, OH; Barry: Top20, (A), (G), "delicious, esteemed everywhere"/"one of the most valuable varieties", Unimpeachable; A; BC: vg; Bridgeman: first class; Buffalo: first rate in every respect; Burford; Cole: "fine for the table, superior for cooking"; CG: 42/22/16/80; Dickerman: NE, NY; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(D); Folger: H↓ (0 regions); Gould: of merit; Hansen: vg; Herefordshire: "first rate quality suitable for dessert, but more especially for culinary purposes"; Hogg1: valuable and first rate culinary; Hooper: 1, highly esteemed; Kenrick: no(one of the finest and most beautiful of its season); Leroy: 2/1; Lowther: vg,12(35): ME94: vg; PA1889: A2; PA1910: (N)* One of the most desirable of its season for the home orchard and of much value commercially; Pomologie:***; size="-1">S-L: de toute premiere qualitie Richmond: M. Special: One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Late Strawberry (Autumn Strawberry, Fall Strawberry) (parentage unknown) Aurora, New York before 1848 GRIN USDA+	medium classic shape, often ribbed sprightly, 3 on the sweet-tart scale, distinctive	Skin: light & dark streaks of red over pale yellow, thin Flesh: yellowish white Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 5	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, spreading, open Fireblight: 4 Scab: PM: 5 CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; annual. Fruit: highly aromatic; does not bruise easily; long keeping for a fall apple. Faults: Tree: biennial. Fruits: Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks. Fruit: . Ratings: Downing: vg; Beach: vg; Hedrick: dH (One of the best dessert apples of its season); Hedrick13: vg, one of the good dessert apples of its season; APS1911: vg; Baker: ; Barry: Top20, "one of the best of its season" G, Unimpeachable; Buffalo; Cole: one of the finest; Elliott: describes but doesn't rate; FB208: R(DK); Hansen: vg; Hooper: "highly esteemed in New York, where best known"; Keil: listed among top varieties for stewing and pie; Lowther: vg,11(25); ME94: vg; Michigan1879: vg, 8.4.5; Ont1892: 7/5/5/7; PA1889: A6; Thomas: (one of the best early autumn apples); UIll: vg; Warder: best; Waugh: fair. Special*: One of two apple varieties in our orchard that orginated in Aurora, NY, only a few miles from our orchard, except that there is a Finger Lake in between. The other is Twenty Ounce.
Holstein (Holsteiner Cox) (Cox's Orange open pollinated) Schleswig-Holstein, Germany 1918 NFC GRIN	large slightly flatter shape rich, complex, distinctive, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: bright red over orange with some yellow; moderately thin Flesh: deep yellow with tinge of orange Crispness: 3-4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, cider T3, spreading, dense Fireblight: 3 Scab: ?? PM: 4 CAR: 3	Merits: Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh; prized for fresh eating and cider; shares many qualities of Cox's Orange, but is larger size. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; biennial; triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: subject to cracking. Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core. Ratings: AA: [no stars]; Burford; KOB: Recommended alternative to Cox; Phillips: "Highly aromatic with a good sugar-acid balance"; Salt; Seattle24; Smith: would be nice without the watercore; Yepsen: "has a personality of its own". Special*: In a Danish five-year study, organically grown Holsteiner Cox was singled out as the only variety of 14 that combined high yield, good fruit size and good eating quality with low susceptibility to disease.
Cox's Orange Pippin (once thought to be Ribston Pippin open pollinated but determined to be Rosemary Russet x Margil) Colnbrook, Buckinghamshire, UK before 1825, introduced more widely in 1850 NFC GRIN USDA+	medium slightly flatter shape rich, spicy, spritely, complex, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red over orange with some yellow, occasionally russeting near stem; tough, but thin Flesh: deep cream Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, cider T2, upright-spreading, dense Fireblight: 2 Scab: 4 PM: 4 CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: partially self-pollinating. Fruit: beautiful coloring; non-browning flesh; highly aromatic; high quality flavor makes it the favorite fresh eating apple in England. Faults: Tree: biennial; shy bearer; bears high percentage of misshapen fruits; susceptible to collar rot. Fruit: subject to cracking; subject to shriveling when overmature; has reputation in North America of not measuring up to fruit grown in UK. Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core. Ratings: Beach: vg to best; Hedrick: +dH (desirable for the home orchard); Hedrick1914: vg-b/+; Hedrick13: vg-best, +, desirable for home orchard ; Barron: first quality; BC: vg; Browning; Bunker: "really packs a punch in the flavor department"; Bunyard: "generally considered to be the richest flavoured of English Apples"; Engelbrecht: [very pleasant without too much or too little sweetness]; Gardener's: one of the best (D1)(R3)(HC)(P); Goodman: one of the very best; Herefordshire: "excellent in flavour, and very handsome"; Hogg2: first rate; HSL3: 1; KOB: Outstanding savory fruit with high demands on soil, location and care; Leroy: 1; Lowther: vg,1; Manhart: vg/b; Ont1892: 9/3/7/10; Pomologie: ***; Potter; Ragan: vg; Royal: 1888: No. 2 desert, first quality, FCC, AGM-D; S-L: de toute premiere qualitie; Smith: very tasty, but did not keep it long due to water core, rot, and too few apples; Traverso: T-S; Thomas: brief notice only; Woolverton: not rated, but described as "one of the best English dessert apples"; Yepsen:"the best known dessert apple of the British Isles". Special**: Declined sharply in popularly due to disease problems, before revived to be the most popular variety in the UK. Our experience supports what experts say that the tree can be hard to grow in Northeastern US.
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Halberstadter Jungfernapfel (Jungfern, Maiden of Halberstadt.) (parentage unknown) Halberstadt, Germany introduced 1885 NFC GRIN	medium to large somewhat flatter, sometimes lopsided and conical vinous, mild; 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red over greenish yellow, with red streaks and marbling, waxy with a dull blush; thin Flesh: yellow to almost white, may have green veining Crispness: 2 Juiciness: 5	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, upright Fireblight: 5 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; annual; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: aromatic, hangs well on tree for long time Faults: Fruit: softer than most modern tastes prefer. Merit or fault?: Tree: thrives best in cool, moist regions with heavy soils. Fruit: prized mostly for its juice. Ratings: Engelbrecht: [moderately sweet and pleasantly vinous, but not noticeably spicy]; KOB: versatile an excellent, room-filling smell Special: once very popular in Harz Mountains of Germany, but never spread widely outside that region of Germany. Now very rare. Jungfern in the 19th century was a term for a young woman of noble origin. Another name for the variety is Schmuck, but that is German for jewel, not Yiddish for something else.
Karmijn de Sonnaville (Karmine, Hurt So Good) (Cox's Orange x Jonathan [or Jonathan-Belle de Boskoop cross]) Wageningen, Netherlands 1949, introduced 1971 NFC GRIN	variable: medium to very large slightly flatter shape intense, extreme sweet-tart combination that doesn't fit well on the sweet-tart scale, complex, distinctive	Skin: orange red over yellow, with some russeting on both ends; rough, thick Flesh: cream Crispness: 4-5 Juiciness: 5	Fresh eating, cider T3, upright-spreading Fireblight: ?? Scab: 5 PM: 3 CAR:	Merits: Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh; shares many qualities of Cox's Orange, but is larger size. Faults: Tree: biennial; slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate); may drop fruit prematurely, especially in warmer climates; not a good keeper. Fruit: subject to cracking. Merit or fault?: Fruit: fruit mellows in storage. Ratings: AA: []; Jacobsen: "A howlingly good dessert apple"; Manhart; Pomologie:*; Salt; Seattle24. Special: Declared Denmark's national apple in 2005.
Twenty Ounce (Cayuga Redstreak) (parentage unknown) Cayuga County, NY introduced in 1843 NFC GRIN USDA+	very large roundish, but asymmetric mild, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: greenish yellow, splashed and striped with some red; thick, tough Flesh: yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Culinary, especially baking T2, drooping, spreading Fireblight: ?? Scab: PM: 2 CAR: 5	Merits: : Tree: very hardy (to z3); bears early & abundantly; bears fruits of uniform large size; fruits hold well to tree. Fruit: excellent keeper for ripening so early; does not bruise easily; premier pie & baking apple. Faults: Tree: susceptible to scald & winter injury. Fruit: not favored by most tastes for fresh eating. Ratings: Beach: good for culinary, 2nd rate for fresh; Hedrick: [One of the best of the fall varieties]; Hedrick1914: g/; NY1916: 8; AFC: 14/2 NY (second quality); APS1911: vg, KM; Bailey: MSF; BC: good; B-H: good; Bull91: 6-7; Bull09: gvg; Can; dessert poor, cooking good, commercial value - first to seond class; FB208: HR(KM); FB1001: D2; F&T: $ (1 region [WNY]); Gardener's: briskly flavoured; Goodman: great culinary; Hayes; Heavy: "We figured that a huge apple would have a mild flavor, but not at all.... Quite a rollercoaster"; Hooper: 2; Jacobsen: "a great old apple"[mentioned in a review of Twenty Ounce Pippin, a giant-sized hum variety]; Lowther:vg,11(22); ME94: vg/; Michigan1879: good, 5.7.9; Ont1892: 2/8/7/8; PA1889: A9; PA1910: (N) Meets a good market demand on account of large size and good cooking qualities; Prince [under Cayuga Redstreak]; Ragan: g-vg; Scott: 2; Waugh: fair; Wilkinson: g to vg/* Special: There is some mystery about this apple's origin. Although A. J. Dowling, an important pomologist of the 19th Century, indicated it came from Connecticut, S. A. Beach, in Apples of New York, indicates Dowling was wrong. Instead he indicated that it came from Cayuga Country, NY, but was introduced in 1843 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Fedcos John Bunker is even more specific. He writes that "this all purpose variety was first exhibited by George Howland of New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1843 at the Mass Horticultural Society. Howland found the original seedling on his farm in Cayuga County, New York and brought it with him to Massachusetts." George Howland was the wealthy Quaker owner of a whaling fleet. It is not certain that he ever visited Cayuga County. In a way, however, he did own a farm there. He sent several of his sons with funding to the Finger Lakes to expand his business enterprise beyond whaling. Two sons started a huge milling operation in Union Springs. Another of his sons, Augustus, purchased an established farm in Sherwood in Cayuga County, a few miles from Aurora. It must be noted that Aurora is another early name for the apple. Either George visited the farm and brought back apples or his son delivered apples to his father. Ive found one even earlier documentation of the apple. William R. Prince & Co., the first commercial orchard in North America, included Cayuga Redstreak in its Annual Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees of 1841. Perhaps what Howling did in 1843 was introduce the variety under the name Twenty Ounce. How William Prince would have received the apples is unclear. Ive found nothing to indicate whether Augustus was an investor in the farm or did farming himself. Later on he was a banker. If a huge new apple variety was discovered on farm either by him or someone else, he must have recognized its possibilities for commercial success and let his father know. The farm is still in operation as the Howland Farm Museum. One of two apple varieties in our orchard that orginated in Aurora, NY, only a few miles from our orchard, except that there is a Finger Lake inbetween. The other is Late Strawberry.
Bella de Jardins (Belle des Jardins, Country Belle) (Paris, France or Spain) early 1800s GRIN	large flatter shape, prominent ribbing rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: orange-red stripes and mottling over yellow, thin Flesh: creamy yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, cider T3 Fireblight: 5 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual, prolific bearer. Fruit: very slow browning flesh. Faults: Fruit: does not keep well; softens in storage Ratings: HSL3: 2; Leroy: 2/1. Special: There may be more than one variety with this name or a variation of it.
LATE SEPTEMBER
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Golden Harvey (Brandytree) (unknown) England early 1600s NFC GRIN	small to medium round or flatter shape intense, extreme sweet-tart combination that doesn't fit well on the sweet-tart scale, complex	Skin: yellow over yellow green; covered my much russeting, thick, somewhat rough Flesh: creamy yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, cider T3, upright spreading Fireblight: 4 Scab: PM: CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: early bearer; fruit hangs well. Fruit: non-browning flesh; does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: Fruit: shrivels quickly Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit grows in clusters. Fruit: russet quality Ratings: Downing: not rated, but called an excellent, high-flavored little dessert apple; Barron: small, but first-rate; Bunyon: one of the good old sorts which have been neglected; Englebrecht; [very pleasant spiced with just enough sweetness]; Gardener's: excellent table (R24); Hogg1: one of the richest and most excellent dessert apples, also one of the best for cider; Herefordshire: "in a favourable season is perhaps the most delicious of all dessert apples"; Hogg2: first rate dessert, highly valued for strong cider; HSL: one of the richest; Jacobsen: "it's ripe for rediscovery"; Loudon:1; Ragan: good; Royal: small, but first rate; S-L: de toute premiere qualitie; Warder: highly flavored [then quotes Downing] Special: Now primarily for cider & apple brandy due to its high sugar content, in Victorian England it was a popular fresh eating apple.
Jonagold (was NY 43013-1) (Jonathan x Golden Delicious) Geneva, NY raised in 1943, introduced by the New York Sate Agricultural Experiment Station in 1968 NFC GRIN	large round, slight ribbing rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow with red stripes; red may or may not be prominent; occasionally russeting near stem; tender Flesh: yellowish-white Crispness: 4 Juiciness; 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, upright spreading Fireblight: 5 Scab: ?? PM: 4 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; little pre-harvest drop. Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); susceptible to winter injury. Fruit: soft texture in some climates. Ratings: AA: [no stars]; Brooklyn; Browning; Bunker: "very pleasant and refreshing"; Burford; Jacobsen: "it has never achieved the popularity it deserves in its native land"; Manhart: vg/b; Royal: AM, AGM-D; Seattle24; Traverso: F-S; Vorbeck: Sweet6; Way; Yepsen:"excellent". Special: Finished first among The World's Best Commercial Dessert Apples, in a poll of 19 apple experts in 1989. Coming to prominence in Europe before North America, it has become a new standard for fresh eating.
Red Canada (Canada Red, Steele's Winter Red, Old Nonsuch, Welch's Spitzenberg) (parentage unknown) Connecticut or Massachusetts, early 1800s GRIN USDA	small to medium to large classic shape rich, bright, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: dark red striping over yellow with a deep red blush, prominently dotted, occasionally russeting near stem; smooth, tough Flesh: greenish white Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 2 Scab: 3 PM: 5 CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: annual. Fruit: highly aromatic; excellent keeper (best keeper for us); at its best, rivals the best for top honors in flavor Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing Merit or fault?: Tree: varies much in different seasons and in different localities -- although listed as very productive in some sources, listed as shy or not reliable in others. Fruit: can range from "one of the best apples of its season" to "decidedly inferior." -- Beach Ratings: Downing: vg-b (best winter); Bull97: 8-9; Bull09:vg; Beach: g to b; Hedrick: dkM (worthy of more extensive planting); Hedrick13: good-best,, excellent; AA: ; APS1911: DM; Bailey: MW; Barry: Top20, (G), "one of the best"/"superior", Unimpeachable; WG; Cole: fair to excellent; Elliott: one of the most valuable; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(DM); FB1001; Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Hayes; Hooper: 1; Keil: listed among top varieties for pies & jelly; ME94: b; Lowther: best,7(15); Michigan1879: best, 7.8.10; Michigan1890: vg, 8.5.10; Michigan1904: one of the very best long-keeping, red, winterm, dessert varieties; Milam: pie:good/sauce:fair; Ont1892: 6/6/7/8; Powell: * "a very superior fruit"; Ragan: vg; Royal: 1888: In Top30 dessert, first quality; S-L: a l'etude; de toute premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Thomas: (rich, high, excellent flavor); Warder: best; Woolverton: good, commercial value - second class. Special: The only connection of the variety to Canada I've found is speculation from Beach that it "appears to have been brought into Western New York from the vicinity of Toronto."
Rubinette (Rafzubin) (Golden Delicious x Cox's Orange Pippin) Switzerland developed in the 1960s, introduced 1976 NFC	small to medium, small especially when young roundish but tapering intense, robust, sprightly, sweet/sharp taste that doesn't fit well on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: orange and dull red streaks over greenish yellow Flesh: cream Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary T2, spreading Fireblight: Scab: ?? PM: 2 CAR:	Merits: Tree: hardy; annual; heavy cropper; adaptable to a wide range of climates. Fruit: aromatic. Faults: Tree: slow to establish its characteristic flavor; requires thinning for larger sized fruit. Fruit: dull color. Merit or fault?: Tree: spur bearer. Ratings: AA: ; Seattle24; Smith: 8/10 Special*: Hyped by some as "the best-tasting apple in the world."
Grimes Golden (Reinette Franche determined to be one parent) WV before 1800 NFC GRIN USDA+	small to medium classic shape, slightly ribbed intense, complex, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow, russeting around stem; tough, moderately rough Flesh: pale cream tinged with orange Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, cider-blending T2, spreading, dense Fireblight: ?? Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: ??	Merits: Tree: annual; self-pollinating; good pollinator; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing. Fruit: very slow browning flesh; does not bruise easily; beautful rich golden color; highly aromatic Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely; fruit not uniform in size; susceptible to scald; subject to collar rot. Fruit: very susceptable to bruise marks; doesn't keep long before going soft. Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 7-9; Bull99: 9-10; Bull09: vgb*; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: _ [ in Hudson Valley region] dkHM (beautiful and of high quality but not adapted to latitude of New York); Hedrick1914: vg-B/; Hedrick13: vg-best, beautiful and of high quality, not always reliable; Alwood: "well known as the standard of quality"; APS1911: vg, D; Bailey: MW; Barron: sweet; Barry: /"rich,spicy,"; BC: vg; Brooklyn; Bunker: "one of our favorite apples here on the farm"; FB: HR(D); Folger: $H^ (6 regions); Hansen: best; Heavy: "sweet and spicy...evocative of nutmeg and white pepper...sharp bite...touch of numbing astringency;" Lowther: vg,3(25); Manhart: vg/b; ME94: vg/; Michigan1879: vg, 978; Michigan1904: one of the most satisfactory winter varieties; Milam: pie:excellent/sauce:vg; Ont1892: 9/2/6/7; PA1889: W14; PA1910: (S&N)* Unexcelled in quality and of good appearance; Pomologie: ***; Powell: "a great acquisition," one of the must 20; Ragan: vg-b; Richmond: F; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Salt; Thomas: (agreeable, very good flavor); Traverso: F-S; UIll: one of the best; Warder: very best; Waugh: best; Wilkinson: vg-best/; Woolverton: dessert best, cooking poor, commercial value - second class; Yepsen: "some experienced growers name it as their favorite dessert apple". Special: Called "perfect apple when considered from the consumers' standpoint" in "Varieties of Apples in Ohio," 1915. One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Hubbardston Nonesuch (parentage unknown) Mass. before 1830 NFC GRIN USDA+	large flatter shape sprightly, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: bright red, orangy red, & maroon over yellow, dotted, some russet; rough, thick Flesh: pale cream Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, cider T2, upright-spreading, dense Fireblight: ?? Scab: 1 PM: 5 CAR: ??	Merits: Tree: bears early; annual; relatively immune to apple scab. Fruit: prized for fresh eating & cider; natural gloss gives handsome appearance; non-browning flesh; very juicy; good keeper. Faults: Tree: thinning required for good sized fruit & to prevent biennial bearing; susceptible to winter injury; subject to collar rot; may drop fruit prematurely Fruit: skin can become greasy; loses flavor in storage. Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 8-9; Bull09: vg; Beach: vg to best; Hedrick: dkM (fruit handsome and of highest quality); Hedrick1914: vg-b/; NY1916: 7; Hedrick13: vg-best, *, fruit handsome and good; AA: ; Allen; APS1911: vg, *:DM; Bailey: MW & HUW; Baker: , MA (Top6), NJ (Top12), RI (Top12), MI; Barry: (W), "fine"/"popular and valuable" W; BC: nr; Bridgeman: excellent flavor, worthy of extensive cultivation; Buffalo; Burford; CG: 37\|20\|20\|77; Cole: excellent; Dickerman: NE, NY; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(DM); Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Hansen: vg; Jacobsen: "the primeval ideal from which Red Delicious fell'; Kenrick: (most superior); Leroy: 2; Lowther: vg,18(30); Manning: The character of this apple is very high; ME94: vg/; Michigan1879: best, 9.5.9; Michigan1890: best, 10.5.9; Michigan1904: a standard; Ont1892: 7/8/8/8; PA1889: W16; PA1910: (S&N) Good in quality and appearance; Pomologie: **; Powell: "noble," one of the must 6; Prince; Ragan: vg; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Smith: very nice...lots of sweet/sour/aroma; Thomas: *(very rich, excellent); UIll: vg; Walker: #14; Warder: vg; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: vg, commercial value - first class; Yepsen: "has a great deal of personality".
Peter Broich \| Kaiser Wilhelm (thought to be Harbert's Reinette open pollinated) Germany circa 1830 NFC GRIN	large classic shape vinous, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: predominantly red and dark red over yellow; moderately thick skinned Flesh: cream Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 5	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright Fireblight: 5 Scab: ?? PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); early bearer; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: very slow browning flesh. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: dries and loses flavor in storage Merit or fault?: Tree: although the Home Orchard Society gives it only a T2 rating for vigor, an explanation given for its falling out of commercial favor in Germany is that it is too vigorous.. Ratings: Engelbrecht:[pleasantly vinous with just the right sweetness]; Leroy: 1; Pomologie:**; S-L: de bonne qualite. Special**: The story of this apple includes a case of pomological plagiarism. It was developed around 1830 near Cologne by Johann Wilhelm Schumacher and named for his friend, Peter Broich, a Rhineland pastor. Educator and orchardist Carl Hesselmann "discovered" the tree in 1864, and in 1875 he asked Kaiser Wilhelm I permission to name the variety in his honor. The kaiser thought the apple was "truly majestic" and agreed to the request. It was good marketing, and the Kaiser Wilhelm variety became popular all over Germany. Genetic testing in the late 20th century determined that the Kaiser Wilhelm apple was identical to the earlier named "Peter Broich."
Connell Red (Red Fireside) (thought to be red sport of Fireside (Wealthy x Northwest Greening; originally thought to be McIntosh x Longfield)), but may be Fireside open pollinated) Wisconsin introduced 1957 GRIN	very large to huge classic shape rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red, with waxy bloom; occasionally russeting near stem; moderately thick Flesh: white Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 2 Scab: 2 PM: 5 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); usually annual; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; fruits tolerate fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh; good keeper. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: subject to cracking; skin can become greasy. Rating: Bunker: "excellent...distinctively flavored" Special: The top pick at taste test led by Ray Reynolds of One of a Kind Orchard, held at Cooperative Extension in Ithaca, 2007. Inspired us to grow it. Pleasantly flavored most years, but in 2019, it had a bad off-flavor. Back to being an excellent apple in 2020.
Fireside (Wealthy x Northwest Greening; originally thought to be McIntosh x Longfield) Minnesota introduced 1943 GRIN [Note: the skin of GRIN's Fireside does not match that of typical Fireside]	very large classic shape mild, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red and orange stripes over yellow or greenish yellow Flesh: white, slightly greenish white Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 2 Scab: 2 PM: 5 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); usually annual; heavy cropper; fruits tolerate fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh; excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; partial tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: subject to cracking. Rating: AA: ; Bunker: "we recommend it..."; Yepsen Special*: Introduced by the University of Minnesota during the Second World War when the Fireside chats of FDR were inspiring the nation. Its flame red and orange stripes might have been an influence, as well.
Dyer (Pomme Royale; Golden Spice) (parentage unknown) Rhode Island or possibly France before 1775, named Dyer circa 1855 NFC	large to very large slightly flatter rich, spicy, spritely, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: pale yellow with greenish tinge & possible blush and russeting; thin Flesh: yellowy white Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, cider T1 Fireblight: 2 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: usually annual, precocious bearer. Fruit: highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: productiveness varies year to year. Fruit: very tender. Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks. Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 9-10*; Bull09: vgb: Beach: vg to best; Hedrick: _(one of the finest dessert apples, but not a good commercial variety); Hedrick13: vg-best, one of the finest dessert apples/1922: vg-b; APS1911: vg, *D; Baker: RI (Top20); Barron: worthless; Barry: Top20, (G), "high flavored....one of the best dessert apples"/"highly esteemed for table or market" G, Unimpeachable; Cole: included, but not rated; Elliott: worthy; Hansen:: excellent to best; Hooper: 1, excellent, admired where known; Kenrick: (excellent); Lowther: vg,9(22); ME94: best; ME08: best; Michigan, 8.8.4: best; Ont1892: 7/5/3/_; Prince; Ragan: vg-b; Royal: 1888: worthless; Scott: 1; Smith: crisp nice apple a bit on the small side...flavor is very good, [but not high, as old books say]; Thomas: (has but few equals); Walker: #12; Waugh: best; Woolverton: dessert excellent. Special: Thought to have been developed by Huguenot settlers, probably from seed brought from France. Named Dyer for the orchardist who brought it to the attention of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.
Liberty (Macoun x PRI 54-12) NY introduced by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in 1962 NFC GRIN	medium classic shape, but variable complex, spritely, but milder than its parent Macoun; 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red very dominant over yellow, slight bloom; thin Flesh: white Crispness: 3-4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, especially sauces; cider T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 2 Scab: 1 PM: 3 CAR: 1	Merits: Tree: annual; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: has milder flavor than its non-disease-resistant parents; goes mealy & mushy quickly when overripe. Ratings: AA: ; Brooklyn; Bunker: "the best of the recently developed “disease-resistant” varieties"; Burford; Manhart: vg; Pomologie: *; Seattle24; Vorbeck: Sour6; Yepsen: "first among...disease-resistant varieties". Special**: Rated by many to have the highest fruit quality of disease resistance varieties.
Macoun (McIntosh x Jersey Black) Geneva, NY introduced by the New York Sate Agricultural Experiment Station in 1923 NFC GRIN USDA+	medium classic shape intense, complex, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: dark red over greenish yellow, slight bloom, prominently dotted; thin Flesh: white Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, upright Fireblight: 2 Scab: 5 PM: 4 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: annual; late blooming protects it from late frosts; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: highly aromatic; very slow browning flesh; good for multiple purposes. Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely; has a narrow harvest window. Fruit: poor keeper. Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks. Fruit: slightly coarse flesh; optimum flavor is dependent within short harvest period. Ratings: AA: *; Brooklyn; Bunker: "an apple with a near cult following even though practically no one seems to know how to pronounce the name"; Burford; Jacobsen: "This is the Sprite of apples'; Manhart: vg; Pomologie: *; Seattle24; Traverso: T-T; Way; Yepsen: "a flavor that many prefer to Mac". Special**: Has developed a cult following in the northeast. Pronounce the name as you like -- I've heard it both Mac-Cowan and Mac-Coon by authorities with Cornell-Geneva connections (where it was developed), but ma coon' is supposed to be correct, based on the way the pomologist after whom it was named pronounced his own name.
Kestrel (Red Spy x Macoun) Nova Scotia 1950, introduced 1975 GRIN	medium classic shape sprightly, rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale; distinctive, with flavor reminiscent of Macoun	dark red over greenish yellow, slight bloom, prominently dotted; moderately thick skinned cream crisp fine-grained Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright, spreading Fireblight: 5 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: precocious bearer; late blooming protects it from late frosts; annual if thinned; holds fruit well. Fruit: slow-browning flesh; handsome appearance; very juicy; highly aromatic; better keeper than most varieties in Fameuse family (including McIntosh and Macoun). Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely. Ratings: GRIN: vg-best; Salt: "looks good, tastes great and keeps well...similar-but-different to Macoun & Empire"
Paroquet (Paraquet) (Peasgood's Nonsuch x Cox's Orange Pippin) Berkshire, England introduced 1897 NFC GRIN	medium classic shape sprightly, 3 on the sweet-tart scale; hint of raspberry	Skin: bright red predominately over yellow; thin Flesh: cream Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T1, spreading Fireblight: 1 Scab: CAR:	Merits: : Tree: precocious bearer; heavy cropper; fruits hold well to tree. Fruit: non-browning fruit. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate) Ratings: Bunyard: attractive, but flavor not good enough [as grown in his garden]; Royal: AM Special: In England, the apple is pronounced "paraket" or "parakeet." One of our favorites when we sampled apples during our visit the GRIN orchard in Geneva, NY.
Keepsake (Frostbite X Northern Spy) Minn. 1936, released 1979 GRIN	medium irregularly shaped sprightly, complex, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red stripes over yellow; slight bloom, occasionally russeting near stem; thick Flesh: creamy yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 1 Scab: 2 PM: CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); annual; toleratant of fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: non-browning flesh; excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: slow to bear; somewhat of a shy bearer. Fruit: often not pretty; Merit or fault?: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage. Ratings: A21: g/vg; BBG; Bunker: "excellent aromaLATtic flavor"; Burford; Jacobsen: "great apple all around, though little known"; Salt; Yepsen. Special: Has a reputation for producing ugly fruit its first couple seasons. That was true for us.
King of Tompkins County (King, Tompkins King) (parentage unknown) NY (from seed brought from NJ) before 1800 NFC GRIN USDA+ NOTE: Occasionally part of the name is spelled Thompkins. I can assure you, as a one-time resident of Tompkins Country, the Thompkins spelling is wrong.	large to very large classic shape, slightly ribbed rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow orange red, with bloom; smooth, moderately thick Flesh: yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating; culinary, especially baking; cider T3, spreading, open Fireblight: 4 Scab: 1 PM: 5 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: annual; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); partial tip bearer (pruning challenge); may drop fruit prematurely; wood can be brittle; subject to collar rot. Fruit: waxy skin becomes greasy in storage. Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core; should be picked earlier for culinary use, but later for fresh eating.. Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 8-9; Bull09: vg; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: dkM; Hedrick1914: vg-b/; NY1916: 4; Hedrick13: vg-best, , were the tree hardier, healthier, and more productive, it would be commonly grown; AA: [no stars]; APS1911: vg, DM; Bailey: MW; Baker: *, NY (Top12), IL; Barron: first quality; Barry: (W), "beautiful"/"rich, vinous" W; Bunker: "has an excellent balanced flavor - not overly weird or spicy, just nice on the taste buds"; Bunyard: of excellent flavour, very delicious when well grown; Burford; CG: 42\|18\|23\|83; Dickerman: NY; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(DM); FB1001; Folger: $H↓ (0 regions); Gardener's: a favourite (DC24)(HC); Goodman: dessert; Hansen: vg/b; Hayes; Keil: listed among top varieties for sauce & jelly. Lear: 8; Lowther: vg,12(21); Lewelling; ME94: vg/; Michigan1879: vg, 7.6.6; Michigan1890: vg, 7.6.7; Milam: pie:good/ sauce:excellent; Ont1892: 8/10/10/10; PA1889: W5; PA1910: (N) high-quality. good appearance. and often brings highest prices; Powell: "at its best, it is well named," "superb [in its local area]"; Ragan: vg-b; Royal: 1888: first quality, AM; S-L: d'une riche et delicieuse saveur veneuse extremement agreable de toute premiere qualitie; Salt; Scott: 1; Seattle24; Thomas: * (rich, high flavor); Warder: vg; Waugh: vg; Way; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert vg, cooking vg, commercial value - first class; Yepsen: "aromatic, rich-tasting". Special: Once fourth leading apple variety grown in New York State. My Dad's favorite apple from his youth. First grown in Jacksonville, a village 12 minutes' drive from our orchard. One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania and a favorite of my father's.
Loyalist (T-416) (Linda x Yellow Newtown) Smithfield Experimental Farm, Ontario named 1979 GRIN	medium to large classic shape complex, bright, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red over light greenish yellow; moderately thick Flesh: greenish white Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, cider T2 Fireblight: 3 Scab: 2 PM: 3 CAR:	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper. Fruit: aromatic; excellent juice color makes it especially desirable for cider; excellent keeper [stores exceptionally well without losing quality]. Ratings: n/a Special: One of our favorites when we sampled apples during our visit the GRIN orchard in Geneva, NY.
Redfield (Wolf River x Niedzwetzskayana Red Crab) NY 1938 GRIN	medium classic shape rich, tart, moderately astringent, 5 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: solid red that can range from dark pink to purply red; waxy looking skin Flesh: white & red tender moderately fine-grained Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 2	Culinary, especially baking; cider-blending T1, spreading, dense Fireblight: 3 Scab: 1 PM: CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: very hardy (ironclad, to z2 or 3); bronze leaves and red blossoms qualify it as an ornamental; although blossoms come early, they seem to be more frost resistant than other early bloomers. Fruit: red juice, excellent for colorful cider blending; makes good tasting, eye catching pies. Faults: Fruit: quickly browning flesh; amont of red in flesh inconsistent from season to season. Merit or fault?: not recommended for fresh eating Rating: Burford; Jacobsen: "its particular wizardry involves creating goereous, dry, and aromatic blush ciders." Special: The pinkest apple seed I've ever seen was from an underripe Redfield.
Rambo (Winter Rambo, Delaware, Bread and Cheese, Seek No Further of Pennsylvania) (parentage unknown) Delaware or Pa. before 1700, possibly before 1650 USDA+ Note: We have trees that were sold as Winter Rambo as well as trees grown from scionwood labeled Rambo.	medium to very large distinctively flatter shape rich, complex, distinctive, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: pale greenish yellow mottled & streaked with dull red; thin but tough Flesh: yellow Crispness: 3-4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider, jelly T2, upright-spreading, open Fireblight: 4 Scab: PM: 5 CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: bears fruits uniform in shape and size; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: praised for its wonderful, distinctive aroma; does not bruise easily; long keeping for a fall apple. Faults: Tree: biennial; of questionable hardiness in northern climate; may drop fruit prematurely; brittle wood. Fruits: variable skin coloring; red does not always develop well Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core. Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull97: 5-6; Bull99: 7-8; Bull09: vg; Beach: g/vg, particularly desirable for dessert; Hedrick: _dH (Tender tree; productive to a fault; excellent quality.); Hedrick13: vg, tender tree, productive to a fault, excellent quality; Allen; APS1911: vg, DK; Baker: , NJ (Top20), PA (Top20), KY (Top6), OH, IL; Barry: "popular over a greater extent of country than any other variety"/"old, highly and widely esteemed" L, Unimpeachable; BC: nr; Bridgeman: much cultivated, spritely; Buffalo; Burford; Cole: one of the finest; Dickerman: NE; Elliott: has no superior; FB113: NE&; FB208: R(DM); Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Gould: a Pa. standby with much to recommend it; Hansen: vg; Hayes; ; Hogg1: esteemed in its native country; Hooper: 1; HSL1: 2: Keil: listed among top varieties for sauce, baking & jelly; Kenrick: no (much admired); Lear: 10; Lewelling; Lowther: vg,6(27); Manning: tender and good; Michigan1879: vg, 7.5.4; Milam: pie:excellent/ sauce:excellent; Ont1892: 5/1/2/5; PA1889: A4; Prince; Ragan: vg; Scott: 1; Thomas: (fine flavor, often excellent); UIll: vg; Warder: vg; Waugh: good; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert vg, cooking good, commercial value - third class. Special: First grown by the Rambo family of New Sweden. If grown from seed brought over from Sweden in 1630, could rival the Roxbury Russet for the title "oldest American" variety; favorite apple of Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley, who wrote an ode to the Rambo and mentioned it by name in four other poems. In Varieties of Apples in Ohio* (1915), "little old-fashioned Rambo" was said to have been "found in almost every old orchard in Ohio." Professor Kirtland of Cleveland in the Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste (1848) called it "the unversal apple of the German people of Ohio"; Falsely claimed to be favorite apple of Johnny Appleseed; John Chapman, for religious reasons, shunned all grafted varieties.
Smokehouse (possibly Rambo or Vandevere open pollinated) Pa. 1837 GRIN USDA+	large somewhat flatter shape mild with rich overtones, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: dull red, yellow, dotted; tough, thin Flesh: yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, wide spreading, dense Fireblight: 4 Scab: 4 PM: 5 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: annual; precocious bearer; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; holds fruit well. Fruit: very slow browning flesh; does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; prized as a multi-purpose apple; prized a cider base. Faults: Tree: early blooming subjects. Fruit: variable skin coloring; red does not always develop well; flavor described as too mild in some taste tests; can go mealy. Merit or fault?: Tree: crooked growth and dense head provide extra pruning challenge. Ratings: Downing: good; Bull97: 5-6*; Bull99: 6-7/; Bull09: g; Beach: good; Hedrick: _dkH (cultivation is not being extended in New York); Hedrick13: good, its cultivation is not being extended in NY; AA: : APS1911: g; Baker: , PA (Top6); Barry: "a fine apple"/"esteemed where known"; Brooklyn; BC: good;Burford; FB113: NE; FB208: R(K); FB1001; Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Gould: none better in its season; Hansen: good; Hooper: 2 to 1; Jacobsen: "Keep your eyes peeled...[for] a Smokehouse moment"; Leroy: 1; Lowther: good, 1(15); Michigan1879: g, 5.7.8; Ont1892: 3/6/4/6; PA1889: A3; PA1910: (S&N)** Of high quality, but color is usually dull and therefore needs to be known in order to sell well; Powell: "quality rich and juicy"; Prince; Ragan: g; Richmond: FM; S-L: a cuire; estimee en Pennsylvania; Scott: 1; Smith: nice refreshing taste; Thomas: (fine sub-acid); Warder: good?; Waugh: fair Special: Winner of the 2014 Sage Hen Farm Apple Taste Test.
Wayne (Uncle Wayne, Mad Anthony) (Northwest Greening x Red Spy ) Geneva, NY introduced 1962 GRIN	very large flat-round spritely rich; 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red over green Flesh: cream Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, upright Fireblight: 4 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual; very hardy; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: highly aromatic; excellent keeper; hangs well on tree for long time. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing. Merit or fault?: Tree: holds its leaves unusually late in the fall. Ratings: n/a Special: A variety released by Cornell that failed to achieve success commercially. Roger Way defended it, saying that despite some problems in growing Wayne, it nevertheless has outstanding potential. Not thinking Wayne a catchy name for an apple, I added a couple of alternatives.
EARLY OCTOBER
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Pitmaston Pine Apple (likely an English Golden Pippin open pollinated) UK before 1785 NFC GRIN	small elongated & tapered honeyed, sprightly, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: golden, russeted; rough, thick Flesh: yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, cider T2, upright Fireblight: 5 Scab: 1 PM: 5 CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: very juicy; highly aromatic; prized for rich, sweet flavoring in cider. Faults: Tree: shy to moderate cropper. Fruit: goes mealy quickly Merit or fault?: Tree: naturally small. Fruit: russet qualities; small; subject to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but lead to decay at core]. Ratings: Downing: [mentioned but not rated]; AA: [no stars]; Barron: first quality; Bunyard: "neglected on account of their small size, but its distinct flavour should give it a place in the gardens of connoisseurs"; BC: nr; Burford; Herefordshire: "of great excellence"; Hogg2: distinct flavor: Jacobsen: "It makes my Top Five"; Ragan: [described but not rated; Royal: 1888: first quality; Smith: "great tasting...if it were bigger, everyone would be growing it";S-L: de toute premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Y. Special*: The variety originated around 1785, on the estate of Baron Thomas Foley cultivated by his steward, Mr White. Lord Foley is unlikely to have had any association with the apple at all, since he was known for his debauchery, extravagance, and gambling. Ironically He was nicknamed "Lord Balloon because of his enormous size, while the apple is quite small.
Calmoutier (Schlabach) (has identical DNA of Golden Delicious, but differences between the two suggest it is a sport) Ohio after 1915	medium classic shape intense, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow; tough, thick Flesh: pale cream Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, cider-blending T2, spreading, dense Fireblight: Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual; self-pollinating; good pollinator. Fruit: non-browing flesh; beautful rich golden color; highly aromatic Faults: Fruit: susceptable to bruise marks; doesn't keep long before going soft. Special: Discovered on the Schlabach farm near the town of Calmoutier, in Holmes County, Ohio. Calmoutier is pronounced Calmoosh. Photo by Mary Jean Walser.
Tolman Sweet (Tallman Sweeting, Talman) (possibly Sweet Greening x unknown russet) Mass., R.I., or NY before 1820 GRIN USDA+	medium classic shape vinous, 1 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: pale yellow, with distinct brown line from top to bottom, occasionally russetting at both ends; tough Flesh: yellowish white Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, spreading-drooping, open Fireblight: 5 Scab: 2 PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: Hardy [nearly ironclad]; precocious bearer; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: one of the few sweet apples prized for both fresh eating and baking. Faults: Fruit: quickly browning flesh; varies in keeping quality. Merit or fault?: Tree: naturally small. Fruit: moderately dry flesh. Ratings: Downing: scarcely second-rate (rich, sweet flavor); Bull97: 6-7; Bull09: vg; Beach: g to vg; Hedrick: * [ in northern NY]dkH (hardy, vigourous, reliable. Varies in keeping qualities.); Hedrick1914: g-vg/; NY1916: l/sp; Hedrick13: good-vg, ; AA: ; Allen; Alwood: "quality is rich, sweet...excellent for culinary"; APS1911: vg, KM; Bailey: MW; Baker: , NY (Top6), MA (Top12), RI (Top20), CT (Top6), OH, MI; Barry: (W), "rich and very sweet"/"highly valued" W; BC: good; Dickerman: NE, NY; FB113: &: FB208: HR(KM); FB1001; Folger: H↓ (0 regions); Hansen: vg [for a sweet apple]; Hayes; Hooper: 1: Jacobsen:in the right setting, it can be the most wonderful apple in the world"; Keil: listed among top varieties for baking; Lowther: vg,19(32); Manning: An excellent table or baking apple; ME94: vg/-_; Michigan1879: g, 4.7.6; Michigan1890: vg, 6.8.6; Michigan1904: well known; Milam: pie:poor/sauce:poor; Ont1892: 2/7/5/6; PA1889: W21; PA1889: W21; Powell: "market generally glutted"; Prince [in list of inferior kinds]; Ragan: g; S-L: a l'etude; de toute premiere qualitie pour cuire; Thomas: (rich, very sweet): Walker: #9; Warder: good; Waugh: fair; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert good, cooking fair, commercial value - second class, except in special markets. Special: although mamy accounts claim Dorchester, Massacusetts, or Rhode Island as the place of origin (before 1800), New York State has two claims, as well. Jon Tallman places the origin to his ancestor Darius Tallman, who developed it around 1820 in his orchard near the Erie Canal in Perinton, NY, near Rochester. C. S. Wilson, in his 1905 thesis about apples of New York State, writes that Thomas Tallman, who owned land near Geneva, NY, in about 1800 grew the Tallman Sweet after planting seeds found in an old Indian orchard that survived the destruction of General Sullivan during his raid through the Finger Lakes in the Revolutionary War. Note: Indians planted orchards using European apple varieties, so presence of the Tolman in Seneca orchards may only indicate its early spread from New England.
American Beauty (Sterling, Sterling Beauty) (parentage unknown) Sterling, Massachusetts before 1855 NFC USDA+	large roundish, but tapering, some ribbing mild, but complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	predominantly red and dark red over yellow, numerous dots tough skinned creamy yellow tender to firm coarse-grained Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, upright Fireblight: 4 Scab: PM: 5 CAR: 4	Merits: Tree: early bearer; very productive, annual; fruit hangs well. Fruit: very aromatic Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: does not keep as well as other varieties of its season. Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull97:8-9; Bull99: 7-8/; Beach: not now grown in NYS; NY1907: vg; Hedrick: g-vg;AA: ; APS1911: vg, M; Burford*; Elliot: vg; FB208:R(D); Hansen: vg; Ragan: vg; Scott: 1, rich and mild; Thomas: good; Warder: good; Waugh: good.
Hudson's Golden Gem (possibly Golden Delicious x unknown russet) Oregon discovered 1930 GRIN	large elongated & tapered intense, complex, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: fully russeted gold over green; thick rough Flesh: pale yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, cider-blending T3, upright-spreading Fireblight: 1 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: annual. Fruit: does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; highly aromatic; hangs well on tree for long time. Faults: Fruit: splits when tree is young. Merit or fault?: Tree: reports differ from heavy cropper to shy bearer. Fruit: russet qualities. Ratings: AA: *; Brooklyn; Bunker: "a truly fine dessert fruit of unique appearance and exceptional flavor."; Burford; Jacobsen: "Really, this is one of the greats"; Phillips: "Pear-like qualities: rich, nutty, cloyingly sweet with an unusual crunchy texture"; Smith: fantastic taste but LOTS of problems; Traverso: T-S; Yepsen: "something only an apple lover could associate with a gem".
Esopus Spitzenberg (either name singly or more simply Spitz) (parentage unknown) NY before 1790 NFC GRIN USDA+	med-large blocky, slightly ribbed intense, complex, distinctive; 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: dark red stripes over red, dominant over some yellow, prominently dotted, slight bloom; tough Flesh: deep cream Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright, open Fireblight: ?? Scab: ?? PM: 5 CAR: 4	Merits: Tree: bears fruit of uniform size; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: unexcelled in rich, spicy, exceedingly high flavor; called equally good for dessert or cooking; attractive in shape & color; does not bruise easily; non-browning flesh Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; biennial; shy bearer; may drop fruit prematurely; quality quite variable due to soil and climate. Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens unevenly. Fruit: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage; distinctive flavor; subject to sweet water core. Ratings: Downing: best (unsurpassed); Bull97: 10; Bull99: 10; Bull09: vgb; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: [ in some other regions] dkHM (lacks vigor, uncertain productiveness, standard in quality, adapted to some localities); Hedrick1914: vg-b/; Hedrick13: vg-best, , lacks vigor, unproductive, best quality, adapted to some localities; AA: ; Allen; APS1911: D; Bailey: HUW; Baker: , NJ (Top12), CT, OH; CG: 48/24/23/96; CT (12), OH, MI; Barron: second quality; Barry: Top20, (W), (G), "one of the very best"/"one of the very best for dessert" WG, Unimpeachable; BC: vg; Bridgeman: beautiful, of the finest flavor; Brooklyn; Browning; Buffalo; Bunker: "for over than two hundred years ...mentioned in nearly every list of best apples"; Burford; Dickerman: NY; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(D); Folger: $H↓ (0 regions); Goodman: richly flavored; HSL1: 2; HSL3: 1; Hansen: best; Hayes; Hooper: 1 to 2; Jacobsen: "The new darling of home orchardists and cidermakers"; Kenrick: (excellent); Leroy: 2; Lewelling; Lowther: best,8(17); Manhart: vg/b; ME94: best/; Michigan1879: best, 8.10.4 Milam: sauce:good; Ont1892: 9\|7\|9\|10; PA1910: (N) Of excellent quality and good reputation; Phillips: "Sweet and nutty, with spicy aromatic flavors more commonly associated with European apples, backed by a lively acidity"; Pomologie: **; Powell: "most highly esteemed," one of the must 6; Prince; Ragan: b; Royal: 1888: second quality; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1, truly delicious, unsurpassed; Seattle24; Thomas: (nearly unequaled); Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour7; Walker: #24; Warder: best; Waugh: best; Way; Wilkinson: vg-best; Woolverton: first class for all purposes; Yepsen: "venerable". Special*: planted by T. Jefferson, Washington Irving & G. Washington. Rather than being Thomas Jefferson's favorite apple, as is often claimed, this may be the one that frustrated him the most – he planting so many of them in part because they lacked vigor and productivity. Albemarle Pippins (as he called Newtowns) made much more money for him in the export trade, and he planted the orchard for profit. Once among top ten leading apple varieties grown in New York State.
Blenheim Orange (Blenheim Pippin, Woodstock) (parentage unknown) Oxfordshire, England before 1740 NFC USDA+;	large to very large flattish, slightly ribbed sprightly, rich, mellows to nutty, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow blushed and streaked orange red with russet; moderately thick Flesh: creamy yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, upright, spreadingg Fireblight: 4 Scab: 5 PM: ?? CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; fruit hangs well; resistant to scab. Fruit: very aromatic; non-browning flesh; one of the more flavorful large apples. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; shy bearer for the first few years; triploid (does not pollinate) erractic, but mostly biennial; partial tip bearer (pruning challenge); may drop fruit prematurely. Merit or fault?: Tree: grows very strong when young at the expense of bearing fruit Ratings: Hedrick13 g-vg; APS1911: vg; Barron: "good and handsome," only variety included in the top five apples for both Dessert and Culinary; BC: vg; Bridgemen: very superior; Bunyard: one of the best all round apples grown; Engelbrecht: [a light tartness but not much less sweet]; Gardener's: excellent quality, highly valued (DC12)(L); Goodman: culinary and dessert; Hansen: good; Herefordshire: "very valuable and highly esteemed, either for dessert or culinary purposes, but strictly speaking more suitable for the kitchen than the parlour"; Hogg1: very valuable and highly esteemed; Hogg2: first rate dessert and excellent for kitchen; Hooper: 2 to 3; HSL: 1; Jacobsen: "famed... for both kitchen and out of hand eating"; Kendrick: extremely highly flavored; KOB: Around 1900 already classified as a lover; Leroy: 1; Lowther: vg,7(8); Ont1892: 6/7/9/10; Pomologie: ***.; Ragan: vg; RHS: AGM-C/D; S-L: de premiere qualitie pour la table et pour cuire; Scott: 1; Smith: "my favorite cooking apple...excellent as an eating apple"; Warder: good: Waugh: poor; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert good, cooking vg, commercial value - first class; Special**: traditionally used for Apple Charlotte in England; first grown near Blenheim Palace, home for more than 300 years of the Churchill family (including Winston). Possibly one parent of Cox Orange Pippin.
Peck's Pleasant (Peck Pleasant, Waltz Apple) (parentage unknown, possibly Newtown Pippin or, possibly, Rhode Island Greening open pollinated) Massachusetts, discovered; Rhode Island, introduced before 1800 NFC GRIN USDA+	above medium to large irregular, apples from the same tree can be flattish, round, and conical sprightly, distinctive, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: greenish until ripe, then bright yellow, with orange-red blush, numerous dots; russeting around stem; thick, tough Flesh: yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright Fireblight: 1 Scab: PM: CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: annual; fruits hang on trees for long time; late blooming protects it from late frosts; resistant to cedar-apple rust. Fruit: does not bruise easily; highly aromatic; excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); shy bearer; has reputation for being a short-lived tree; susceptible to scab, mildew. Fruit: not pretty, by today's standards; very quickly browning flesh. Merit or Fault?: Fruit: flavor best after aged in storage [some advise do not eat before December or January]. Ratings: Downing: vg or best (first rate in all respects); Bull97: 7-8; Bull99:8-9; Bull09: vgb; Beach: vg-best; Hedrick: vg-b; Hedrick1914: b/; Hedrick20:vg-best (still one of the standards to gauge choicely good apples); Allen; APS1911: vg, *DKM; Bailey: MW; Barron: first quality; Barry: "approaching the flavor of a Newtown Pippin"/"very valuable"; BC: vg; Bridgeman: delicious high aromatic flavor; Cole: first rate quality [but here it is defective]; Elliott: [described, but not rated]; Hansen: vg or best; Hayes; Hooper: 1 (deserves more attention); Kenrick: no(one of the most saleable, excellent); Lowther: vg,11(25); ME94: vg/; Michigan1879: vg, 8.7.7; Michigan1890: vg, 9.8.9; Ont1892: 7/7/6/8; PA1889: W23; Ragan: vg-b; Scott: 1; Thomas: ; Walker: #24; Warder: "of first quality in the North"; Waugh: good; Yepsen: "called the classic American apple". Special: Most sites indicate that the variety originated in Rhode Island, but that is only partially true. The Peck family's own origin story is that it was first grown by Solomon Peck, likely in the 1790s, while he was living in Sutton, Massachusetts. No word on whether he discovered it or grew it from seed. Scionwood from the tree was brought to Rhode Island in 1798 by Solomon's son Benjamin. He built a house on 865 North Main Street, Providence, RI, and established an orchard there. Under the name Peck's Pleasant, perhaps for the first time, the variety became very popular locally. This gave rise to the opinion that the Peck's Pleasant originated in that state. Within a generation it spread to much of New England, and, after that, further west. It was once widely grown in New York State, but by the twentieth century it had fallen out of favor, especially commercially. How it got the name Waltz Aplle I have not been able to determine.
Pound Sweet (Pumpkin Sweet) (parentage unknown) Connecticut before 1835 NFC GRIN UDSA+	very large classic shape or flatter, ribbed, often irregular or lop-sided peculiar, moderately dry 1 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow, with greenish yellow marbling, occasional brownish blush; thin but tough Flesh: yellowish white Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Culinary, cider T3, upright-spreading Fireblight: 1 Scab: 2 PM: ?? CAR: 4	Merits: Tree: Hardy; annual; precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: one of the few sweet apples prized for both fresh eating and baking. Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: quickly browning flesh; varies in keeping quality. Merit or fault?: Fruit: moderately dry flesh; its sweet flavor is different that that of modern sweet apples; subject to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but leads to decay at core]. Ratings: Downing: good (very valuable for baking and stock feeding); Bull97: 5-6; Bull09: vg; Beach: g to vg; Hedrick: [ in northern NY]dkH (hardy, vigourous, reliable. Varies in keeping qualities.); Hedrick1914: g-vg/; NY1916: l/sp; Hedrick13: good, *; AA: [no stars]; APS1911: g; Baker: ; Barry: /"valuable"; Bridgman: "excellent for baking"; Bunker: "they need no sugar and get sweeter as they cook"; Burford; Cole: very rich and sweet [he also warned that many large apples called Pumpkin Sweet were inferior; Elliott: good , "only valued for baking"; FB113: R; Hooper: 3: Kenrick: no(good); Lowther: g,6(8); Manning: fine for baking, investigating; Michigan1879: g, 4.7.6; Michigan1890: g, 2.8.4; Ont1892: -/4/1/-; Powell: one of the must 20Prince; Ragan: g; S-L: a l'etude; de premiere qualitie pour cuire; Scott: 1 for cooking: Thomas: moderate quality, valuable culinary sort; Walker: #9; Warder: good; Waugh: fair. Special*: The name Pound Sweet is most common in New York State and Maine, but Pumpkin Sweet is more common elsewhere.
Wismer's Dessert (unknown, but in same family as Esopus Spitzenberg) Ontario before 1890 USDA+	medium roundish, but tapering intense, sprightly, rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red and dark red stripes and splashes over yellow; thin Flesh: white Crispness: 4-5 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, cider T3, upright, open Fireblight: 3 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: very winter hardy, prolific bearer. Fruit: Excellent keeper. Ratings: Bull09: n/s,; Beach: "not acquainted with this apple," but includes description, "excellent flavor and exceedingly fine, tender texture"; Hedrick: good-vg; Hedrick13(22): good.; Powell: a new claimant to flavour, and unanimously pronounced a very high-grade fruit; Ragan: listed but not rated. Special: Wrote E.H. Burson, an apple grower, in Green's Fruit Grower* in 1916: "For today who of us is satisfied with Baldwin or Greening for our own eating or for a plate to set before our best friends, when we can set such a variety as Wismer's Dessert? It is among the half dozen best dessert apples grown in New York." Warned Fred Coleman Sears in Productive Orcharding in 1914, "Wismer's Dessert may be a better apple, but so few people know it that the orchard man can sell a thousand barrels of Baldwins to one of Wismer's Dessert."
Ashmead's Kernel (parentage unknown) UK before 1700 NFC GRIN	medium flat-round, but irregular, some ribbing intense, complex, distinctive, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow russet; rough, thick Flesh: cream Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 3 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: highly aromatic; prized for tartness in cider blends. Faults: Tree: thinning required to prevent biennial bearing; triploid (does not pollinate); often a shy bearer. Fruit: quickly browning flesh Merit or fault?: Fruit: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage; russet qualities. Ratings: AA: **; Barron: first quality; Brooklyn; BC: nr; HSL: 2; Bunker: "It’s easy to tell why the apple is held in high regards"; Bunyard: valuable for late use, but a poor cropper; Engelbrecht:[very sweet, but not spicy]; Gardener's: high quality (D36)(LK); Herefordshire: "a dessert apple of the very first quality"; Hogg2: first rate; Jacobsen: "long a cult favorite"; Manhart: vg/b; Phillips: "Each bite offers an intense aromatic sting of sharp and sweet"; Potter; Ragan: good; Royal: FCC, AGM-D; S-L: de toute premiere qualitie pour la table ; Salt; Scott: 1, one of our very best; Smith: a more flavorful version of Golden Russet, 10/8 top flavor; Seattle24; Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour8; Yepsen: "short on shine but long on flavor". Special: Winner of the 2013 Sage Hen Farm Apple Taste Test.
Reinette Tres Tardive (Unknown) France before 1660 GRIN	variable, medium to large flatter shape, often lopsided, ribbed spicy, complex; 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: green and russetted, with occasional reddish tinge; thin Flesb: creamy yellow Crispness: 2 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, upright Fireblight: 1 Scab: PM: CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: early bearing; heavy cropper; annual; good pollinator; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: very aromatic; excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate), Fruit: quickly browning flesh. Ratings: Downing: [described, but not rated]; Barron: [described but not rated]; S-L: de premiere qualitie. Special: No information provided on the GRIN site about pedigree when it was recieved from France. Based on multiple sources, including Nomenclator Pomologicus (1889) Dictionnaire de pomologie (1873), & Cours d'arboriculture (1876), it appears that Reinette Tres Tardive is an alternative name for the French apple Reinette Verte. If so, it is one of the earliest known Reinettes in France. Several British sources list Reinette Tres Tardive as a synonyn for Winter Pearmain. It is very similar to the Old Winter Pearmain as described by A.F. Barron in the 1887 British Apples as "reddish russet," but not the Winter Pearmain as pictured in modern sources. If the same apple, it would be one of the oldest known named apples, or a kin to it. Downing knew it as Green reinette, but it disappeared from American orchards by the turn of the 20th Century.
Starkey (Moses Starkey, Vassalboro Ribston) (possibly Ribston Pippin open pollinated) Maine before 1820 USDA	medium classic shape sprightly, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red crimson, prominently dotted; tough, but thin Flesh: pale cream Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating T1, roundish, dense Fireblight: ?? Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Fruit: highly regarded regionally for fresh eating. Faults: Tree: biennial. Merit or Fault?: Fruit: some advise flavor best after aged in storage, but we've found it to be very flavorful soon after picking. Ratings: Beach: vg; Hedrick: _ [+ in North] dM (appears to be worthy of testing for the North); Bull97: 8/*; Bull09: _v; Hansen: described as pleasant, but not rated; Lowther: good,...(...); ME94: vg/*; ME08: vg; Ragan: listed, but quality not rated; Waugh: good.
Haralson (Malinda x Wealthy) Minn. 1913, introduced by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station in 1923 NFC GRIN USDA	medium somewhat elongated mild, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red & red stripes over yellow, dotted; moderately thick Flesh: white Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T1, spreading Fireblight: 2 Scab: ?? PM: 3 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; late blooming protects it from late frosts; precocious bearer. Fruit: highly aromatic. Faults: Fruit: subject to cracking & russeting, especially in early bearing years. Merit or fault?: Tree: differing reports on resistance to cedar-apple rust. Fruit: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage; subject to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but lead to decay at core]. Ratings: AA: ; Brooklyn; Bunker: "an all purpose apple "; Burford; FB1001; Manhart: g/vg; Yepsen: "a hardy apple [that] has proved popular with northern growers". Special: Formerly the official State Apple of Minnesota (replaced by Honeycrisp).
MID OCTOBER
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Zabergau Reinette (Reinette Zabergäu, Reinette Parmentier) (unknown) Belgium 1830 or Germany 1885 NFC GRIN	large (largest of the russets) variable from classic shape to flat, with some ribbing intense, but mellows in storage, nutty, complex sweet/sharp taste that doesn't fit well on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: bronzed russeting over green; thick Flesh: white Crispness: 5 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, cider T2, upright Fireblight: 2 Scab: 3 PM: 2 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: aromatic; excellent keeper [stores exceptionally well without losing quality]. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid. Fruit: quickly browning flesh. Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to watercore; ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage. Ratings: AA: ; Jacobsen: "now all the coolest people have one;" Yespsen: "crisp, full flavored, and not to everyone's taste." Special*: Disputed origin. Germans claim it was discovered near the Zaber River in Germany in 1885 and distributed widely starting in 1926; Joan Morgan of the Royal Horticultural Society states that Reinette Parmentier is the earlier name for the same apple; named for Belgian pomologist Parmentier who obtained the apple in 1830. There were two botanically minded Belgian brothers, but it was probably Joseph Parmentier, a landscape gardener, who obtained it, not his brother Andrew who left Europe for Brooklyn in 1830 or earlier to escape the July Revolution (French Revolution of 1830) and later founded the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.
Northern Spy (Norton's Pie) (undetermined, but not Wagener open pollinated, but the two may share a parent from an unknown Connecticut variety) East Bloomfield, NY between 1800 and 1825 NFC GRIN USDA+ A monument to the Northern Spy was constructed over 100 years ago in the Town of East Bloomfield, NY.	large classic shape, slightly ribbed sprightly, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: multiple shades of red, dark & light, over a pale yellow, bloom; occasional russeting near stem; thin Flesh: pale cream Crispness: 5 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating; culinary, escpecially baking; cider T3, upright, dense Fireblight: 3 Scab: 4 PM: 4 CAR: 4	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); reliable bearer; late blooming protects it from late frosts; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: highly aromatic; classic apple flavor; prized for multiple purposes, especially pies; very slow browning flesh; excellent keeper, if not bruised. Faults: Tree: notoriously slow to start bearing; partial tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: subject to cracking; bruises easily. Merit or fault?: Fruit: coloring can vary and be dull, but natural gloss gives handsome appearance Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 8-9; Bull09: vgb; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: dkM (Highest quality. Succeeds only in certain localities.); Hedrick1914: vg-b/; NY1916: 3; Hedrick13: vg-best,*, highest quality, a standard; AA: ; Allen; APS1911:b, DKM; Bailey: MW & HUW; Baker: , NY (Top20), RI (Top20), VA, MI; Barron: first quality; Barry: Top20, (W), (G), "most beautiful and excellent"/"unrivaled beauty and excellence" WGL, Unimpeachable; Bridgeman: rich, rich; Brooklyn; BC: vg; Bunker: "well-balanced, crisp and juicy with the ideal apple taste"; Bunyard: only does well in England in very favourable years; Burford; CG: 46/22/22/90; Dickerman: NE, NY; Engelbrecht:[pleasantly flavored with a balance of sweet and spice]; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(DKM); FB1001; Folger: $H↓ (4 regions); Goodman: Slendid; Hansen: vg-b; Hayes; Hogg2: very handsome, first rate; Hooper: 2; Jacobsen: "as formidable apple as you'll find"; Keil: "in my opinionit is the best of all varieties," "the standard of quality for both dessert and culinary uses" & listed among top 6 winter varieties for dessert & top for stewing, pie, baking & jelly; Lear: 10; Leroy: 1; Lewelling; Lowther: best,18(33); Manhart: vg/b; ME94: best/; Michigan1879: best, 9.9.10; Michigan1890: best, 10.9.10; Milam: pie:excellent/ sauce:vg; Ont1892: 8/10/10/10; PA1889: W2; PA1910: (N) high quality; Powell: * "has taken its place quite at the front of winter varieties," "comes pretty near being a national fruit," one of the must 6; Ragan: vg-b; Royal: 1888: first quality; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Thomas: (highest quality); Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour16; Walker: [not in Top 26, but deserving]; Warder: vg; Waugh: vg; Way; Wilkinson: vg-best; Woolverton: dessert best, cooking best, commercial value - home market first class, skin a little tender for distance shipment; Yepsen: "our consummate pie apple...loved for eating out of hand as well". Special**: "Spies for pies!" is still shouted out today; once the third leading apple variety grown in New York State. One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
King David (Winesap x Arkansas Black or Winesap or Arkansas Black x Jonathan or open pollinated one of those three) Arkansas before 1890 NFC GRIN USDA+	medium classic shape very rich, sprightly, spicy, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: dark glossy red very dominant over hint of green; tough, thin Flesh: yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating; culinary; cider T3, roundish, dense Fireblight: 5 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: ??	Merits: Tree: bears early; late blooming protects it from frost damage; bears fruits uniform in size & shape; fruits hang on trees for long time; fruits tolerate fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: natural gloss gives handsome appearance; does not bruise easily; highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); not reliable every year; poor keeper for a late ripening apple. Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core; should be picked earlier for culinary use, but later for fresh eating. Ratings: NY Bulletin 385 [suppl to Beach]: g/vg; Hedrick1914: g/+; Hedrick13: good,+, appears promising as a commerical sort; AA: ; APS1911: b; Brooklyn; Browning; Goodman: grand flavor causes it to be sought after; Keil: listed among top varieties for stewing & jelly; Lowther: best,...; Phillips: "Spritely flavor much like Winesap. Versatile apple"; PA1910: (S&N) worthy of trial, fine appearance and reported to be of high quality; Pomologie: **; Powell: "will prove its ability to stand all the tests better than any other," one of the must 6; Smith: very good classic American red apple; Yepsen: "a sleeper".
Colonel's Kernel (unknown) Lodi, NY 20th Century	medium to large (irregular from year to year) classic shape, occasionally lopsided spritely, refreshing; 3 on the sweet-tart scale	red over yellow, some striping creamy yellow firm somewhat coarse-grained Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3 Fireblight: 1 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual. Faults: Tree: Irregular fruiting. Ratings: n/a Special: The tree was growing in the woods on our property where once was an old orchard, probably planted in the early 20th century. Its flavor is fine enough that we think it must be a cultivated variety, not a seedling, but we have been unable to identify it. A cutting from original tree has been grafted onto a tree in the orchard.Name honors Margaret's father.
Golden Hornet (Calocarpa crab x prunifolia coccinea) England introduced in 1948 NFC	small round astringent	bright yellow creamy yellow firm fine-grained, Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Jelly T3 Fireblight: 3 Scab: 3 PM: CAR: 4 Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 1	Merits: Tree: annual, prolific bearer, good pollinator; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: hangs well on tree for long time. Merit or fault?: Fruit: Primarily grown as an ornamental. Ratings: RHS: AGM (1999) but revoked in 2013. Special: Its fruits grow in bunches. Leaves turn an attractive yellow color in the fall. Developed by John Waterer and Sons Nursery in Surrey as an ornamental. Used as pollinator
Melon (Norton's Melon, Norton) (parentage unknown) East Bloomfield, NY before 1800 NFC GRIN USDA+	medium to large flatter shape; slight ribbing sprightly, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: crimson & orangy red over pale yellow: smooth, thin Flesh: white Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, roundish, dense Fireblight: 3 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: reliably productive. Fruit: aromatic. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; tip bearer (pruning challenge). Ratings: Downing: best; Bull97: 10; Beach: vg; Hedrick13: vg; APS1911: b; Barry: Top20, (G), "a most beautiful and delicious fruit", Unimpeachble; Cole: "an excellent fruit, but little known"; Elliott: fine...worthy; Engelbrecht: [in sweetness, flavor, & juiciness, reminiscent of a melon]; FB113; FB208: R(DM); Gardener's: sweet & pleasant (W); Hansen: best; Herefordshire: "of great excellence"; Hogg2: firt rate; Leroy: 1; Lowther: best, 5; Michigan1879: best, 10.8.8; Ont1892: 8/8/7/8; Ragan: vg-b; S-L: de premiere qualitie pour la table et pour cuire; Scott: one of the best; Warder: almost best; Waugh: good. Special*: Originated in same orchard as Northern Spy. With the name "Melon," the fruit might be expected to be large, but the name comes from its supposed melon-like flavor.
Orleans Reinette (Reinette d'Orleans, Court Pendu Blanc, Winter Ribston (?), also shortened to Orleans) (parentage unknown) France before 1775 NFC GRIN USDA	medium wider shape intense, complex, zesty, nutty, & honeyed, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	orange-red & yellow-green blotches & streaks, russetting around stem & netting or overlaying fruit; thick skinned creamy, yellow white firm fine-grained Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary, cider, dried T3, upright-spreading Fireblight: ?? Scab: 1 PM: 2 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: very hardy; bears fruits uniform in size. Fruit: highly aromatic; does not bruise easily; excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: shrivels in storage and loses flavor. Merit or fault?: Tree: ripens over several weeks; shy or good cropper (reports differ). Fruit: flavor best after aged in storage; russet qualities. Ratings: Dowling: [described but not rated]. AA: **; Bunyard: of the highest flavour; Hogg: of first quality, "This stands of all apples highest in my esteem."; Jacobsen: "either profoundly unattractive or full of character and wisdom": Ragan: described, but not rated; Scott: high quality [with problems], Way: 14.
Stayman (Stayman's Winesap) (Winesap open pollinated) Kansas before 1875 GRIN USDA+	medium to large classic shape rich, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red bloom or stripes over green, prominently dotted, occasionally russeting near stem; tough, moderately thick Flesh: greenish white Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, spreading, open Fireblight: ?? Scab: 5 PM: 5 CAR: 4	Merits: Tree: annual; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; resistant to scab and cedar apple rust; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: highly aromatic; does not bruise easily; prized for larger size and sweeter flavor, but other good qualities of Winesap; excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); unreliably annual; highly susceptible to scald. Fruit: dull color; quickly browning flesh; subject to cracking. Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but can lead to decay at core]. Ratings: Beach: g/vg; Hedrick: _dM (Not adapted to New York conditions); Hedrick13: good-vg, not adapted to NY; AA: ; Brooklyn; Browning; Bull99: 8-9X; Bull09: vg?; Burford; CG: 43/18/23/84; FB113: &; FB1001; Folger: $H^ (10 regions); Goodman: one ofthe very best and most handsome; Gould: one of the most important (for Pa.); Hansen: best; Heavy: "texture...off-putting...but the flavor was divine — gentle and floral, evocative of violets"; Jacobsen: "distinctive high flavor [especially in the South]"; Keil: listed among top 6 winter varieties for dessert & top for baking; Manhart: vg; Milam: pie:poor/sauce:fair; PA1910: (S&N)* High quality, brings high prices; Powell: * "a decided improvement on the old Winesap," one of the must 6; Ragan: vg-b; Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour5; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: best; Yepsen: "winey character...more accessible". Special: One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Reinette du Canada (Canada Reinette) (unknown) Normandy, before 1770 NFC	medium to large somewhat flatter shape,some ribbing intense, but mellows in storage; 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: bits of orange over green with russetting; thick Flesh: cream Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4 early, then 2	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright, spreading Fireblight: 3 Scab: 2 PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); slow to start bearing; triploid. Fruit: not very attractive Merit or fault?: Tree: irregular bearer, many years unproductive; spur bearer. Ratings: Beach: vg; APS1911: vg; Herefordshire: "of excellent quality for either culinary or dessert use"; Goodman: Splendid, suitable for cooking or dessert; Leroy:1; Loudon:1; Received the Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1901, awarded the Manzana Reineta del Bierzo PDO in Spain Special: Despite the name has nothing to do with the country of Canada. Most popular russet in France. Prized in France, the UK, and elsewhere in Europe as a cooking apple, after apples are picked early. Becomes sweeter if left to ripen and then stored. May have been a grandparent of the Cox Orange Pippin.
Northwest Greening (Northwestern Greening) (Alexander x Golden Russet) Wisconsin introduced in 1872 USDA	large round, or flatter than round mild, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: greenish yellow to yellow, blushed; tough Flesh: creamy yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, especially sauces T3, spreading, dense Fireblight: 3 Scab:3 PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); annual; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: excellent keeper; does not bruise easily. Faults: Fruit: quality and flavor are quite variable from year to year. Rating: AA: "nice flavor," but no * given; APS1911: vg, DKM; Bunker: "a wonderful apple and a favorite on the farm" [reviewing Briggs Auburn]; ME08: vg; Ragan: vg; Warder: vg. Special:* We acquired our tree as a Briggs Auburn from Fedco, but recently learned that genetic testing indicates that variety's true identity is Northwest Greening. The Briggs Auburn was a lost variety rediscovered by John Bunker. I guess it now returns to the "lost" status.
Hunt Russet (Golden Russet of Massachusetts) Concord, Massachusetts before 1750	medium to large classic shape sprightly, brisk, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow russet with bronze cheek; rough, tough, thick Flesh: white tinged with yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, cider T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 3 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: annual; fruits tolerate fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; aromatic. Faults: Tree: tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: quickly browning flesh. Merit or fault?: Fruit: russet quality. Ratings: Downing: vg or best; Bull97: 7-8/*; Bull09: vgb; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: d; Hedrick1914: vg-b/; Hedrick13: vg, , excellent; AA: ; Allen; APS1911:vg, D; Hansen:vg-b; Lowther: vg,2(6);ME94: vg/_; Ragan: vg-b; Richmond: FM; Warder: good; Waugh: good. Special*: Once upon a time this was considered one of the best russets, and that was enough reason to add it to our collection.
Spigold (Red Spy x Golden Delicious) Geneva, NY selected in 1956, introduced by the New York Sate Agricultural Experiment Station in 1962 NFC GRIN	large to very large classic shape, some ribbing rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: predominantly yellow with red and bronze stripes Flesh: yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness; 5	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, upright spreading Fireblight: 5 Scab: 3 PM: 4 CAR: 4	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper; little pre-harvest drop. Fruit: aromatic. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: bruises easily; quickly browning flesh. Ratings: AA: *; Brooklyn; Browning; Bunker: "excellent for eating and cooking. We recommend it"; Fackler; Manhart: vg/b; Vorbeck: Sweet6; Way: No. 1; Yepsen:"excellent".
Golden Russet American Golden Russet (Golden Russet, Bullock) (English Russet seedling) New Jersey before 1750 [Ripens mid to late October] Golden Russet of Western New York (Golden Russet, Golden Russet of New York) (English Russet seedling or synonym of the English Russet) New York 1845 or earlier [Ripens early to mid October] pictured is the Golden Russet of Western New York; the American Golden Russet is darker yellow in the non-russeted areas. NFC (American) GRIN USDA+ (both)	medium classic shape sprightly, complex, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow russet; rough, tough, thick Flesh: cream Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 5 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: annual; bears fruit of uniform large size; fruits tolerate fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; highly aromatic; prized as one of few varieties recommended for unblended cider. Faults: Tree: tip bearer (pruning challenge); since blooms early but requires long season, can be challenged by frost in both spring & fall. Fruit: quickly browning flesh. Merit or fault?: Tree: inconsisently a heavy cropper. Fruit: russet quality. Ratings (uncertain which variety was being described, unless noted): Downing: best; Bull97: 5-6/** or 8-9/, depending on similarly named varieties; Bull09: b or gb*, depending on similarly named varieties; Beach: vg/b for AGB, vg for GRof WNY]; Hedrick: dkH (hard to pick; of excellent quality); Hedrick1914: vg/; NY1916: 8; Hedrick13: vg, , excellent; AA: ; Allen; APS1911:vg/b, DM; Bailey: MW; Baker: *, PA (Top6 or Top20); Barron: first quality; Barry: (W), "of the finest quality"/"valued for table or market" W; Bridgeman: in great repute; Brooklyn; BC: vg; Browning; Buffalo; Bunker: "[different varieties all] have beautiful solid, deep yellow, golden-russeted skin and are difficult to tell apart [and] have long been esteemned"; Burford; Engelbrecht: [really juicy and really sweet]; FB113: &; FB208: HR(DM); Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Goodman: very fine dessert; Hansen: best; Hayes; Heavy: "rough texture...hides a sweet potato meets marshmallows meets honey interior. Sweet and earthy"; Hooper: 1; Jacobsen: "the real jewel of the cider world [and more]"; Kenrick: (superior); Lewelling; Lowther: vg,13(21); Manning: spicy and high flavored; ME94: vg/; Michigan1879: vg, 8.5.9; Michigan1890: vg, 9.5.10; Milam: sauce:poor; Ont1892: 9/8/8/9; PA1889: W13; Pomologie: ***; Powell: "very rich," one of the must 20; Prince; Ragan: g/b; Richmond: FM; Scott: 1; Smith: need lots of hang time and then some time in the cellar to get good flavor and texture; Thomas: (rich); Traverso: F-S; Vorbeck: Sweet12; Warder: very best; Waugh: fair; Way; Wilkinson: g-best; Woolverton: dessert fair, cooking good, commercial value - first class; Yepsen:"notable sweetness". Special**: There were several apples called Golden Russet in the 19th century, so there is much confusion about Golden Russets today. By the 20th century only two survived, but most nurseries do not indicate which variety they grow. The major difference is that the American Golden Russet ripens up to a week later, is slightly darker, may be slightly smaller, and slightly more sweet. There are claims that the Golden Russet is very high in Vitamin C, but that is true of all apples with high acidic content.
Westfield Seek No Further (Westfield, Seeknofurther, also shortened to Seek, Linnéous Pippin) (parentage unknown) Mass. before 1800 NFC GRIN USDA+	medium classic shape, but irregular; slightly ribbed rich, complex, distinctive; 2 on the sweet-tart scale, but with some astringency	Skin: red stripes over deep yellow tinged with green, splashed with dull red, dotted, often covered with blue bloom; russeting possible: tough Flesh: white tinged with yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, cider-blending T2, roundish, dense Fireblight: 5 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Fruit: good keeper. Faults: Tree: very slow to start bearing. Fruit: variable skin coloring; red does not always develop well; doesn't keep well Merit or fault?: Tree: called both a heavy cropper and "somewhat lacking in productivity." Fruit: has unique aroma; distinct taste (too astringent for some) Ratings: Downing: vg or best; Bull97: 8-9/; Bull99: 8-9; Bull09: vgb; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: dM (a favorite dessert apple); NY1916: l/sp; Hedrick13: vg-best; AA: ; Allen; APS1911: b, DM; Baker: , NJ (Top20), OH; Barry: "rich and excellent"/"rich"; BC: nr; Buffalo; Bunker: "its looks, utility and flavor make it a standout"; Burford; Dickerman: NY; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(DM); Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Hansen: vg or best; Hayes; Jacobsen: "something of a cause celebre in New England"; Kenrick: no(excellent); Leroy: 1; Lewelling; ME94: best/; Lowther: best,8(17); Michigan1879: best, 7.3.5; Michigan1890: best, 9.3.7; UIll: vg/b (one of 17 of "greatest promise for general usefulness"); Ont1892: 7/7/7/8; PA1889: W18; Powell" ; Prince [under New England Seeknofurther]; Ragan: vg-b; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Smith: solid, vague McIntosh school in taste; Thomas: (rich & spicy, fine flavor); Traverso: T-T; Walker: [not in Top 26, but deserving]; Warder: good; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: vg-best; Woolverton: dessert vg, cooking fair, commercial value - first class when well grown; Yepsen: "arouses passion with its taste". Special: Holds the record in our orchard for slowest to bear -- took nine yearrs. Has yet to produce a good sized crop.
Black Gilliflower (Sheepnose, Black Spitzenburg, Crow's Egg in the Southern US) (unknown) Connecticut before 1800, more widely known by 1840 GRIN USDA+	large long, tapering, some ribbing distinctive, known to require an acquired taste; 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: blackish red over yellow with fine gray-brown russeting; thick, tough Flesh: cream with occasional yellow tinge Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 1	Culinary T3, upright Fireblight: 5 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual; prolific bearer; excellent keeper; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Faults: Tree: notoriously slow to start bearing. Merit or Fault?: Fruit: peculiarly aromatic. Ratings: Downing: good; Beach: good; Hedrick: g; AA" [no stars]; Bunker: "pleasantly tart...spicy aroma"; Cole: pleasant, but not excellent; Elliott: poor; Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Hooper: 3 (rather dry, but high flavored); Jacobsen: "Uniquely appealing"; Michigan1879: g, 4.2.6; PA1889: W17; Ragan: g; Salt: "Some love it, others not so much"; Thomas: "rejected by most cultivators on account of its very dry flesh, but a good baking variety"; Warder: "cannot be very highly praised"; Yepsen: "tall, dark, and not particularly toothsome." Special: Possibly one of the parents of the Red Delicious.
Blue Pearmain (parentage unknown) New England before 1800 NFC GRIN USDA+	large roundish or flatter shape (variable); some ribbing mild, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: deep red yellow, blue bloom, dotted; tough, moderately thick Flesh: creamy yellow Crispness: 3* Juiciness: 3 *different texture, somewhat soft, but densely coarse. See also the note about Thoreau in the last column	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, spreading, open Fireblight: 1 Scab: PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); long lived. Fruit: distinctive coloring; aromatic. Faults: Tree: slow to bear. Fruit: shrivels in storage (but keeps flavor) Merit or fault?: Tree: reports differ on productivity. Ratings: Beach: good; Bull97: 6*; Hedrick: _dM (Not adapted to New York conditions); Hedrick: g; AA: ; APS1911: g; Bunker: "tasty eaten out of hand...highly recommend it for baking...our favorite for baked apples"; Elliott: vg; Folger: ↓ (0 regions) Gardener's: handsome, good quality for dessert and culinary; Goodman: of merit; Hansen: vg; Can: good, commercial value - not profitable because of its unproductiveness; Lowther: G; Manning: listed, but no comment on quality; ME94: g/; Ont: 6/6/8/8; Ragan: vg; Royal: FCC, AM; Waugh: fair; Wilkinson: vg. Special*: In Thoreau's essay "Wild apples," in which he condemns cultivated apples in general, he admits this variety is "almost as good as wild" and that he does "not refuse the Blue-Pearmain." It is likely that Thoreau approved of the apple because of its austere density that required some work to bite into.
Wagener (parentage unknown) Penn Yann, NY possibly 1791 NFC GRIN USDA+	medium variable, can be elongated; often irregular or lop-sided sprightly, rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: striped red and orange red over yellow, prominently dotted and motled; often has russet "bonnet" at the top; moderately thick Flesh: creamy to rich yellow Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T1, roundish, spreading Fireblight: 5 Scab: 1 PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: very winter hardy, prolific. Fruit: excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: know to be short-lived: biennial; tip bearer; susceptible to scald. Fruit: skin can become greasy. Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 8-9; Bull99:7-8; Bull09: vgb; AA: ; APS1911:b, DM; Bailey: HUW; Baker: IL; Barry: Top20, Unimpeachable; BC: vg; B-H: vg-b; Bull1897: 8-9; Burford; Can: dessert vg, cooking good, commercial value - home market first class, foreign market second class; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(DM); FB1001: D12,13,14; Gould: of merit, but overbears; Keil: listed among top varieties for jelly; Lowther: best; ME94: best/; Michigan1879: vg, 8.4.5; Michigan1890: vg, 9.6.6; Ont:8/7/6/7; PA1889: W11; Ragan: vg-b; Unimpeachable; Royal: AM; S-L: de toute premier qualitie; Warder: good. Waugh: good when well grown; Wilkinson: vg/b; Yepsen. Special: Originated only about 20 miles from our orchard. However, there is a lake in the way. Despite widespread speculation that the Wagener was one of the parents of the Northern Spy, it is very unlikely. Both trees were planted from seeds brought from Connecticut to different parts of the Finger Lakes region of New York State, and the Northern Spy was well established before the Wagener was discovered and brought to public attention. Quite possibly,instead, they share a common parent.
Adams Pearmain (Norfolk Pippin, Hanging Pearmain) (unknown) Norfolk or Herefordshire, England Robert Adams introduced it in 1826; was known earlier as Hanging Pearmain NFC GRIN	medium tapering rich, nutty, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	red over orange & yellow with some russeting creamy yellow firm fine-grained Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T1, spreading, almost drooping Fireblight: 1 Scab: 1 PM: CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: hardier than most English varieties; excellent keeper. Fruit: aromatic; fruit hangs well Faults: Tree: tends toward biennial; tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: turns brown in storage. Merit or fault?: Fruit: partial russet qualities give it an unusual appearance. Ratings: Barron: first quality; Herefordshire: "of first-rate quality, and worthy of great attention"; Leroy: 1; Loudon:1; Smith. Special: A favorite back in Victorian England for its beauty and flavor.
Roman Stem (French Pippin) (parentage unknown) New Jersey circa 1800 USDA+	small to medium roundish rich, sprightly; pleasant	pale yellow, brownish red blush and specks, dark russetting clouds & sprinkles; rough skinned light yellow with yellow veining tender fine-grained Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, irregular, spreading Fireblight: 2 Scab: 4 PM: CAR: 4	Merits:: Tree: very hardy; very productive; precocious. Fruit: highly aromatic. Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: not a good keeper; can appear blotched. Merit or fault?: Tree: ripens over several weeks; shy or good cropper (reports differ). Fruit: does not bruise easily, but tough skin; flavor best after aged in storage; russet qualities. Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull97: 7; Bull09: gvg; Beach: vg, especially for dessert; Hedrick: _vg dh, superceded by better sorts; Hedrick22: good; APS1911: vg, DK; Baker: PA (Top12), NJ (Top20); BC: nr; Elliott: vg; FB208: DK; Hansen: excellent; Hooper: 1; Lowther: vg,2(18); Michigan1879: best, 7.7.4; PA1889: Ragan: vg: W29;Warder: g-vg; Waugh: vg; Woolverton: excellent. Special*: Fleshy protuberance near stalk (occasionally missing) gives the variety its name. Several sources call it excellent, but not suited for commercial purposes because of its size and drab yellow and russetted appearance. Was available commercially from Daniel Smith of Burlington, NJ, in 1804.
MID TO LATE OCTOBER
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Baldwin (Woodpecker) (parentage unknown) Mass. before 1740 NFC GRIN USDA+	large classic shape rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: multiple shades of red stripes & mottling, dominant over yellow, occasionally russeting near stem; tough Flesh: yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 5	Fresh eating; culinary, especially baking; cider T3, upright-spreading Fireblight: 3 Scab: 2 PM: 4 CAR: 1	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; long lived; bears fruit of uniform large size. Fruit: excellent keeper; very slow browning flesh; does not bruise easily; attractive in shape & color; prized for quality for multiple purposes; revered for excellence as cider base. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; more strictly biennial than most other varieties; triploid (does not pollinate); subject to winter damage; thinning advised to avoid limb breakage; susceptible to scald; drops fruit prematurely. Fruit: needs to be grown widely spaced on trees well open to the sun for full color and richness. Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull97: 5-6; Bull09: vg; Beach: good to vg; Hedrick: dkM (standard winter apple of New York); Hedrick1914: g-vg/; NY1916: 1; Hedrick13: good-vg,, standard winter apple of NY; AA: ; Allen; APS1911: vg, KM; Bailey: MW; Baker: , NY (Top6), MA (Top Alwood: "of high grade and fine quality"; 6), RI (Top6), NJ (Top6), PA (Top6), OH; Barron: first quality; Barry: (W), "profitable"/"popular and profitable" WL, Unimpeachable; Bridgeman: most agreeable; Brooklyn; BC: good; Buffalo; Bunker: "We still consider Baldwin one of the best all-purpose varieties'; Burford; CG: 40/20/22/82; Dickerman: US, NY; Engelbrecht: [sweet like fine wine]; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(KM); FB1001; Folger: $H= (5 regions); Gardener's: only best under favourable conditions in this country (HC); Goodman: strong grower but late bearing, dessert; Hansen: vg; Hogg2: rather rich and agreeable; Hooper: 1 (where it succeeds); HSL: 1; Hayes; Jacobsen: "much celebrated'; Keil: listed among top varieties for stewing, pies & baking; Kenrick: (excellent); Lear: 9; Leroy: 1; Lowther: vg,21(34); Lewelling; Manning: we prefer it to any other winter variety; ME94: vg/; Michigan1879: vg, 6.9.10; Michigan1890: vg, 6.9.10; Ont1892: 2/5/7/8; PA1889: W1; PA1910: (N)* Most planted and generally most profitable [but being surpassed]; Pomologie: ****; Powell: "when well grown, ...very rich," one of the must 20; Prince; Ragan: vg; Royal: 1888: first quality; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Scott: rather rich and agreeable; Thomas: (first rate); Traverso: F-S; Walker: #3; Waugh: fair; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert fair, cooking good, commercial value - first class; Yepsen: "a sentimental favorite". Special**: America's first dominant commercial variety (for more than 75 years) especially in New York, Pennsylvania, & New England and upper midwest states. One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Ingram (Ingram's Janet) (Ralls Janet open pollinated) Missouri 1890 GRIN USDA+	medium roundish but tapering; often irregular or lop-sided sprightly, rich, 2.5 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: red and dark red nearly completely covering yellow; smooth, thin Flesh: cream Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, cider T3, upright-spreading, dense Fireblight: 3 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: late blooming protects it from late frosts; fruit hangs well. Fruit: very productive; annual; slow-browning flesh; excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: Ratings: Beach: g-vg; Bull97: 7-8; Bull09: vg; Hedrick: _g-vg dk; Alwood: needs further testing; Burford; Folger: ↓ (0 regions). Special: Ingram has larger fruit size and a redder skin color than its parent Ralls Janet. It is only slightly less juicy. Best for us is that it has an earlier harvest date, so we can grow it this far north when the Ralls Janet would be very iffy. Ralls Janet has several more famous offspring, including the Fuji (Crispin), but the Ingram is supposed to have the most similar flavor. It shares with its parent late blossoming, annual bearing, and excellent storage quality, earning it a "never-fail" reputation.
Newtown Pippin (Albemarle Pippin, Yellow Newtown) (parentage unknown) Queens, NY before 1760 NFC USDA+	medium to large irregular, apples from the same tree can be flattish, round, and conical sprightly, distinctive, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: greenish yellow, prominently dotted, russeting around stem; tough Flesh: cream to greenish white Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 3 Scab: 4 PM: 4 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; fruits hang on trees for long time; late blooming protects it from late frosts; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: does not bruise easily; prized for its clear juice in cider making; excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: tends toward biennial; slow to start bearing; partial tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: not pretty, by today's standards; very quickly browning flesh. Merit or Fault?: Tree: listed as both a diploid and a triploid; bears fruits of variable size and color . Fruit: subject to sweet water core; flavor best after aged in storage [some advise do not eat before December or January]. Ratings: Downing: best; Beach: best; Hedrick: _ [** in Hudson Valley]dkH (Not a good commercial sort. Excellent in quality.); Hedrick1914: b/; APS1911: vg, DKM; Bailey: HUW; Baker: NJ (Top12), KY (Top20), OH; AA: ; Barry: "celebrated [but] its success is confined to certain districts and soils"; Brooklyn; BC: vg; Browning; Bull97: 10; Bull99:8-9; Bull09: vgb; Burford; CG: 47/21/22/95; Dickerman: NY; FB113: NE&; FB208: R(DKM); FB1001; Folger: $H= (1 region); Gardener's: rarely at its best in this country; Goodman: first class where it does well; Hansen: best; Hayes; Hogg2: very fine; Hooper: 1; HSL: 2; HSL3: 1; Jacobsen: "has shown a knack for effortless success"; Kenrick: no(first rate); Leroy: 1; Lewelling; Leroy: 1; Lowther: vg for Green, B for Yellow, 4(22); Manning: so superior to all others; Manhart: best; Michigan1879: b, 10.8.3; Ont: 9/9/7/10; PA1889: W10; Phillips: "Packs a refreshing wallop for tart-apple fanciers, with full sugar and rich flavor developing in winter months"; Pomologie:****; Powell: "reachest perfection...in a few localities"; Prince; Ragan: Green=b, Yellow=vg-b; S-L: a l'etude; de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Thomas: (high, fine flavor); Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour4; Warder: best; Waugh: best; Way; Wilkinson: vg/b/; Woolverton: dessert first class, cooking first class, commercial value - first class; Yepsen: "called the classic American apple". Special*: Grown by G. Washington and T. Jefferson, and once presented in a gift basket to Queen Victoria by the American ambassador. The first apple variety to have recognized strains, Yellow and Green. The Green Newtown now very rare.
Calville Blanc d'Hiver (White Winter Calville, Rambour a Cotes Gros) (parentage unknown) France before 1600 as Blanche de Zurich, introduced as Calville Blanc d'Hiver in 1628 NFC GRIN USDA+	medium elongated, prominently ribbed; often misshaped intense, spicy, complex, distinctive, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: pale yellow tinged with green, with faint blush; prominently dotted where exposed to sun; smooth Flesh: yellowish-white Crispness: 2 Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, cider T1, spreading Fireblight: 5 Scab: 2 PM: 4 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing, slower to bear good quality fruit; shy bearer. Fruit: prone to cracking. Merit or Fault?: Fruit: ripens over several weeks; odd shape; can look blemished when it is not; ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage. Ratings: AA: [no stars]; Barron: very tender; Barry: "one of the finest dessert varieties"; Bridgeman:pleasant; Brooklyn; BC: good; Browning; Bunyard: "delicate flavour... rarely well finished in this country; Elliott: unworthy; Engelbrecht: [not quite sweet, uniquely seasoned[; Gardener's: briskly flavoured (W); Heavy: "big bold flavor bomb, with a tartness that builds and builds"; Herefordshire: "valuable for all culinary purposes, good also for dessert when apples are scarce"; Hogg1: rich, lively, agreeable flavor; Hogg2: first rate; HSL: 2; HSL3: 1; Jacobsen: "wrings the superlatives aout of people"; Kenrick: no(worth cultivating); Leroy: 1; Manning: wiothout much flavor; Manhart: vg; Pomologie: **; Prince; Ragan: p; Royal: 1888: first quality; S-L: de premiere qualitie pour la table et de toute premiere qualitie pour cuire; Salt; Scott: 1, valuable kitchen fruit; Thomas: (valueless here); Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour12; Warder: poor; Yepsen: "not unpleasantly tart". Special: Grown by Jefferson at Monticello, painted by Monet; there are claims that it is very high in Vitamin C, but that is true of all acidic apples.
Bourassa (Golden Russet of Quebec) (unknown) Quebec, or possibly France before 1750	medium classic shape, ribbed pleasant, rich, spicy, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	yellow, with crimson cheek and orange russeting white, sometimes stained. tender, fine-grained Juiciness: 2	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3 Fireblight: 1 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: very hardy. Fruit: aromatic Faults: Tree: shy bearer. Fruit: poor keeper for a late apple; apt to shrivel. Merit or fault?: Tree: does better in northern climes. Ratings: Dowling: good; Elliot: best; Hogg: second rate; Raglan: g; Thomas: good; Warder: pretty good, but apt to be tough and wilted. Special: Thought to have been lost, but rediscovered in Maine by fruit explorer Regina Grabrovac.
Ladies' Sweeting (Lady Sweet, Winter Sweeting, Pommeroy, [NOT Lady]) (parentage unknown) NY before 1825 USDA+	large elongated distinctive, 1 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: nearly all red; stripes over red and pale yellow; thin, but tough Flesh: whitish, can have slight yellow tinge Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, cider T3, upright-spreading Fireblight: 1 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; excellent keeper, does not shrivel nor lose flavor. Fruit: highly aromatic. Faults: Fruit: slow to start bearing; needs to be grown widely spaced on trees well open to the sun for full color and richness. Merit or fault?: Fruit: its sweet flavor is different that that of modern sweet apples. Ratings: Downing: vg or best ("the finest winter sweet apple, for the dessert, yet known"; Bull97: 7-8; Bull09: gvg; Beach: vg to best; Hedrick: *dkM (one of the most desirable of the sweet apples); Hedrick1914: vg-b/; Hedrick13: vg-best,, one of the most desirable of the sweet apples/1922: vg-b; Allen; APS1911: vg; Baker: , MA(Top12), NY (Top20); Barron: worthless; Barry: "one of the best winter sweets"/"sprightly, agreeable"; Bridgeman: high flavored; Cole: "one of the finest"; Engelbrecht: [sweet and mild]; Elliott: quotes Downing's vg or best; Hansen: quotes Downing's vg or best; Hooper: 1, one of our best sweet apples; Lowther: vg,9; Michigan1879: vg, 5.7.6; Powell: "exceedingly good at times"; Prince; Ragan: g-vg; Royal: 1888: worthless; S-L: a l'etude; de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Thomas: *(agreeable, fine); UIll: best; Walker: #21; Waugh: good
LATE OCTOBER INTO NOVEMBER
Variety Origin & Date Image Sources	Fruit	Uses Tree Size & Shape Disease Resistance	Merits & Faults Ratings
Size, Shape & Flavor	Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness
Kinnaird's Choice (Kinnard) (probably Winesap open pollinated) Tennessee before 1870 USDA+	medium to large somewhat flatter shape, sides sometimes unequal rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: mottled red and purple red over yellow, some russeting near stem; thick, tough Flesh: white tinged with yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, spreading, but irregular Fireblight: 2 Scab: 2 PM: 4 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: very hardy for a "Southern" tree; precocious bearer; reliable bearer, even if somewhat biennial late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: highly aromatic; very good keeper. Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate); requires long season. Merit or fault?: Tree: irregular grower. Fruit: subject to sweet water core. Ratings: Bull97: 5-6--; Beach: g/vg; Hedrick: _dkH (does not appear to be adapted to New York); Hedrick13: good-vg, not adapted to NY; APS1911: g; Burford; FB113: &; FB1001; Hansen: vg; Lowther: good,...; Waugh: fair. Special: According to Burford, it was regionally popular during Great Depression for being a flavorful, late blooming variety dependable as an annual cash crop.
Winesap (parentage unknown) NJ (possibly Virginia) before 1800 NFC GRIN USDA	small to medium classic shape sprightly, somewhat astringent, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: two shades of deep red over yellow, prominently dotted; tough, moderately thin Flesh: cream white tinged with yellow with occasional veins of red Crispness: 3 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, roundish, dense Fireblight: 2 Scab: 5 PM: 4 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: hangs well on tree for long time. Fruit: highly aromatic; does not bruise easily; prized for its tart, wine-like flavor (with some bitterness), especially in cider; excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); extra thinning required to prevent overbearing; may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: quickly browning flesh; fruit subject to small cracking. Merit or fault?: Tree: precocious or slow to start bearing (reports vary, ours was slow); irregular, straggling growth. Fruit: subject to sweet water core. Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull99: 7-8; Bull09: vg; Beach: g/vg; Hedrick: _dkM (Both tree qualities and fruit poor in New York); Bull97: 7-8/; Hedrick13: good-vg, tree characters and fruit poor in NY; AA: ; Alwood: "has no superior among red varieties [on the right soil]"; APS1911: vg; Baker: PA (Top20), KY (Top20), OH, VA; Barry: "fine for cider"/"rich"; Bridgeman: high rich flavor; Brooklyn; BC: nr; Burford; CG: 43/20/25/88; FB113: NE&; FB208: R(DKM); FB1001; Folger: $^ (7 regions); Gould: magnificent; Hansen: vg; Hayes; Hooper: 2 to 1; HSL3: 2; Jacobsen: "one of the heavyweights of the apple world"; Keil: listed among top 6 winter varieties for dessert & top for stewing, pie, baking & jelly; Lear: 9; Lowther: vg; Lewelling; Lowther: vg,6(39); Manning: of medium quality; ME94: vg/; Michigan1879: vg, 6.6.4; Milam: pie:vg/sauce:fair; Ont1892: 7/_/1/3; PA1889: W15; Phillips: "rich, vinous flavor is like an explosion in the mouth"; Pomologie: **; Prince [in list of cider apples also good for table]; Ragan: vg; Richmond: FM; S-L: a l'etude; de premiere qualitie pour la table et de toute premiere qualitie pour cidre; Scott: 1; Thomas: (rich, rather acid, one of the best for baking); UIll: vg; Warder: good; Waugh: good/high quality; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: vg, commercial value - first class in certain districts, second class as grown in Canada; Yepsen: "the distillation of a crisp fall day". Special: There are several varieties of Winesap. Ours was labeled Original Winesap.
Wassail (unknown) Lodi, NY 20th Century	small to medium, quite variable classic shape tart, but has been likened to a watermelon flavored Jolly Rancher hard candy; 4 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: striped red over yellow; thin Flesh: creamy yellow Crispness: 4-5 Juiciness: 3	Culinary, cider T3, spreading Fireblight: 1 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual, prolific bearer. Faults: Fruit: turns brown in storage. Ratings: n/a Special: The tree was growing on our property when we arrived in Lodi. The tree is forty feet tall. It grows in a prominent place, so we suspect that it had been planted there, but we have been unable to identify it as a known variety.
Idared (Ida Red) (Jonathan x Wagener) Moscow, Idaho introduced by the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station in 1942 NFC GRIN USDA+	medium to large, quite variable somwhat flatter shape, slight ribbing rich, complex, 2 or 3 on the sweet-tart scale depending on when picked from tree. Note: Several sources online call Idared bland or even flavorless – they must only know Idared from supermarket fruits picked too early	Skin: bright red splashing, with crimson stripes and mottling over greenish yellow, prominent dotting, some russeting near stem; thick, tough Flesh: white or cream with occasional red flecks and veins Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T3, upright-spreading, open Fireblight: 5 Scab: 4 PM: 5 CAR: 4	Merits: Tree: precocious bearer; reliable bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit; late blooming protects it from late frosts;prolific; hangs well on tree for long time, resistant to scab. Fruit: highly aromatic; one of the best keepers. Faults: Tree: since blooms early but requires long season, can be challenged by frost in both spring & fall. Merit or fault?: Fruit: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage. Ratings: AA: ; Brooklyn; Bunker: "enough flavor to distinguish it from the more tasteless sweet inventions of recent times"; Manhart: g-vg; Pomologie: **; Royal: AGM-C/D; Traverso: F-T; Yepsen: "With its thick, handsome lipstick red skin, Idared is a commercial grower's idea of an apple". Special**: The tree was growing in our backyard and was probably planted in the 1980s when it was much more popular. A friend who is a pomologist identified it with 95% certainty as an Idared. .
Doctor (Germantown, De Witt, Doctor of Germantown, Newby) (unknown) Germantown, Pennsylvania before 1800 USDA+	medium to large somwhat flatter shape, sides sometimes unequal rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: yellow with bright red blush and carmine splashing, some russeting near stem; thick, tough Flesh: yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright-spreading, open Fireblight: 2 Scab: 2 PM: CAR: 5	Merits: Tree: precocious bearer; reliable bearer; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: highly aromatic; very good keeper. Ratings: Bull97: 5-6--; Beach: g/almost vg; Hedrick: _dkH (does not appear to be adapted to New York); Hedrick13: good-vg; Burford; FB113: &; FB1001; Hansen: vg; HSL3: 2; Michigan1904: vg, promising; Waugh: fair. Special: Named after Christopher Witt of Germantown, Pa. (1675-1765) – called DeWitt in some documents – who was an astrologer, mystic, herbalist, orchardist, self-taught doctor, clock- & telescope-maker, musician, painter, instructor in the "Arts & Mysteries of Chymistry, Physick & the Astral Sciences," slave-owner (his slave was freed at his death and made his principle heir). Coxe and Downing suggest the doctor "brought it into notice," but there is a big gap between his death in 1765 and public notice of the variety in the early 1800s. One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Swayzie (Swayzie's Pomme Grise) (Pomme Grise x Unknown) Introduced in Upper Canada (Ontario), near Niagara Falls, but may have originated in New Jersey before 1800, but not widely introduced until decades later. USDA	small to medium round with some tapering nutty, rich, and sprghtly, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	golden yellow with some red and large patches of russet. pale yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary T2, upright Fireblight: 5 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 3	Merits: Tree: annual; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; aromatic. Faults Tree: light bearer. Fruit: quickly browning flesh. Merit or fault?: Fruit: russet quality; flavor mellows after storage. Ratings: Beach: vg to best for dessert; Ont1892: 10/-/6/8; Ragan: vg; Salt: a great example of an apple that’s highly desirable in so many ways, but could not possibly make the grade as a major commercial variety; Smith: very pleasing to eat, 13th top apple for flavor; Woolverton: no choicer winter dessert apple, dessert first class, cooking third class. Special: The variety's history is uncertain and legendary. It was introduced from the farm and nursery of Isaac Swayzie, who is said to have escaped into Canada from a New Jersey prison wearing his wife's clothes while under a sentence of death for being a British spy during the Revolutionary War. While making his overland journey across New York and across the Niagara River, he carried tree saplings on his back. In Upper Canada, now Ontario, he became a controversial figure, charged with several crimes and unethical behavior, but he kept getting elected to the parliament of Upper Canada. There is documentary evidence that he was a British loyalist who was a horse thief, saboteur, and spy, but he may not have left New Jersey until after the war was over.
Piel de Sapa (Toad Skin) Northern Spain unknown GRIN	medium classic shape Semi-sharp, aromatic, astringent	Skin: reddish russet; rough, tough, thick Flesh: cream Crispness: 5 Juiciness: 2	Cider T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 5 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: annual. Fruit: does not bruise easily; excellent keeper. Faults: Fruit: not for fresh eating, not pretty. Merit or fault?: Fruit: only good for cider. Special: Scion wood was a present. This is the only hard cider apple we grow.
Blacktwig (Black Twig, Mammoth Blacktwig, Arkansaw [not Arkansas Black and not Paragon]) (probably Winesap x Limbertwig) Arkansas before 1830, introduced more widely in 1868 NFC GRIN USDA+	large classic shape with some ribbing rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: dark red over greenish yellow with some red striping and purply black, prominently dotted; thick, tough Flesh: cream to pale yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright-spreading, open Fireblight: 3 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit; very hardy for a "Southern" tree; late blooming protects it from late frosts; reliable bearer. Fruit: excellent keeper. Faults: Tree: Triploid (does not pollinate); irregular bearer, often shy; requires long season; slow to start bearing; may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: skin is slightly bitter; texture softens in storage. Merit or fault?: Fruit: should be picked when fruit is still hard; flavor best after aged in storage. Ratings: Bull97: 9; Bull09: vg; NY1909: _kM (not valuable in New York, except Long Island); Hedrick13: good, valuable in the South but not in NY; AA: ; Alwood: "a promising cosmopolitan apple"; Browning; Bull1897: 7-8/; Burford; FB113: &; FB208: R(KM); FB1001; Folger: (3 regions); Gould: excellent, but shy; Hansen: vg; Jacobsen: this is an apple's apple"; Lowther: vg,2; Powell: "vigourous, productive, and very hardy"; Milam: pie:vg/sauce:fair; Traverso: T-T.. Special: State apple of Tennessee.
Reinette Clochard (Reinette de Parthenay, Tramp Queen) (parentage unknown) France circa 1850 NFC GRIN	medium blocky intense, rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: sage green and yellow with orange red blush and russet & blush; thick skinned Flesh: creamy yellow, fine grained Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright Fireblight: 5 Scab: ?? PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: very hardy. Fruit: very aromatic, almost perfumy; fruit should hang late before picking. Faults: Tree: Fruit: not a pretty fruit, often subject to flyspeck and other blemishes. Merit or fault?: Tree: . Ratings: AA: *; Engelbrecht:[spicy, with somewhat predominantly sweet]; S-L: de premiere qualitie. Special**: "Clochard" in English is "tramp" or "hobo," likely added to the apple's name because of its rough and mottled look. That is an indication that the variety has survived because of its outstanding flavor and versatility
Virginia Beauty (Zach's Red) (parentage unknown) Virginia before 1820 USDA	medium to large classic shape sprightly, on the sweet side of sweet-tart, complex	Skin: glossy red with distinctive russet "bonnet" at the top; tough Flesh: greenish-yellow Crispness: 3-4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating T3, spreading, open Fireblight: 2 Scab: PM: 2 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: very hardy for a "Southern" tree; precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit; late blooming protects it from frost damage; bears fruits uniform in size & shape; wide branching limbs. Fruit: highly aromatic, natural gloss gives handsome appearance; does not bruise easily; excellent keeper. Faults: Fruit: may not develop as good size, color and flavor in NYS as farther south. Merit or fault?: Fruit: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage. Ratings: Bull09: vg_ [ a regional favorite that did not receive national attention; it's not even in Ragan]; AA: ; Burford; Folger: H (0 regions); Gould: of merit, but largely unknown; Lowther: vg,...(...). Special: Who cares about the purported favorites of Washington and Jefferson? -- this was the favorite apple of Doc Watson.
Goldrush (Gold Rush) (Golden Delicious x PRI 1689-100 x PRI 668-100) [known parentage includes Winesap, Rome Beauty, Melrose, & Siberian crab] New Brunswick, NJ, Urbana, IL, & West Lafayette, IN selected 1980, introduced by joint program of the Indiana, Illinois, and New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Stations in 1994	medium classic shape intense, breaking, extreme sweet-tart combination that doesn't fit well on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: green yellow with bronze to red blush; can turn to deep yellow in storage tough, spidery russeting; moderately thin Flesh: greenish yellow Crispness: 5 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary T2, upright-spreading Fireblight: 1 Scab: 1 PM: 3 CAR: 4	Merits: Tree: very late blooming. Fruit: non-browning flesh Faults: Tree: although developed in Minnesotoa, may not ripen well in Northern climates. Merit or fault?: Tree: very late ripening is challenge, but high sugar level helps protect from freezing. Fruit: flavor best after aged in storage. Ratings: AA: ; Browning; Jacobsen: "intensely sweet and spicy, yet still with that sour, metallic counterpunch"; Manhart: notable new; Salt; Smith: fanastic apple, probably the best low-spray backyard apple, bulletproof, 7th top rated for flavor, 4th overall; Vorbeck: Balanced; Yepsen: "feels effervescent on the tongue." Special**: The official State Apple of Illinois.
White Winter Pearmain (White Pearmain) North Carolina or England 1792 or before 1600. Rediscovered in Indiana in 1849.	medium classic shape, with some ribbing sprightly, distinctive, 3 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: pale greenish yellow with red blush and occasional russeting, thin Flesh: cream, fine grained Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 5	Fresh eating, culinary, cider T2, upright spreading Fireblight: 5 Scab: PM: CAR:	Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; annual. Fruit: highly aromatic; long keeping. Fruit: handsome appearance; very juicy; Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull97: 8-9; Beach: vg-best; APS1911: vg; Folger: = (2 regions); Special: When it was rediscovered in Indiana, its history was unknown other than it was thought to have been brought to Indiana from the east. Anne Matthews Jessup had established an orchard in North Carolina with trees from several sources, including scionwood she brought home with her from a two-year trip to Scotland and England. She moved to Indiana and died shortly before the White Pearmain was introduced along with a Red Pearmain, which turned out to be an Esopus Spitzenburg. If it was collected in England, it could have been a variety that originated before the 16th century.
Kentucky Limbertwig (Red Limbertwig open pollinated) Kentucky before 1830	large elongated, tapered unusual, musky & spicy/sweet, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: light red and orange over greenish-yellow Flesh: creamy yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 3	Fresh eating, culinary T2, drooping Fireblight: 3 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: annual; excellent keeper; Fruit: aromatic. Faults: Fruit: dull color is not especially attractive. Merit or fault?: Fruit: listed as having the "distinctive limbertwig flavor," but colleagues have told me it is sweeter than most limbertwigs. Ratings: n/a
Brushy Mountain Limbertwig (Red Limbertwig open pollinated) North Carolina before 1830	medium round, but pointed oddly spicy, 2 on the sweet-tart scale	Skin: dull, dark red over yellow with some russet Flesh: creamy yellow Crispness: 4 Juiciness: 4	Fresh eating, culinary T2, drooping Fireblight: 3 Scab: 2 PM: 2 CAR: 2	Merits: Tree: annual; excellent keeper; Fruit: very aromatic. Faults: Fruit: dull color is not especially attractive. Ratings: n/a

LATE JULY

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh

Crispness & Juiciness

Lodi
(Improved Yellow Transparent)
(Montgomery x Yellow Transparent),
NY
1912, but introduced in 1924

Lodi apple

NFC GRIN USDA+

large

classic shape, with a little more tapering

mild, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: creamy yellow, occasionally russetting at both ends; thin

Flesh: greenish white , fine-grained

Crispness: 1-2

Juiciness: 2

Culinary, especially sauce; ornamental

T3, upright

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 3
PM: 2
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: very hardy (nearly ironclad, to z2 or 3); heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; partially self-pollinating; hangs well on tree for long time. Fruit: prized for sauce.

Faults: Tree: partial tip bearer (pruning challenge); tends biennial; bears fruits uneven in size & shape. Fruit: very poor keeper; bruises easily; quickly browning flesh; becomes mealy when overripe.

Merit or fault?: Tree: . Fruit: susceptible to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but leads to decay at core].

Ratings: AA: *; Burford; FB1001*; Pomologie: ****; Vorbeck: Sour13.

Special: Prized by many simply because it produces the first apples of the season. Its early, abundant blooming characteristic has made Lodi an ornamental variety, as well. We might not grow it if we didn't live in Lodi.

EARLY AUGUST

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Discovery
(Thurston August)
(Worcester Pearmain x unknown, possibly Beauty of Bath)
UK
before 1950, renamed in 1962

NFC GRIN

medium

flatter shape, slightly ribbed

rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: predominantly bright red over pale greenish yellow

Flesh: creamy yellow with tinges of pink, fine-grained

Crispness: 3
Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, jelly

T2, spreading

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 1
PM: 3
CAR:
3

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit; good pollinator; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: very slow browning flesh.

Faults: Tree: part tip bearer; has a narrow harvest window. Fruit: poor keeper; fruit tends to crack.

Ratings: Pomologie:*****; Royal: AGM-D.

Special: In the 1980s and 1990s, Discovery was the leading early apple sold in the UK. It is still popular there as a home garden variety. Has seen a revival with a new interest in red fleshed apples, but the amount of pink varies from apple to apple and is generally small.

MID AUGUST

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Sops in Wine
(Sops of Wine, Sapson)
(parentage unknown)
UK
before 1600

USDA+

medium to large

classic shape, slightly ribbed, asymmetric

mild, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: purplish red over crimson,
some yellow, dotted; moderately thin

Flesh: white tinged with variable amount of pink, fine-grained

Crispness: 2

Juiciness: 2

Culinary

T3, upright, dense

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 4
PM: 3
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); early bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; fruit hangs well. Fruit: distinctive red stained white flesh.

Faults: Tree: partial tip bearer. Fruit: poor keeper; becomes mealy when overripe.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: ripens over several weeks.

Ratings: Downing: good; Bull1897: 5-6/*; Bull09: g*; Beach: good; Hedrick: _ (Superseded by better varieties); Hedrick13: good, superceded; Baker: IL; Barry: "delicious"/"pleasant"; Bridgeman: handsome; Bunyard: flavourless, of no particular merit; Elliott: vg; Cole: neither excellent nor profitable; Dickerman: NE; FB208: R(D); Hansen: g-vg;Hogg2: a curious little dessert apple of good quality; Hooper: 3; HSL: 2; Kenrick: no*(much esteemed); Lowther: good,9(31)ME94: good/*; Michigan1879: good, 4.6.6; Moore Orchards: mediocre at best; Ont1892: 2/5/2/0; Powell: "an old sort"; Prince [under Sapson]; Ragan: good; Scott: 1 (as a cider sort); S-L: de premiere qualitie pour la table et pour cuire; Thomas: *(good flavor, valuable); Warder: g-vg; Waugh: fair; Wilkinson: good

Special: The name, according to an old source, comes not from any wine-like flavor, but because the pink tinge to the flesh made the apple look as though it had been soaked or dipped in red wine. Several varieties with this trait appear to have been given this name, since descriptions of the apple and tree differ widely in different sources.

American Summer Pearmain
(Summer Pearmain)
(parentage unknown, possibly English Summer Pearmain)
New Jersey
before 1815

NFC GRIN USDA

medium

blocky

very rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: dull purplish red marbling over
greenish yellow, occasional russetting near stem

Flesh: yellow; fine-grained

Crispness: 2-3

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating

T1, roundish

Fireblight: 5
Scab: ??
PM: ??
CAR: ??

Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4). Fruit: highly aromatic; resistant to skin rot; ranked best early season apple by several old authorities.

Faults: Tree: shy bearer. Fruit: only fair keeper (but better than most among early apples, perhaps more than a month).

Merit or fault?: Fruit: ripens over as many as 8 weeks) throughout August and September).

Ratings: Downing: best; Bull09: vgb*; Beach: best; Hedrick: *dH (of value only as an amatuer's fruit); Hedrick13: best; APS1911:b, **D; Baker: *; Barry: "one of the best"/"a valuable sort for family use," Unimpeachable; Bridgeman: fine flavored, excellent; Brooklyn; Buffalo; Burford; Cole: first quality; Dickerman: US, NY*; Elliott: best, amateur's fruit; FB113: &; FB208: HR(D); FB1001*; Hogg1: pleasantly flavoured, excellent early apple; Hooper: 1; HSL: listed, but not rated; Kenrick: *(highly deserving of cultivatoin); Lear: 10; Leroy: 1; Lowther: best,5(29); Ont1892: 3/1/2/_; Manning: very tender and good; PA1889: S13; Prince; Ragan: best; S-L: de bonne qualite; Richmond: *F; Scott: 1; Smith: looks to be an excellent apple; Thomas: *(superior); Warder: best.

Special: This variety is a just so apple. When it has grown under the just right conditions and it is picked when its ripeness is just at its peak, there is no better apple for flavor. But achieving that can be difficult, especially since the apples don't ripen all at the same time.

Early Joe
(parentage unknown)
East Bloomfield, NY
before 1800

GRIN USDA+

small to medium

flatter shape; slight ribbing

sprightly, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: crimson & orangy red over pale yellow

Flesh: white, fine-grained

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T1, roundish, dense

Fireblight: 3
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: reliably productive. Fruit: aromatic.

Faults: Tree: tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: notoriously poor keeper (doesn't keep much more than a few days).

Ratings: Downing: best; Bull97: 10*; Beach: vg-b; Hedrick13: vg; APS1911: b, D; Bailey: HUSF; Barry: Top20, (G), "a most beautiful and delicious fruit", Unimpeachable; Cole: "an excellent fruit, but little known"; Dickerman: NE, NY; Elliott: fine...worthy; FB113; FB208: R(DM); Hansen: best; Hogg2: firt rate; Michigan1879: best, 10.8.8; Michigan1904: small, but of best quality; Ont: 8/8/7/8; PA1889: S16; Ragan: vg-b; S-L: de premiere qualitie pour la table et pour cuire; Scott: one of the best; Warder: almost best; Waugh: good.

Special: Originated in same orchard as Northern Spy.

Bastian Orange
(Bastian Crab)
(possibly Centennial Crab open pollinated)
New Hampshire
discovered circa 2010

small

round

intense, both sweet and tart; has a zip; doesn't fit easily on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red streaked over orange

Flesh: orange, firm, fine-grained

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Cider; fresh eating, ornamental

Fireblight:
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual, precious, prolific bearer.

Faults: Tree: very poor keeper; drops heavily.

Ratings: n/a

Special: Discovery by Jim Bastian by a roadside near his home (then) in Plainfield, NH. He said it became his favorite apple.

Gravenstein
(parentage unknown)
first identified in Denmark
1669

Red Gravenstein
(Banks Gravenstein)
(Gravenstein sport)
Nova Scotia
found in 1876

Gravenstein

NFC GRIN USDA+ (original & red)

medium to large

roundish, ribbed, often lopsided

savory, sprightly rich, 4/3 on the sweet-tart scale 5;

Skin: red stripes & splashes over orangy yellow; thin

Flesh: cream, fine-grained

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, upright-spreading, open

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 3
PM: 4
CAR: ??

Merits: Fruit: highly aromatic; handles well; called equally good for dessert or cooking; considered best early season cider apple; keeps better than most early apples (perhaps as long as six weeks)

Faults: Tree: biennial; slow to start bearing; shy bearer; triploid (does not pollinate); may drop fruit prematurely; partial tip bearer (pruning challenge); has a narrow harvest window; subject to winter damage. Fruit: skin can become greasy; quickly browning.

Merit or fault?: Tree: ripens over several weeks (from late August through mid September). Fruit: subject to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but leads to decay at core].

Ratings [most are for Gravenstein, rather than Red Gravenstein]: Downing: vg; Bull97: 5-6**; Bull99: 8-9**; Bull09: vg**; Beach: vg-b; Hedrick: **dkM (fruits attractive and excellent. Becoming popular); Hedrick1914: vg-b/*; Hedrick13: vg-best, *, attractive. excellent; AA: **; Allen; APS1911: vg, **DKM; Brooklyn; BC: vg; Baker: **, NY (Top12), MA (Top6), RI (top12), NJ (top20); Bailey: MSF; Barron:very handsome and highly flavoured; Barry: Top20, (A), (G), Unimpeachable "of the first quality"/"peculiar high, aromatic flavor....one of the most profitable," ; Bridgeman: [Germany's] best dessert apple; Buffalo; Bunker: "the most famous of all summer apples and deservedly so"; Bunyard: deserving of wider cultivation; Cole: one of the handsomest and best; Dickerman: US, NY*; Engelbrecht: [stongly, elegantly, and peculiarly spicy]; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(DKM); FB1001; Folger: *$H= (2 regions); Gardener's: high quality, peculiarly distinct flavour (W); Goodman: best early dessert; Gould: the standard; Hansen: excellent; Hayes; Herefordshire: "very valuable...first quality"; "Hogg2: very excellent; Hooper: sometimes excellent; Jacobsen: "the first great apple of the year"; Kenrick: *(first rate); KOB: high quality, with an excellent, room-filling smell; Lear: 9; Leroy: 1; Lewelling; Lowther: vg,20; Manhart: vg/b; Manning: one of the most valuable apples cultivated; ME94: vg/**; Michigan1879: vg, 6.7.5; Michigan1890: vg, 7.7.7; Michigan: attractive, of good quality; Ont1892: 9/9/10/10; PA1889: A5; PA1910: (S&N) Unexcelled for cooking, very good for dessert; Phillips: "Refined spritely flavor"; Pomologie: *****; Powell: * "one of the finest apples now grown," one of the must 6 and must 20; Ragan: vg; Richmond: *FM; Royal: 1888: No. 24 dessert, in Top 60 culinary, first quality; S-L: de toute premiere qualitie; Salt; Scott: 1, among earlier apples, none equal; Seattle24; Thomas: *(high flavored, excellent); Traverso: F-S; UIll: vg-b; Vorbeck: Sour10; Walker: #2; Warder: vg; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert vg, cooking vg, commercial value - first class; Yepsen: "outstanding".

Special: The parentage of the original Gravenstein is unknown, and several European countries claim to be its original home sometime before 1650. We have two Gravenstein trees. Both may be Red Gravensteins. The red sport is reported to be nearly identical to the original except for color and that the red thrives better in northern climates. Red Gravensteins may start to ripen a few days sooner than Gravensteins.

LATE AUGUST

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Primate
(Rough and Ready, North American Best)
(parentage unknown)
Camillus, NY
introduced 1840

NFC GRIN USDA+

above medium to large

classic shape, ribbed

rich, refreshing, spritely, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: light greenish white with yellow tinge & crimson blush, occasionally russetting near stem; thin

Flesh: white, fine-grained

Crispness: 1-2

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, cider

T3, upright spreading, dense

Fireblight: 3
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); precocious bearer. Fruit: very slow browning flesh; highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: tends toward biennial, has a narrow harvest window. Fruit: poor keeper, very tender, bruises easily.

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over several weeks (from late August through
September); differing reports on productivity from very productive to light bearer. Fruit: not uniform in size.

Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 9**: Beach: vg to best; Hedrick: *dH (Tree characters poor, valuable for dessert and local market); Hedrick13: vg-best /1922: vg-b, "choicely good"; APS1911: b, *DK; Bailey: HUSF; Baker: NY (Top12), Barry: "excellent dessert sort"; Elliott: best; Engelbrecht: sehr gut, [noticeably sweet, a bit spicy]; Hansen:*: vg to best, "one of the best summer dessert apples for the family"; Hayes; Lear: not rated, but listed by Fitz among best 6 summer apples; Lowther: best,10(26); ME94: best; Michigan, 9.3.5: best; Michigan1904: very fine eating; Ont1892: 7/6/6/_; PA1889: S7; PA1910: (S) One of the best of its season for the home orchard;Ragan: vg-b; S-L: tres jolie et excellente variete; Scott: 1; Thomas: **(valuable); Warder: best; Waugh: vg; Woolverton: dessert vg-best, cooking fair, commercial value - third class.

Special: The farm of Calvin D. Bingham on Munro Road in Camillus, where the Primate originated (less than an hour's drive from our farm) was located where the Tuscarora Golf Course is now located.

Northfield Beauty
(Siberian crab x Hubbardston?)
origin uncertain, but named for Northfield, Vermont
before 1875

USDA

medium to large

slightly flattened, asymmetric

complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red & red stripes dominant over yellow,
prominently dotted; thin

Flesh: white, fine-grained

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating

T2, spreading

Fireblight: 4
Scab: 1
PM: 3
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; hangs well on tree for long time; resistant to scab.

Faults: Fruit: bruises easily; poor keeper.

Ratings: Downing: good; Bull99: 6-8_; Bull09: vg_; Hansen: rather poor (good for cooking); Ragan: vg; Waugh: good

Special: We were first interested in this variety because Margaret's parents lived in Northfield, Mass., a town near to Hubbardston and Westfield, two other towns that gave names to apples. It turned out that the apple was named for Northfield, Vermont, not Massachusetts, but our homage to Claude and Jean Shepard remains.
In an article about hybrid Siberian apples in Transactions of the American Horticultural Society, Volume 3, 1885, the Northfield Beauty was described as Vermont's greatest success, with fruit "of high excellence, approaching 'best' in quality"; nearly lost, but promoted in California by Albert Etter after 1900.

Magog Redstreak
(parentage unknown)
Newport, Vermont
before 1870

USDA+

large

somewhat egg- shaped

mild, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red splashed over light yellow,
some russet; tough, thin

Flesh: creamy, coarse

Crispness: 2-3

Juiciness: 4

Culinary

T2, roundish

Fireblight: 5
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: very hardy (ironclad, to z2).

Faults: Tree: tends toward biennial; poor keeper.

Ratings: Bull99: 7-8/X; Bull09: g_; Beach: good; Hedrick: _(not valuable enough to retain) Hedrick13: good, not valuable enough to retain/1922: has been on probation for nearly a half a century, but of unquestionable excellence as a culinary apple; APS1911: g; BC: medium; Hansen: fair to good; Lowther: good,...; ME94: .../...; Ont1892: 3/7/5/7; Ragan: [described but not rated]; Waugh: good; Wilkinson: good; Woolverton: good, commercial value - third class.

Special: We got this on a whim. The nursery had never offered it before and has not offered it since, but Margaret had spent several years of field work in sight of Magog, a great granite dome in Stewart Island, NZ.

Antonovka
(the People's Apple)
(parentage unknown)
Tambov Oblast, Russia
introduced in 1888

NFC USDA

large

flatter shape. irreguoar

mild, 4 on the sweet-tart scale
Note:
called both refreshing and tasty to too tart to not very flavorful.

Skin: green to greenish yellow; tough

Flesh: creamy yellow, coarse

Crispness: 2-3

Juiciness: 2

Culinary

T3, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 1
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: very hardy (ironclad, to z2 or 3); heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit, late blooming protects it from frost damaget. Fruit: aromatic; does not bruise easily; good keeper.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing. Fruit: quickly browning flesh.

Ratings: Bull97: 7_; Bull09: p*; Beach: "of no practical value for this state [Beach later revised rating to "good for dessert use" in northern New York; Hedrick: _ (May be of value where superior hardiness is a prime requisite); Hedrick13: good, of no value; BC: good; Bunyard: hardly worthy of retention; Engelbrecht: [noticeably spicy, but not very sweet]; FB: T (KM); Hansen*: good; KOB: suitable only in extreme cold climates; Pomologie: ***; Ragan: poor; S-L: douteuses ou peu meritantes; Woolverton: quotes Hansen's good

Special: Primarily used for standard sized root stock.

Dorsett Golden
(Golden Delicious sport or open pollinated)
Bahamas
originated in 1953, introduced 1964

NFC GRIN

medium to large

classic shape

rich; 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Creamy yellow with pink blush

thin skinned

creamy yellow

firm, crisp

fine-grained

Juiciness: 5

Fresh eating; culinary

T3, spreading

Fireblight: 5
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual, extremely precocious bearing; somewhat self pollinating. Fruit: very aromatic; better keeper than most early ripening apples.

Faults: Tree: early blossoming a challenge for northern climes

Merit or fault?: Fruit: occasionally seedless.

Special: This is a warm climate apple where it is very early to ripen, but we saw a tree full of apples in Geneva, NY, in September, and liked the taste and quality of the apple enough tha we decided to try growing one.

EARLY SEPTEMBER

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Baker's Delicious
(Bendigedig, Daughter of Wales)
(unknown)
Wales
discovered in 1932 when it as an old tree.

NFC

medium to large

classic shape

sprightly, distinctive, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red-orange over golden yellow with a small amount of russetting, thin
Flesh: cream, fine grained

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 5

Fresh eating

T3, upright spreading

Fireblight: 4
Scab: 1
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Fruit: handsome, very aromatic. appearance; very juicy.

Faults: Tree: partial tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: poor keeper, bruises easily.

Ratings: n/a

Special: Not the same as Baker's Delight, a more recent, trademarked apple tree. Introduced by Bakers of Wolverhampton, a nursery that is not located in Wales and was not very original in their apple naming. Bendigedig is Welsh for "Wonderful."

Redflesh
(Hansen's Red Flesh)
(Niedzwetzkyana x Elk River)
Brookings, SD
introduced by the South Dakota
Agricultural Experiment Station in 1928

Redflesh cut in half
GRIN USDA

crab

elongated

astringent, 6 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: deep red; thin

Flesh: red, coarse

Crispness: 3-4

Juiciness: 3

Cider-blending, jelly, ornamental

T1, upright

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 5
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: hardy (to z3 or 4); beautiful red buds and pink flowers; greenish bronze foliage. Fruit: rich in health-beneficial anthocyanins; keeps well for an early apple (for a couple of months)

Faults: Tree: biennial. Fruit: good for jellies, sauces, and cider.

Special: Although Roger Way (Cornell, 1992) called it inedible, Maine pomologist Donald Wyman rated it among the best crabs for flower and best for fruit in 1950. Used as pollinator and food for wildlife.

Garden Royal
(Garden Royale)
(parentage unknown)
Sudbury, Massachusetts
before 1800

NFC USDA+

small to medium

wider than classic apple shape, slightly ribbed

rich & pleasant, sub-acid; 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: green yellow with dull red & orange-red stripes, dotted; thin

Flesh: creamy yellow, fine-grained

Crispness: 2

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, ornamental

T1 or T2, upright

Fireblight: 5
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: hardy. Fruit: very aromatic.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; biennial. Fruit: poor keeper.

Merit or fault?: Tree: inconsisently a heavy cropper

Ratings: Downing: best; Bull1897: 10/*; Bull99: 10/**; Beach: vg; Hedrick: *H, "too small for market"; Bailey:HUSF; APS1911: b; Baker: --, OH (Top 6); Barry: delicious, but not adapted for the orchard either in tree or fruit/perhaps in quality the best apple grown, but not profitable; Cole: nothing superior; Elliott: suitable to small orchards where delicious fruit is desired; Hansen: best; Lowther: 6(8); ME94: best/*; Michigan1879: best, 10.5.3; Pomologie: ***; Ragan: best; Scott: 1, a fine American apple; Thomas: first-rate dessert; UIll: taken out as of no value; Walker: [not in Top 26, but deserving] Waugh: best

Special: Tree size has been listed as naturally dwarfing, medium, and very vigorous in different sources. Our first Garden Royal tree was of dwarf size on Antonovka rootstock.

Summer Rambo
(Rambour Franc, Rambour d'Ete)
(parentage unknown)
Picardy, France
before 1550

summerrambo

USDA+

large

flatter shape, slightly ribbed, asymmetric

on the sweet side of sweet-tart

Skin: red streaks and blush over greenish yellow, prominently dotted; thin

Flesh: yellow, fine-grained

Crispness: 3

Juiciness; 4

Fresh eating, culinary

T3

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 3
PM: 3
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing. Fruit: highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: poor keeper, becomes mealy.

Ratings: Beach: good; Hedrick13: b/*; Michigan1879: good, 9.9.4; BBG; Burford*; Engelbrecht: [a little sweet, but not at all spicy]; FB208: D3; Gould: of merit; HSL: 1; Jacobsen: "conquered the word"; Keil: among top 9 summer and fall apples; Leroy: 2/1; Manning: firm and juicy; PA1889: S4; PA1910: (S)* Highly prize, high quality; Prince; Ragan: good; Waugh: fair; UIll: vg; Y.

Special: In France the name was Rambour, but after it was introduced to colonial America, its name was altered to Rambo. It can be speculated with good reason that the name change was influenced by the then-popularity of the Rambo, a much later ripening apple that shared some of the same traits, shape and skin coloring. There are many different Rambours in Europe, but no other of the few that crossed the ocean gained popularity.
One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

Chestnut Crab
(Chestnut Sweet Crab)
(Wealthy x (Keswick Codling x ?); originally thought to be Malinda x Siberian Crab)
Minnesota
introduced by the Minnesota
Agricultural Experiment Station in 1946

Chestnut Crab
GRIN

small (but large for a crab)

flatter shape

rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow orange with red stripes,
some russeting especially at both ends; thin

Flesh: yellow, fine-grained

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 5

Fresh eating, jelly, cider blending

T2, spreading

Fireblight: 1
Scab: 3
PM:
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); annual, good pollinator. Fruit: keeps well for an early apple (for more than a couple of months).

Faults: Tree: early blooming makes it susceptible to killing frosts.

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks (through September).

Ratings: AA: ***; Browning; Bunker: "the apple version of “Sun Gold” tomatoes"; Burford; Heavy: "doll-sized and taste like they have been dipped in honey, with a fantastic snap"; Jacobsen: "One of my favorite apples"; Smith: top late August variety [in Zone 7].

Special: Flavor has been called nutty -- does the name inspire the taste buds, or did the nutty taste inspire the name?

Autumn Crisp
(was NY 674)
(Golden Delicious x Monroe)
Geneva, NY
1968?
introduced by the New York Sate
Agricultural Experiment Station in 2009

medium to large

classic shape

3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: predominantly red;
some greenish yellow;
tough

Flesh: white, fine-grained

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary

T1, spreading

Fireblight: 2
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: precocious bearer. Fruit: exceptionally non-browning flesh; holds shape well in baking.

Merit or Fault: Fruit: its tartness may vary from year to year. It has been called "too tart" and "tart without much complexity," and tartness was its chief feature the first year we harvested it. In 2016, it was more mellow, and one taster even called it "too sweet."

Ratings: AA: [no stars]; Jacobsen: wicked fun to bite into....If only it didn't try so hard to please."

Special: Mott's valued it enough to negotiate with Cornell for exclusive rights to it, I think for the purpose of developing apple slices or chips as a new snack food. As the new name and increased availability in 2009 indicates, the deal was not completed. There are claims that it is very high in Vitamin C, but that is true of all acidic apples.
Winner of the 2016 Sage Hen Farm taste test. Autumn Crisp garnered the most votes for #1 also had the highest average rating 4.7 on a scale of 1 to 5.

Striped Harvey
(parentage unknown)
Maine
before 1800

medium

classic shape

sprightly, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

red stripes over yellow; thin

Flesh: yellow, fine-grained

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, roundish, dense

Fireblight: ??
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3). Fruit: rich, well blended flavor.

Ratings: Ragan: listed as Harvey Stripe, but not described nor rated.

Special: Might have been lost and forgotten but for the efforts of George Stilphen, author of the book Apples of Maine, who promoted it as his favorite apple.

Detroit Red
(Grand Sachem; Detroit Black, perhaps mistakenly)
(parentage unknown)
colonial French Canada
before 1790

Detroit Red

USDA

variable from medium to very large

flatter shape, ribbed

mild, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: variable, glossy crimson, deep purple, or black over
red and occasional yellow, prominently dotted;
thick

Flesh: white, occasionally stained with red, coarse

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 5

Culinary, cider

T2, roundish, dense

Fireblight: 1
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); late blooming protects it from late frosts, annual, productive. Fruit: highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: great variability in size.

Ratings: Beach: g/vg; Hedrick: _dH (Surpassed by McIntosh); Hedrick13: good-vg; Allen; APS1911: g; Lowther: g,1; Michigan1879: good, 6.4.2; Ont1892: _/4/2/4; Scott: 1, agreeable, sprightly; Thomas: (agreeable sub-acid); Warder: good? [Note: the confusion between the Detroit Red, Detroit Black, and Red Detroit makes some ratings uncertain].

Special: planted by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello; may be a parent of the McIntosh; twice finished at the bottom of the top 20 in taste tests held by Tom Burford at Monticello, but Detroit was primarily used as a cider apple by Jefferson and is past its prime in Virginia when the tasting is done.

Glowing Coal
(unknown; likely related to Gravenstein; possibly a sport of Ohio Nonpariel, if not identical to Ohio Nonpareil)
New Jersey or Ohio
introduced as Glowing Coal in 1891

USDA

large

classic shape

sprightly rich; 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Predominently scarlet and crimson, solid or with striping over a bright red over greenish yellow

thin skinned

creamy yellow

firm

fine-grained, waxy

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

Fireblight: 4
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual. Fruit: very aromatic; slow browning flesh; fruit hangs well.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; light bearer. [These despite advertising claims to the contrary.]

Ratings: Michigan1904: "promising market variety...large, handsome... of good quality". Ragan: vg

Special: First appeared in the 1891 Lovett's Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees and Plants. An illustration appeared in the 1895 catalog. It was marketed as a new variety of "large size, great beauty, and superb quality." It was challenged a few years later by a member of the New York Horticultural Society and others as being the same as Ohio Nonpariel. In season, flesh quality, and productivity, both are similar. Defenders said it was different. Glowing Coal apples are larger and more brightly red skinned. However, Ohio Nonpareil apples have great variation in size and coloration.

MID SEPTEMBER

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Ohio Nonpareil
(Myers Nonpareil)
(possibly a sport of Gravenstein)
Ohio
introduced by a Mr. Myers of Massillon in 1848

GRIN USDA

large

classic shape, but can be asymmetrical

sprightly rich; 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Bright red with scarlet striping and mottling over pale yellow; some russeting

thin skinned, waxy

creamy yellow

firm, crisp

fine-grained

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, spreading

Fireblight: 4
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual, productive most years; stout limbs bear fruit well. Fruit: very aromatic; slow browning flesh; fruit hangs well.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; irregular bearer.

Ratings: Downing: vg; Beach: g-vg [but has not been much disseminated in New York; Bull97: 5-6_; Hedrick: g-vg; Hedrick22: g-vg, tree is seldom satisfactory; APS1911:vg; Bailey: MSF; Hansen: vg; Keil: among top summer and fall apples for dessert; Lowther: vg,2(6); Michigan1879: vg, 8.7.9, one of the most valuable late autumn apples; Ragan: vg; Salt: "similar juicy, savoury, yet sweet flavour to the Gravenstein, yet is firmer fleshed"; Thomas: excellent, much valued; Warder: First quality, better than best; Waugh: fair.

Special: See Glowing Coal above for note about identity.

Saint Edmund's Russet
(St. Edmund's Pippin,
Early Golden Russet)
(parentage unknown)
Bury Saint Edmunds, Suffolk, UK
before 1870

St. Edmund's Russet
NFC GRIN

medium

flatter shape

rich, complex, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: russeting over greenish yellow; thick

Flesh: cream, fine-grained

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating

Fireblight: ??
Scab: ??
PM: 2
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh.

Faults: Tree: tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: not a good keeper.

Merit or Fault?: Fruit: russet qualities.

Ratings: BC: nr; Browning; Potter; Ragan: not described; Royal: FCC, AGM-D

Special: It is reported in multiple sources that Richard Harvey of Bury St. Edmunds introduced this variety, but no one includes any personal information about him. It is probably only a coincidence that several British apples and one from Maine have "Harvey" in their name.

Kerr
(Kerr's Crab, orginally Morden 352)
(Dolgo x Haralson)
Manitoba
introduced 1952

GRIN

small (large for a crab)

classic apple shape

intense, rich, hint of astringency; 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: dark purple-red

Flesh: cream with hints of yellow, occasionally tinged with red

Crispness: 2

Juiciness: 4

Culinary, cider, fresh eating, ornamental

T2 or T3, upright spreading; open

Fireblight: 1
Scab: 3
PM: 2
CAR: 1

Merits: Tree: annual; very hardy (nearly ironclad, to z2 or 3); heavy cropper; developed to be wind resistant. Fruit: highly aromatic; excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: drops fruit prematurely. Fruit: quickly browning flesh

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit hangs well, but several sources report that the fruit can be messy if allowed to drop.

Ratings: n/a

Special: Used as pollinator and food for wildlife.

Honeycrisp
(Keepsake x Frostbite [parentage includes Malinda, Northern Spy, Duchess of Oldenburg, & Golden Delicious])
Minnesota
introduced by the Minnesota
Agricultural Experiment Station in 1991

Honeycrisp
GRIN

large

classic shape

sprightly, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red & orange over yellow, dotted;
moderately thick

Flesh: cream

Crispness: 5

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating

T1, upright, spreading

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 2
PM: 4
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); late blooming protects it from late frosts; annual. Fruit: exceptionally, explosively crisp.

Faults: Fruit: moderately quick browning, not tart enough or right texture for good cooking or baking.

Merit or fault?: Tree: claims are that it is an precocious bearer, but ours have been slow to start bearing.

Ratings: AA: *; Browning; Burford; Jacobsen: "ir shatters your mouth like an apple-flavored Cheeto"; Manhart: notable new; Phillips: "explosively crisp flesh" and "has a honeyed sweetness in its good flavor years"; Seattle24; Traverso: F-S; Vorbeck: Sweet3.

Special: Minnesota's State Apple. Crispness is due to the rupture or popping its cells that are twice the size of those of other apples. The researchers must have kept poor records, because it was once thought that it was a cross of Macoun & Honeygold. But the actual parentage was finally worked out in 2017.

Jefferis
(Jefferies)
(unknown)
Chester County, Pennsylvania
before 1840

Jefferis

NFC GRIN USDA+

medium

classic shape

rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: light, dark and orangy red
over yellow-green,
occasional russeting around stem,
thin

Flesh:
pale cream

Crispness: 3-4

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary

T3, upright, open

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); precocious bearer; very prolific. Fruit: highly aromatic.

Faults: Fruit: not a good keeper.

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over long season (from mid September through early October).

Ratings: Bull97: 8-9/**; Bull09: vgb**; Beach:vg; Hedrick: *dH (excellent for the home orchard); Hedrick13: vg,*, excellent for the home market; APS1911: vg, **D; Barry: (A), /"juicy, rich" A; Burford; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(D); Folger: H (0 regions); Gould: of merit; Hansen: vg; Keil: among top 9 summer and fall apples &among top for pie; Lowther; vg,3; Michigan1879: vg, 9.6.6; Michigan1904: of highest quality, and should be in every collection; PA1889: A11; S-L: a l'etude; de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Smith: solid reliable early apple...with a nice fruity flavor, 9th overall top: Thomas: (very pleasant); Warder: best.

Special: In his Report of the Pomologist to the US Commissioner of Agriculture, 1888, Henry E. Van Deman stated, "If I should be asked to select the choicest early autumn apple known to me, I would say the Jefferies."

Porter
(parentage unknown)
Sherburne, Massachsetts
before 1800

Porter

NFC GRIN USDA

Not Porter's Perfection, a cider apple

medium

elongated and tapered, asymmetric

rich, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: bright yellow, with dull orange
or red blush, occasionally russetting at both ends; thin

Flesh: cream

Crispness: 2

Juiciness: 1

Culinary, especially baking

T2, roundish, dense

Fireblight: 5
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); although biennial, still has decent off-year production; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: retains shape remarkably well.

Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: quickly browning flesh; poor keeper.

Merit or fault?: Tree: ripens over several weeks. Fruit: bruises somewhat easily.

Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 8-9**; Bull09: vgb*; Beach: g-vg; BC: vg; Hedrick: *dkH (has many merits); Hedrick1914: g-vg/**; Hedrick13: g-vg, *, has many merits for home use and local markets/1922:best of all yellow fall apples; APS1911: b, **DM; Bailey: MSF; Baker: **, NY (Top20), RI (Top6), VA; Barry: (A), "excellent flavor"/"sprightly, highly esteemed" AL; Bridgeman: spritely and agreeable; Buffalo; Bunker: " an excellent late summer-early fall all-purpose cooking apple"; Burford; Cole: excellent; Dickerman: NE, NY; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(DM); Hansen: vg; Hooper: 2, deserves a place in every orchard for beauty; Jacobsen: "Middle-of-the-road appleness"; Kenrick: *(sprightly and pleasant); Lear: 10; Leroy: 1; Lowther: best,16; Manning: one of the finest of its season; ME94: best/**; Michigan1879: vg, 7.6.7; Ont1892: 5/4/5/3; PA1889: A7; Powell: * "an excellent apple"; Prince; Ragan: vg-b; Scott: 1; Thomas: *(fine flavor); UIll: vg-b; Walker: #7; Warder: g-vg; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: vg-best; Woolverton: dessert vg, cooking vg, commercial value - third class.

Special: specifically recommended for jelly and the only apply recommended for canning in early editions of the Boston Cooking School cookbook by Fannie Farmer.

Wealthy
(once thought Siberian crab x Jonathan, DNA evidence identifies Duchess of Oldenburg x Jonathan)
Hennepin County, Minnesota
1860

Wealthy

NFC GRIN USDA

medium to large

classic shape, slightly ribbed

mild, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red stripes over pale greenish yellow; tough

Flesh: greenish white tinged with pink

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating

T1, upright-spreading, open

Fireblight: 4
Scab: ??
PM: 4
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: very hardy (nearly ironclad); precocious bearer; heavy cropper only when tree is young;non-browning flesh. Fruit: does not bruise easily

Faults: Tree: biennial; thinning required for good sized fruits; may drop fruit prematurely; Fruit: skin can become greasy.

Merit or fault?: Tree: ripens over several week

Ratings: Beach: g-vg; Hedrick: * [** in some other NY regions]; Hedrick1914: g-vg/**; NY1916: l/sp; APS1911: vg; BC: good; B-H: vg; Bull91: 6/** [97: no change; 99: 6-7/**]; Bunker: "one of the most famous of the hardy, all-purpose varieties"; Can; dessert good, cooking good, commercial value - first class; Gadener's: rich and distinct, (D&C12)(HC)(P); Lowther: vg,13(18); ME94: vg/*; Michigan1879: f/m; Michigan1904: one of the most valuable market varieties on trial; PA1910: (S&N)* Good for dessert or cooking; Ont1892: 8/6/9/9; Ragan: vg; Royal: AM; Waugh: fair ; Wilkinson: vg/*; Y.

Special: Developed out of seed from Maine by Peter Gideon, the first non-crab apple to thrive in Minnesota well enough to be grown commercially. We think it is rather cool that got its name, not out of any pecuniary association, but for a sentimental reason. Gideonn named the variety after his wife, whose first name was Wealthy.
One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

Mother
(American Mother)
(parentage unknown)
Bolton, Mass.
introduced 1844

Mother

NFC GRIN USDA+

medium

somewhat elongated

rich & complex, but not intense, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red stripes over yellow, occasionally russeting near stem;
thin

Flesh:
cream

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, cider

T2, upright-spreading, open

Fireblight: 5
Scab 1
PM: 2
CAR: ??

Merits: Tree: late blooming protects it from frost damage; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: non-browning flesh; highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing. Fruit: not a good keeper.

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks (from mid September through early October). Fruit: quality and flavor are quite variable from year to year.

Ratings: Downing: best; Beach: vg-best; Hedrick: *dH (Tree characters poor. Appearance and quality of the best); Bull97: 8-9**; Bull09: b*; Hedrick13: vg-best, *, Tree characteristics poor, appearance and quality of the best; AA: *, Alwood: "most excellent quality for table or culinary"; APS1911: b; Bailey: HUSF; Baker: *, NY (Top20); Barron: first quality; Barry: (W), "rich"/"valuable dessert" WL; BC: vg; Browning; Buffalo; Bunyard: a very choice desert fruit; Burford*; Cole: has no superior, and few equals, delightful mingling of sub-acid & saccharine; Elliott: vg; FB113: NE&; FB208: R(D); Gardener's: very satisfactory, (R6)(W); Gould: "of exquisite dessert quality," "of merit, but largely unknown"; Hansen: best; Herefordshire: "one of the best dessert apples"; Hogg2: first rate; Hooper: 2; Jacobsen:"It's worth finding"; Keil: "undoubtedly the finest apple of its season" & listed among top summer & fall apples & top for stewing, pie & baking; KOB: listed, but quality not described; Lowther: best,12; ME94: best/**; Michigan1879: best, 8.7.6; Michigan1904: best; Ont1892: 8/7/6/6; Potter [only American apple included]; Powell: * "one of the best dessert apples...of indescribable richness," "invaluable": Ragan: best; Royal: 1888: first quality, AGM-D; S-L: de toute premiere qualitie pour table, tres meritante; Scott: first-rate; Smith: rich unique taste when well-grown, 16/11 top flavor; Thomas: *(rich, very spicy); Warder: vg; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: best.

Special: The Mother apples used by Adam to review in the Adam's Apple website were two that we sent him. They might have been more highly rated if we had sent the apples a week earlier.

Kidd's Orange Red
(Delco [original name])
(Cox's Orange Pippin x Red Delicious)
Greytown, NZ
1924

NFC GRIN

medium to large

classic shape, slightly ribbed

rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: crimson over yellow, dotted,
occasionally russeting near stem;
thick

Flesh: deep cream

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, cider

T2, upright, but easily trained

Fireblight: 1
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: annual; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing. Fruit: highly aromatic; very juicy; non-browning flesh

Faults: Tree: requires thinning for large sized fruit.

Ratings: Burford*; Manhart: vg; Phillips: "Deep aromatic overtones surpass its rich sweetness"; Pomologie: *****; Royal: AM, AGM-D; Smith: low acid sweet aromatic, 11/12 top flavor, 6/7 top overall; Way; Yepsen: "superior to Gala".

Special: The first variety that New Zealand apple breeder J.H. Kidd (Gala, Freyberg) thought worthy of further propogation.

MID TO LATE SEPTEMBER

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

King of the Pippins
(King of Pippins, Reine des Reinettes, Reine de Reinettes, Golden Winter Pearmain, Frogstar)
(parentage unknown)
France, Belgium, UK?
before 1800 (an old German source claims early 1200s)

Reine de Reinettes
(King of the Pippins, Reine des Reinettes, Golden Winter Pearmain, Frogstar)
(parentage unknown)
France, Belgium, UK?
before 1800 (an old German source claims early 1200s)

King of the Pippins

NFC GRIN USDA+ (King) USDA (Reine)

small to medium

somewhat elongated, sometimes lopsided

rich, complex, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red and orange
stripes dominant over yellow;
thick

Flesh: pale cream

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, roundish, dense

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 2
PM: 5
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: highly aromatic; rich flavor; prized for nutty character in cider blending.

Faults: Tree: poor keeper for an apple of this season. Fruit: quickly browning flesh.

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks; flavor and quality varies from year to year more than most varieties.

Ratings: AA: ***, Barron: first quality; BC: nr; Buffalo: 2nd rate; Bunyard: distinct flavour; Elliott: unworthy; Engelbrecht: [flavored like a pure reinette]; Gardener's: pleasantly brisk, (D6)(HC); HSL: 2; Hedirck: good [but seemed to be describing a different, late winter apple]; Herefordshire: "its greatest merit is its beauty'; Hogg1: unequalled by any other of its season; Hogg2: valuable; HSL3: 1; Jacobsen "In the upper echelon of flavor"; Kenrick: no*(first rate; no garden should be without); KOB: a top variety; Leroy:1; Manning: high flavored; Pomologie: *****; Prince; Ragan: g; Royal: 1888: No. 1 desert, first quality, AGM-C/D; S-L: de premier qualitie tous la usages, aussi pour cidre; Scott: 1; Smith: very rich flavor...one of the best cooking/processing apples, 1 in 2022, 9/10 top flavor & 5 top overall in 2018; UIll: g-vg; VT.

Special: King of the Pippins may or may not be the same as the Dutch and the French Reine des Reinettes or the Reine de Reinettes sold in North America. King of the Pippins may or may not be identical to the original Golden Winter Pearmain. I've also seen speculation that the Clarke Pearmain grown at Monticello was the same apple. We have both a King of the Pippins and a Reine de Reinettes.

Reinette suggests little queen, but there is speculation that Reinette is a pun on Rainette, or little frog, because of those apples' thick, spotted skins. Frogstar suggests the this apple is the best of that little frog family of apples.

Fall Pippin
(Reinette d'Espagne)
(Either identical to White Spanish Reinette [Camuesar] or White Spanish Reinette open pollinated)
US before 1800 or Spain before 1700

NFC GRIN USDA+

large

flatter shape, ribbed, sides sometimes unequal

sprightly, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow-green, becoming fine yellow, with occasional dull orange blush, occasionally russeting near stem;
thin

Flesh: white, tinged with yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary

T2, upright spreading, dense

Fireblight: 4
Scab: ??
PM: 2
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing. Fruit: good keeper for an early apple, highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate); may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: quickly browning flesh.

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over long season from September into October.

Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 10/**; Bull09: gvg**; Beach:vg; Hedrick: **dk (well recommended for local market); Hedrick13: vg,*, excellent for the home market; Allen; Bailey: HUSF; Baker:CT (Top 12), NJ (Top 12), NY** (Top 6), RI (Top 20), KY, MS, OH; Barry: Top20, (A), (G), "delicious, esteemed everywhere"/"one of the most valuable varieties", Unimpeachable; A; BC: vg; Bridgeman: first class; Buffalo: first rate in every respect; Burford; Cole: "fine for the table, superior for cooking"; CG: 42/22/16/80; Dickerman: NE, NY*; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(D); Folger: H↓ (0 regions); Gould: of merit; Hansen: vg; Herefordshire: "first rate quality suitable for dessert, but more especially for culinary purposes"; Hogg1: valuable and first rate culinary; Hooper: 1, highly esteemed; Kenrick: no*(one of the finest and most beautiful of its season); Leroy: 2/1; Lowther: vg,12(35): ME94: vg; PA1889: A2; PA1910: (N)* One of the most desirable of its season for the home orchard and of much value commercially; Pomologie:****; size="-1">S-L: de toute premiere qualitie Richmond: *M.

Special: One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

Late Strawberry
(Autumn Strawberry, Fall Strawberry)
(parentage unknown)
Aurora, New York
before 1848

GRIN USDA+

Late Strawberry

medium

classic shape, often ribbed

sprightly, 3 on the sweet-tart scale, distinctive

Skin: light & dark streaks of red over pale yellow, thin

Flesh:
yellowish white

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 5

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, spreading, open

Fireblight: 4
Scab:
PM: 5
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: hardy (to z4); precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; annual. Fruit: highly aromatic; does not bruise easily; long keeping for a fall apple.

Faults: Tree: biennial. Fruits:

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks. Fruit: .

Ratings: Downing: vg; Beach: vg; Hedrick: **dH (One of the best dessert apples of its season); Hedrick13: vg, one of the good dessert apples of its season; APS1911: vg; Baker: **; Barry: Top20, "one of the best of its season" G, Unimpeachable; Buffalo; Cole: one of the finest; Elliott: describes but doesn't rate; FB208: R(DK); Hansen: vg; Hooper: "highly esteemed in New York, where best known"; Keil: listed among top varieties for stewing and pie; Lowther: vg,11(25); ME94: vg; Michigan1879: vg, 8.4.5; Ont1892: 7/5/5/7; PA1889: A6; Thomas: *(one of the best early autumn apples); UIll: vg; Warder: best; Waugh: fair.

Special: One of two apple varieties in our orchard that orginated in Aurora, NY, only a few miles from our orchard, except that there is a Finger Lake in between. The other is Twenty Ounce.

Holstein
(Holsteiner Cox)
(Cox's Orange open pollinated)
Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
1918

NFC GRIN

large

slightly flatter shape

rich, complex, distinctive, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: bright red over orange with some yellow; moderately thin

Flesh: deep yellow with tinge of orange

Crispness: 3-4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, cider

T3, spreading, dense

Fireblight: 3
Scab: ??
PM: 4
CAR: 3

Merits: Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh; prized for fresh eating and cider; shares many qualities of Cox's Orange, but is larger size.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; biennial; triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: subject to cracking.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core.

Ratings: AA: [no stars]; Burford*; KOB: Recommended alternative to Cox; Phillips: "Highly aromatic with a good sugar-acid balance"; Salt; Seattle24; Smith: would be nice without the watercore; Yepsen: "has a personality of its own".

Special: In a Danish five-year study, organically grown Holsteiner Cox was singled out as the only variety of 14 that combined high yield, good fruit size and good eating quality with low susceptibility to disease.

Cox's Orange Pippin
(once thought to be Ribston Pippin open pollinated but determined to be Rosemary Russet x Margil)
Colnbrook, Buckinghamshire, UK
before 1825, introduced more widely in 1850

NFC GRIN USDA+

Cox Orange Pippin

medium

slightly flatter shape

rich, spicy, spritely, complex, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red over orange with some yellow, occasionally russeting near stem; tough, but thin

Flesh: deep cream

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, cider

T2, upright-spreading, dense

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 4
PM: 4
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: partially self-pollinating. Fruit: beautiful coloring; non-browning flesh; highly aromatic; high quality flavor makes it the favorite fresh eating apple in England.

Faults: Tree: biennial; shy bearer; bears high percentage of misshapen fruits; susceptible to collar rot. Fruit: subject to cracking; subject to shriveling when overmature; has reputation in North America of not measuring up to fruit grown in UK.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core.

Ratings: Beach: vg to best; Hedrick: +dH (desirable for the home orchard); Hedrick1914: vg-b/+; Hedrick13: vg-best, +, desirable for home orchard ; Barron: first quality; BC: vg; Browning; Bunker: "really packs a punch in the flavor department"; Bunyard: "generally considered to be the richest flavoured of English Apples"; Engelbrecht: [very pleasant without too much or too little sweetness]; Gardener's: one of the best (D1)(R3)(HC)(P); Goodman: one of the very best; Herefordshire: "excellent in flavour, and very handsome"; Hogg2: first rate; HSL3: 1; KOB: Outstanding savory fruit with high demands on soil, location and care; Leroy: 1; Lowther: vg,1; Manhart: vg/b; Ont1892: 9/3/7/10; Pomologie: *****; Potter; Ragan: vg; Royal: 1888: No. 2 desert, first quality, FCC, AGM-D; S-L: de toute premiere qualitie; Smith: very tasty, but did not keep it long due to water core, rot, and too few apples; Traverso: T-S; Thomas: brief notice only; Woolverton: not rated, but described as "one of the best English dessert apples"; Yepsen:"the best known dessert apple of the British Isles".

Special: Declined sharply in popularly due to disease problems, before revived to be the most popular variety in the UK. Our experience supports what experts say that the tree can be hard to grow in Northeastern US.

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Halberstadter Jungfernapfel
(Jungfern, Maiden of Halberstadt.)
(parentage unknown)
Halberstadt, Germany
introduced 1885

NFC GRIN

Halberstadter Jungfern

medium to large

somewhat flatter, sometimes lopsided and conical

vinous, mild; 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red over greenish yellow, with red streaks and marbling, waxy with a dull blush;
thin
Flesh: yellow to almost white, may have green veining

Crispness: 2

Juiciness: 5

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, upright

Fireblight: 5
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; annual; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: aromatic, hangs well on tree for long time

Faults: Fruit: softer than most modern tastes prefer.

Merit or fault?: Tree: thrives best in cool, moist regions with heavy soils. Fruit: prized mostly for its juice.

Ratings: Engelbrecht: [moderately sweet and pleasantly vinous, but not noticeably spicy]; KOB: versatile an excellent, room-filling smell

Special: once very popular in Harz Mountains of Germany, but never spread widely outside that region of Germany. Now very rare. Jungfern in the 19th century was a term for a young woman of noble origin. Another name for the variety is Schmuck, but that is German for jewel, not Yiddish for something else.

Karmijn de Sonnaville
(Karmine, Hurt So Good)
(Cox's Orange x Jonathan [or Jonathan-Belle de Boskoop cross])
Wageningen, Netherlands
1949, introduced 1971

NFC GRIN

variable: medium to very large

slightly flatter shape

intense, extreme sweet-tart combination that doesn't fit well on the sweet-tart scale, complex, distinctive

Skin: orange red over yellow, with some russeting on both ends; rough, thick

Flesh: cream

Crispness: 4-5

Juiciness: 5

Fresh eating, cider

T3, upright-spreading

Fireblight: ??
Scab: 5
PM: 3
CAR:

Merits: Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh; shares many qualities of Cox's Orange, but is larger size.

Faults: Tree: biennial; slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate); may drop fruit prematurely, especially in warmer climates; not a good keeper. Fruit: subject to cracking.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: fruit mellows in storage.

Ratings: AA: [**]; Jacobsen: "A howlingly good dessert apple"; Manhart; Pomologie:****; Salt*; Seattle24.

Special: Declared Denmark's national apple in 2005.

Twenty Ounce
(Cayuga Redstreak)
(parentage unknown)
Cayuga County, NY
introduced in 1843

NFC GRIN USDA+

very large

roundish, but asymmetric

mild, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: greenish yellow, splashed and striped with some red; thick, tough

Flesh:
yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Culinary, especially baking

T2, drooping, spreading

Fireblight: ??
Scab:
PM: 2
CAR: 5

Merits: : Tree: very hardy (to z3); bears early & abundantly; bears fruits of uniform large size; fruits hold well to tree. Fruit: excellent keeper for ripening so early; does not bruise easily; premier pie & baking apple.

Faults: Tree: susceptible to scald & winter injury. Fruit: not favored by most tastes for fresh eating.

Ratings: Beach: good for culinary, 2nd rate for fresh; Hedrick: ** [One of the best of the fall varieties]; Hedrick1914: g/**; NY1916: 8; AFC: 14/2 NY (second quality); APS1911: vg, **KM; Bailey: MSF; BC: good; B-H: good; Bull91: 6-7**; Bull09: gvg*; Can; dessert poor, cooking good, commercial value - first to seond class; FB208: HR(KM); FB1001: D2; F&T: $ (1 region [WNY]); Gardener's: briskly flavoured; Goodman: great culinary; Hayes; Heavy: "We figured that a huge apple would have a mild flavor, but not at all.... Quite a rollercoaster"; Hooper: 2; Jacobsen: "a great old apple"[mentioned in a review of Twenty Ounce Pippin, a giant-sized hum variety]; Lowther:vg,11(22); ME94: vg/*; Michigan1879: good, 5.7.9; Ont1892: 2/8/7/8; PA1889: A9; PA1910: (N) Meets a good market demand on account of large size and good cooking qualities; Prince [under Cayuga Redstreak]; Ragan: g-vg; Scott: 2; Waugh: fair; Wilkinson: g to vg/*

Special: There is some mystery about this apple's origin. Although A. J. Dowling, an important pomologist of the 19th Century, indicated it came from Connecticut, S. A. Beach, in Apples of New York, indicates Dowling was wrong. Instead he indicated that it came from Cayuga Country, NY, but was introduced in 1843 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Fedcos John Bunker is even more specific. He writes that "this all purpose variety was first exhibited by George Howland of New Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1843 at the Mass Horticultural Society. Howland found the original seedling on his farm in Cayuga County, New York and brought it with him to Massachusetts." George Howland was the wealthy Quaker owner of a whaling fleet. It is not certain that he ever visited Cayuga County. In a way, however, he did own a farm there. He sent several of his sons with funding to the Finger Lakes to expand his business enterprise beyond whaling. Two sons started a huge milling operation in Union Springs. Another of his sons, Augustus, purchased an established farm in Sherwood in Cayuga County, a few miles from Aurora. It must be noted that Aurora is another early name for the apple. Either George visited the farm and brought back apples or his son delivered apples to his father. Ive found one even earlier documentation of the apple. William R. Prince & Co., the first commercial orchard in North America, included Cayuga Redstreak in its Annual Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees of 1841. Perhaps what Howling did in 1843 was introduce the variety under the name Twenty Ounce. How William Prince would have received the apples is unclear. Ive found nothing to indicate whether Augustus was an investor in the farm or did farming himself. Later on he was a banker. If a huge new apple variety was discovered on farm either by him or someone else, he must have recognized its possibilities for commercial success and let his father know. The farm is still in operation as the Howland Farm Museum. One of two apple varieties in our orchard that orginated in Aurora, NY, only a few miles from our orchard, except that there is a Finger Lake inbetween. The other is Late Strawberry.

Bella de Jardins
(Belle des Jardins, Country Belle)
(Paris, France or Spain)
early 1800s

GRIN

large

flatter shape, prominent ribbing

rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: orange-red stripes and mottling over yellow, thin

Flesh:
creamy yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, cider

Fireblight: 5
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual, prolific bearer. Fruit: very slow browning flesh.

Faults: Fruit: does not keep well; softens in storage

Ratings: HSL3: 2; Leroy: 2/1.

Special: There may be more than one variety with this name or a variation of it.

LATE SEPTEMBER

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Golden Harvey
(Brandytree)
(unknown)
England
early 1600s

NFC GRIN

small to medium

round or flatter shape

intense, extreme sweet-tart combination that doesn't fit well on the sweet-tart scale, complex

Skin: yellow over yellow green; covered my much russeting, thick, somewhat rough

Flesh: creamy yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, cider

T3, upright spreading

Fireblight: 4
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: early bearer; fruit hangs well. Fruit: non-browning flesh; does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: Fruit: shrivels quickly

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit grows in clusters. Fruit: russet quality

Ratings: Downing: not rated, but called an excellent, high-flavored little dessert apple; Barron: small, but first-rate; Bunyon: one of the good old sorts which have been neglected; Englebrecht; [very pleasant spiced with just enough sweetness]; Gardener's: excellent table (R24); Hogg1: one of the richest and most excellent dessert apples, also one of the best for cider; Herefordshire: "in a favourable season is perhaps the most delicious of all dessert apples"; Hogg2: first rate dessert, highly valued for strong cider; HSL: one of the richest; Jacobsen: "it's ripe for rediscovery"; Loudon:1; Ragan: good; Royal: small, but first rate; S-L: de toute premiere qualitie; Warder: highly flavored [then quotes Downing]

Special: Now primarily for cider & apple brandy due to its high sugar content, in Victorian England it was a popular fresh eating apple.

Jonagold
(was NY 43013-1)
(Jonathan x Golden Delicious)
Geneva, NY
raised in 1943, introduced by the New York Sate Agricultural Experiment Station in 1968

NFC GRIN

large

round, slight ribbing

rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow with red stripes; red may or
may not be prominent;
occasionally russeting near stem; tender

Flesh: yellowish-white

Crispness: 4
Juiciness; 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, upright spreading

Fireblight: 5
Scab: ??
PM: 4
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; little pre-harvest drop. Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); susceptible to winter injury. Fruit: soft texture in some climates.

Ratings: AA: [no stars]; Brooklyn; Browning; Bunker: "very pleasant and refreshing"; Burford; Jacobsen: "it has never achieved the popularity it deserves in its native land"; Manhart: vg/b; Royal: AM, AGM-D; Seattle24; Traverso: F-S; Vorbeck: Sweet6; Way; Yepsen:"excellent".

Special: Finished first among The World's Best Commercial Dessert Apples, in a poll of 19 apple experts in 1989. Coming to prominence in Europe before North America, it has become a new standard for fresh eating.

Red Canada
(Canada Red, Steele's Winter Red, Old Nonsuch, Welch's Spitzenberg)
(parentage unknown)
Connecticut or Massachusetts,
early 1800s

GRIN USDA

Red Canada

small to medium to large

classic shape

rich, bright, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: dark red striping
over yellow
with a deep red blush,
prominently dotted, occasionally russeting near stem; smooth, tough

Flesh: greenish white

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 3
PM: 5
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: annual. Fruit: highly aromatic; excellent keeper (best keeper for us); at its best, rivals the best for top honors in flavor

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing

Merit or fault?: Tree: varies much in different seasons and in different localities -- although listed as very productive in some sources, listed as shy or not reliable in others. Fruit: can range from "one of the best apples of its season" to "decidedly inferior." -- Beach

Ratings: Downing: vg-b (best winter); Bull97: 8-9*; Bull09:vg*; Beach: g to b; Hedrick: **dkM (worthy of more extensive planting); Hedrick13: good-best,**, excellent; AA: *; APS1911: **DM; Bailey: MW; Barry: Top20, (G), "one of the best"/"superior", Unimpeachable; WG; Cole: fair to excellent; Elliott: one of the most valuable; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(DM); FB1001*; Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Hayes; Hooper: 1; Keil: listed among top varieties for pies & jelly; ME94: b; Lowther: best,7(15); Michigan1879: best, 7.8.10; Michigan1890: vg, 8.5.10; Michigan1904: one of the very best long-keeping, red, winterm, dessert varieties; Milam: pie:good/sauce:fair; Ont1892: 6/6/7/8; Powell: * "a very superior fruit"; Ragan: vg; Royal: 1888: In Top30 dessert, first quality; S-L: a l'etude; de toute premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Thomas: (rich, high, excellent flavor); Warder: best; Woolverton: good, commercial value - second class.

Special: The only connection of the variety to Canada I've found is speculation from Beach that it "appears to have been brought into Western New York from the vicinity of Toronto."

Rubinette (Rafzubin)
(Golden Delicious x Cox's Orange Pippin)
Switzerland
developed in the 1960s, introduced 1976

NFC

small to medium, small especially when young

roundish but tapering

intense, robust, sprightly,
sweet/sharp taste that doesn't fit well on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: orange and dull red streaks over greenish yellow

Flesh: cream

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary

T2, spreading

Fireblight:
Scab: ??
PM: 2
CAR:

Merits: Tree: hardy; annual; heavy cropper; adaptable to a wide range of climates. Fruit: aromatic.

Faults: Tree: slow to establish its characteristic flavor; requires thinning for larger sized fruit. Fruit: dull color.

Merit or fault?:
Tree: spur bearer.

Ratings: AA: *; Seattle24; Smith: 8/10

Special: Hyped by some as "the best-tasting apple in the world."

Grimes Golden
(Reinette Franche determined to be one parent)
WV
before 1800

Grimes
NFC GRIN USDA+

small to medium

classic shape, slightly ribbed

intense, complex, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow, russeting around stem;
tough,
moderately rough

Flesh: pale cream tinged with orange

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, cider-blending

T2, spreading, dense

Fireblight: ??
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: ??

Merits: Tree: annual; self-pollinating; good pollinator; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing. Fruit: very slow browning flesh; does not bruise easily; beautful rich golden color; highly aromatic

Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely; fruit not uniform in size; susceptible to scald; subject to collar rot. Fruit: very susceptable to bruise marks; doesn't keep long before going soft.

Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 7-9**; Bull99: 9-10**; Bull09: vgb**; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: _ [* in Hudson Valley region] dkHM (beautiful and of high quality but not adapted to latitude of New York); Hedrick1914: vg-B/*; Hedrick13: vg-best, beautiful and of high quality, not always reliable; Alwood: "well known as the standard of quality"; APS1911: vg, **D; Bailey: MW; Barron: sweet; Barry: /"rich,spicy,"; BC: vg; Brooklyn; Bunker: "one of our favorite apples here on the farm"; FB: HR(D); Folger: *$H^ (6 regions); Hansen*: best; Heavy: "sweet and spicy...evocative of nutmeg and white pepper...sharp bite...touch of numbing astringency;" Lowther: vg,3(25); Manhart: vg/b; ME94: vg/*; Michigan1879: vg, 978; Michigan1904: one of the most satisfactory winter varieties; Milam: pie:excellent/sauce:vg; Ont1892: 9/2/6/7; PA1889: W14; PA1910: (S&N)* Unexcelled in quality and of good appearance; Pomologie: ****; Powell: * "a great acquisition," one of the must 20; Ragan: vg-b; Richmond: *F; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Salt; Thomas: (agreeable, very good flavor); Traverso: F-S; UIll: one of the best; Warder: very best; Waugh: best; Wilkinson: vg-best/*; Woolverton: dessert best, cooking poor, commercial value - second class; Yepsen: "some experienced growers name it as their favorite dessert apple".

Special: Called "perfect apple when considered from the consumers' standpoint" in "Varieties of Apples in Ohio," 1915.
One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Hubbardston Nonesuch
(parentage unknown)
Mass.
before 1830

NFC GRIN USDA+

large

flatter shape

sprightly, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: bright red, orangy red, & maroon over yellow,
dotted, some russet;
rough, thick

Flesh: pale cream

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, cider

T2, upright-spreading, dense

Fireblight: ??
Scab: 1
PM: 5
CAR: ??

Merits: Tree: bears early; annual; relatively immune to apple scab. Fruit: prized for fresh eating & cider; natural gloss gives handsome appearance; non-browning flesh; very juicy; good keeper.

Faults: Tree: thinning required for good sized fruit & to prevent biennial bearing; susceptible to winter injury; subject to collar rot; may drop fruit prematurely Fruit: skin can become greasy; loses flavor in storage.

Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 8-9**; Bull09: vg**; Beach: vg to best; Hedrick: **dkM (fruit handsome and of highest quality); Hedrick1914: vg-b/**; NY1916: 7; Hedrick13: vg-best, **, fruit handsome and good; AA: *; Allen; APS1911: vg, **:DM; Bailey: MW & HUW; Baker: *, MA (Top6), NJ (Top12), RI (Top12), MI; Barry: (W), "fine"/"popular and valuable" W; BC: nr; Bridgeman: excellent flavor, worthy of extensive cultivation; Buffalo; Burford; CG: 37|20|20|77; Cole: excellent; Dickerman: NE, NY; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(DM); Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Hansen: vg; Jacobsen: "the primeval ideal from which Red Delicious fell'; Kenrick: *(most superior); Leroy: 2; Lowther: vg,18(30); Manning: The character of this apple is very high; ME94: vg/**; Michigan1879: best, 9.5.9; Michigan1890: best, 10.5.9; Michigan1904: a standard; Ont1892: 7/8/8/8; PA1889: W16; PA1910: (S&N) Good in quality and appearance; Pomologie: ****; Powell: * "noble," one of the must 6; Prince; Ragan: vg; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Smith: very nice...lots of sweet/sour/aroma; Thomas: *(very rich, excellent); UIll: vg; Walker: #14; Warder: vg; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: vg, commercial value - first class; Yepsen: "has a great deal of personality".

Peter Broich | Kaiser Wilhelm
(thought to be Harbert's Reinette open pollinated)
Germany
circa 1830

NFC GRIN

large

classic shape

vinous, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: predominantly red and dark red over yellow; moderately thick skinned
Flesh: cream

Crispness: 3
Juiciness: 5

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright

Fireblight: 5
Scab: ??
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); early bearer; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: very slow browning flesh.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: dries and loses flavor in storage

Merit or fault?: Tree: although the Home Orchard Society gives it only a T2 rating for vigor, an explanation given for its falling out of commercial favor in Germany is that it is too vigorous..

Ratings: Engelbrecht:[pleasantly vinous with just the right sweetness]; Leroy: 1; Pomologie:****; S-L: de bonne qualite.

Special: The story of this apple includes a case of pomological plagiarism. It was developed around 1830 near Cologne by Johann Wilhelm Schumacher and named for his friend, Peter Broich, a Rhineland pastor. Educator and orchardist Carl Hesselmann "discovered" the tree in 1864, and in 1875 he asked Kaiser Wilhelm I permission to name the variety in his honor. The kaiser thought the apple was "truly majestic" and agreed to the request. It was good marketing, and the Kaiser Wilhelm variety became popular all over Germany. Genetic testing in the late 20th century determined that the Kaiser Wilhelm apple was identical to the earlier named "Peter Broich."

Connell Red
(Red Fireside)
(thought to be red sport of Fireside (Wealthy x Northwest Greening; originally thought to be McIntosh x Longfield)), but may be Fireside open pollinated)
Wisconsin
introduced 1957
Connell
GRIN

very large to huge

classic shape

rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red, with waxy bloom;
occasionally russeting near stem; moderately thick

Flesh:
white

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 2
PM: 5
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); usually annual; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; fruits tolerate fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh; good keeper.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: subject to cracking; skin can become greasy.

Rating: Bunker: "excellent...distinctively flavored"

Special: The top pick at taste test led by Ray Reynolds of One of a Kind Orchard, held at Cooperative Extension in Ithaca, 2007. Inspired us to grow it. Pleasantly flavored most years, but in 2019, it had a bad off-flavor. Back to being an excellent apple in 2020.

Fireside
(Wealthy x Northwest Greening; originally thought to be McIntosh x Longfield)
Minnesota
introduced 1943

GRIN
[Note: the skin of GRIN's Fireside does not match that of typical Fireside]

very large

classic shape

mild, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red and orange stripes over yellow or greenish yellow

Flesh:
white, slightly greenish white

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 2
PM: 5
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); usually annual; heavy cropper; fruits tolerate fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh; excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; partial tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: subject to cracking.

Rating: AA: *; Bunker: "we recommend it..."; Yepsen

Special: Introduced by the University of Minnesota during the Second World War when the Fireside chats of FDR were inspiring the nation. Its flame red and orange stripes might have been an influence, as well.

Dyer
(Pomme Royale; Golden Spice)
(parentage unknown)
Rhode Island or possibly France
before 1775, named Dyer circa 1855
Dyer

NFC

large to very large

slightly flatter

rich, spicy, spritely, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: pale yellow with greenish tinge & possible blush and russeting; thin

Flesh: yellowy white

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, cider

Fireblight: 2
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: usually annual, precocious bearer. Fruit: highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: productiveness varies year to year. Fruit: very tender.

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks.

Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 9-10**; Bull09: vgb*: Beach: vg to best; Hedrick: _(one of the finest dessert apples, but not a good commercial variety); Hedrick13: vg-best, one of the finest dessert apples/1922: vg-b; APS1911: vg, **D; Baker: RI (Top20); Barron: worthless; Barry: Top20, (G), "high flavored....one of the best dessert apples"/"highly esteemed for table or market" G, Unimpeachable; Cole: included, but not rated; Elliott: worthy; Hansen:*: excellent to best; Hooper: 1, excellent, admired where known; Kenrick: *(excellent); Lowther: vg,9(22); ME94: best; ME08: best; Michigan, 8.8.4: best; Ont1892: 7/5/3/_; Prince; Ragan: vg-b; Royal: 1888: worthless; Scott: 1; Smith: crisp nice apple a bit on the small side...flavor is very good, [but not high, as old books say]; Thomas: *(has but few equals); Walker: #12; Waugh: best; Woolverton: dessert excellent.

Special: Thought to have been developed by Huguenot settlers, probably from seed brought from France. Named Dyer for the orchardist who brought it to the attention of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.

Liberty
(Macoun x PRI 54-12)
NY
introduced by the New York State
Agricultural Experiment Station in 1962

Liberty

NFC GRIN

medium

classic shape, but
variable

complex, spritely, but milder than its parent Macoun; 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red very dominant over yellow,
slight bloom; thin

Flesh: white

Crispness: 3-4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, especially sauces; cider

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 1
PM: 3
CAR: 1

Merits: Tree: annual; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: has milder flavor than its non-disease-resistant parents; goes mealy & mushy quickly when overripe.

Ratings: AA: **; Brooklyn; Bunker: "the best of the recently developed “disease-resistant” varieties"; Burford; Manhart: vg; Pomologie: *****; Seattle24; Vorbeck: Sour6; Yepsen: "first among...disease-resistant varieties".

Special: Rated by many to have the highest fruit quality of disease resistance varieties.

Macoun
(McIntosh x Jersey Black)
Geneva, NY
introduced by the New York Sate
Agricultural Experiment Station in 1923

Macoun

NFC GRIN USDA+

medium

classic shape

intense, complex, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: dark red over greenish yellow,
slight bloom, prominently
dotted; thin

Flesh: white

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, upright

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 5
PM: 4
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: annual; late blooming protects it from late frosts; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: highly aromatic; very slow browning flesh; good for multiple purposes.

Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely; has a narrow harvest window. Fruit: poor keeper.

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens over a few weeks. Fruit: slightly coarse flesh; optimum flavor is dependent within short harvest period.

Ratings: AA: ***; Brooklyn; Bunker: "an apple with a near cult following even though practically no one seems to know how to pronounce the name"; Burford; Jacobsen: "This is the Sprite of apples'; Manhart: vg; Pomologie: *****; Seattle24; Traverso: T-T; Way; Yepsen: "a flavor that many prefer to Mac".

Special: Has developed a cult following in the northeast. Pronounce the name as you like -- I've heard it both Mac-Cowan and Mac-Coon by authorities with Cornell-Geneva connections (where it was developed), but ma coon' is supposed to be correct, based on the way the pomologist after whom it was named pronounced his own name.

Kestrel
(Red Spy x Macoun)
Nova Scotia
1950, introduced 1975

GRIN

medium

classic shape

sprightly, rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale; distinctive, with flavor reminiscent of Macoun

dark red over greenish yellow,
slight bloom, prominently
dotted; moderately thick skinned

cream

crisp

fine-grained

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright, spreading

Fireblight: 5
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: precocious bearer; late blooming protects it from late frosts; annual if thinned; holds fruit well. Fruit: slow-browning flesh; handsome appearance; very juicy; highly aromatic; better keeper than most varieties in Fameuse family (including McIntosh and Macoun).

Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely.

Ratings: GRIN: vg-best; Salt: "looks good, tastes great and keeps well...similar-but-different to Macoun & Empire"

Paroquet
(Paraquet)
(Peasgood's Nonsuch x Cox's Orange Pippin)
Berkshire, England
introduced 1897

NFC GRIN

medium

classic shape

sprightly, 3 on the sweet-tart scale; hint of raspberry

Skin: bright red predominately over yellow; thin

Flesh: cream

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T1, spreading

Fireblight: 1
Scab:
CAR:

Merits: : Tree: precocious bearer; heavy cropper; fruits hold well to tree. Fruit: non-browning fruit.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate)

Ratings: Bunyard: attractive, but flavor not good enough [as grown in his garden]; Royal: AM

Special: In England, the apple is pronounced "paraket" or "parakeet." One of our favorites when we sampled apples during our visit the GRIN orchard in Geneva, NY.

Keepsake
(Frostbite X Northern Spy)
Minn. 1936, released 1979

keepsake
GRIN

medium

irregularly shaped

sprightly, complex, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red stripes over yellow; slight bloom, occasionally russeting near stem; thick

Flesh: creamy yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 1
Scab: 2
PM:
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); annual; toleratant of fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: non-browning flesh; excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: slow to bear; somewhat of a shy bearer. Fruit: often not pretty;

Merit or fault?: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage.

Ratings: A21: g/vg; BBG; Bunker: "excellent aromaLATtic flavor"; Burford; Jacobsen: "great apple all around, though little known"; Salt; Yepsen.

Special: Has a reputation for producing ugly fruit its first couple seasons. That was true for us.

King of Tompkins County
(King, Tompkins King)
(parentage unknown)
NY
(from seed brought from NJ)
before 1800

NFC GRIN USDA+

NOTE: Occasionally part of the name is spelled Thompkins. I can assure you, as a one-time resident of Tompkins Country, the Thompkins spelling is wrong.

large to very large

classic shape, slightly ribbed

rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow orange red, with bloom;
smooth, moderately thick

Flesh: yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating; culinary, especially baking; cider

T3, spreading, open

Fireblight: 4
Scab: 1
PM: 5
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: annual; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); partial tip bearer (pruning challenge); may drop fruit prematurely; wood can be brittle; subject to collar rot. Fruit: waxy skin becomes greasy in storage.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core; should be picked earlier for culinary use, but later for fresh eating..

Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 8-9**; Bull09: vg**; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: **dkM; Hedrick1914: vg-b/**; NY1916: 4; Hedrick13: vg-best, **, were the tree hardier, healthier, and more productive, it would be commonly grown; AA: [no stars]; APS1911: vg, **DM; Bailey: MW; Baker: **, NY (Top12), IL; Barron: first quality; Barry: (W), "beautiful"/"rich, vinous" W; Bunker: "has an excellent balanced flavor - not overly weird or spicy, just nice on the taste buds"; Bunyard: of excellent flavour, very delicious when well grown; Burford; CG: 42|18|23|83; Dickerman: NY*; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(DM); FB1001; Folger: $H↓ (0 regions); Gardener's: a favourite (DC24)(HC); Goodman: dessert; Hansen: vg/b; Hayes; Keil: listed among top varieties for sauce & jelly. Lear: 8; Lowther: vg,12(21); Lewelling; ME94: vg/*; Michigan1879: vg, 7.6.6; Michigan1890: vg, 7.6.7; Milam: pie:good/ sauce:excellent; Ont1892: 8/10/10/10; PA1889: W5; PA1910: (N) high-quality. good appearance. and often brings highest prices; Powell: * "at its best, it is well named," "superb [in its local area]"; Ragan: vg-b; Royal: 1888: first quality, AM; S-L: d'une riche et delicieuse saveur veneuse extremement agreable de toute premiere qualitie; Salt*; Scott: 1; Seattle24; Thomas: ** (rich, high flavor); Warder: vg; Waugh: vg; Way; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert vg, cooking vg, commercial value - first class; Yepsen: "aromatic, rich-tasting".

Special: Once fourth leading apple variety grown in New York State. My Dad's favorite apple from his youth. First grown in Jacksonville, a village 12 minutes' drive from our orchard.
One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania and a favorite of my father's.

Loyalist
(T-416)
(Linda x Yellow Newtown)
Smithfield Experimental Farm, Ontario
named 1979

GRIN

medium to large

classic shape

complex, bright, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red over light greenish yellow; moderately thick

Flesh: greenish white

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, cider

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 2
PM: 3
CAR:

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper. Fruit: aromatic; excellent juice color makes it especially desirable for cider; excellent keeper [stores exceptionally well without losing quality].

Ratings: n/a

Special: One of our favorites when we sampled apples during our visit the GRIN orchard in Geneva, NY.

Redfield
(Wolf River x Niedzwetzskayana Red Crab)
NY
1938

GRIN

medium

classic shape

rich, tart, moderately
astringent, 5 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: solid red that
can range from dark
pink to purply red;
waxy looking skin

Flesh: white & red

tender

moderately fine-grained

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 2

Culinary, especially baking; cider-blending

T1, spreading, dense

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 1
PM:
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: very hardy (ironclad, to z2 or 3); bronze leaves and red blossoms qualify it as an ornamental; although blossoms come early, they seem to be more frost resistant than other early bloomers. Fruit: red juice, excellent for colorful cider blending; makes good tasting, eye catching pies.

Faults: Fruit: quickly browning flesh; amont of red in flesh inconsistent from season to season.

Merit or fault?: not recommended for fresh eating

Rating: Burford; Jacobsen: "its particular wizardry involves creating goereous, dry, and aromatic blush ciders."

Special: The pinkest apple seed I've ever seen was from an underripe Redfield. pink Redfield seed

Rambo
(Winter Rambo, Delaware, Bread and Cheese, Seek No Further of Pennsylvania)
(parentage unknown)
Delaware or Pa.
before 1700,
possibly before 1650

Rambo

USDA+

Note: We have trees that were sold as Winter Rambo as well as trees grown from scionwood labeled Rambo.

medium to very large

distinctively flatter shape

rich, complex, distinctive, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: pale greenish yellow mottled &
streaked with dull red; thin but tough

Flesh: yellow

Crispness: 3-4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider, jelly

T2, upright-spreading, open

Fireblight: 4
Scab:
PM: 5
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: bears fruits uniform in shape and size; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: praised for its wonderful, distinctive aroma; does not bruise easily; long keeping for a fall apple.

Faults: Tree: biennial; of questionable hardiness in northern climate; may drop fruit prematurely; brittle wood. Fruits: variable skin coloring; red does not always develop well

Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core.

Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull97: 5-6*; Bull99: 7-8*; Bull09: vg*; Beach: g/vg, particularly desirable for dessert; Hedrick: _dH (Tender tree; productive to a fault; excellent quality.); Hedrick13: vg, tender tree, productive to a fault, excellent quality; Allen; APS1911: vg, *DK; Baker: *, NJ (Top20), PA (Top20), KY (Top6), OH, IL; Barry: "popular over a greater extent of country than any other variety"/"old, highly and widely esteemed" L, Unimpeachable; BC: nr; Bridgeman: much cultivated, spritely; Buffalo; Burford; Cole: one of the finest; Dickerman: NE; Elliott: has no superior; FB113: NE&; FB208: R(DM); Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Gould: a Pa. standby with much to recommend it; Hansen: vg; Hayes; ; Hogg1: esteemed in its native country; Hooper: 1; HSL1: 2: Keil: listed among top varieties for sauce, baking & jelly; Kenrick: no* (much admired); Lear: 10; Lewelling; Lowther: vg,6(27); Manning: tender and good; Michigan1879: vg, 7.5.4; Milam: pie:excellent/ sauce:excellent; Ont1892: 5/1/2/5; PA1889: A4; Prince; Ragan: vg; Scott: 1; Thomas: *(fine flavor, often excellent); UIll: vg; Warder: vg; Waugh: good; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert vg, cooking good, commercial value - third class.

Special: First grown by the Rambo family of New Sweden. If grown from seed brought over from Sweden in 1630, could rival the Roxbury Russet for the title "oldest American" variety; favorite apple of Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley, who wrote an ode to the Rambo and mentioned it by name in four other poems. In Varieties of Apples in Ohio (1915), "little old-fashioned Rambo" was said to have been "found in almost every old orchard in Ohio." Professor Kirtland of Cleveland in the Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste (1848) called it "the unversal apple of the German people of Ohio"; Falsely claimed to be favorite apple of Johnny Appleseed; John Chapman, for religious reasons, shunned all grafted varieties.

Smokehouse
(possibly Rambo or Vandevere open pollinated)
Pa.
1837

GRIN USDA+

large

somewhat flatter shape

mild with rich overtones, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: dull red, yellow, dotted;
tough, thin

Flesh: yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, wide spreading, dense

Fireblight: 4
Scab: 4
PM: 5
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: annual; precocious bearer; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; holds fruit well. Fruit: very slow browning flesh; does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; prized as a multi-purpose apple; prized a cider base.

Faults: Tree: early blooming subjects. Fruit: variable skin coloring; red does not always develop well; flavor described as too mild in some taste tests; can go mealy.

Merit or fault?: Tree: crooked growth and dense head provide extra pruning challenge.

Ratings: Downing: good; Bull97: 5-6**; Bull99: 6-7/*; Bull09: g*; Beach: good; Hedrick: _dkH (cultivation is not being extended in New York); Hedrick13: good, its cultivation is not being extended in NY; AA: *: APS1911: g; Baker: *, PA (Top6); Barry: "a fine apple"/"esteemed where known"; Brooklyn; BC: good;Burford*; FB113: NE; FB208: R(K); FB1001; Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Gould: none better in its season; Hansen: good; Hooper: 2 to 1; Jacobsen: "Keep your eyes peeled...[for] a Smokehouse moment"; Leroy: 1; Lowther: good, 1(15); Michigan1879: g, 5.7.8; Ont1892: 3/6/4/6; PA1889: A3; PA1910: (S&N)** Of high quality, but color is usually dull and therefore needs to be known in order to sell well; Powell: "quality rich and juicy"; Prince; Ragan: g; Richmond: *FM; S-L: a cuire; estimee en Pennsylvania; Scott: 1; Smith: nice refreshing taste; Thomas: *(fine sub-acid); Warder: good?; Waugh: fair

Special: Winner of the 2014 Sage Hen Farm Apple Taste Test.

Wayne
(Uncle Wayne, Mad Anthony)
(Northwest Greening x Red Spy )
Geneva, NY
introduced 1962

GRIN

very large

flat-round

spritely rich; 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red over green

Flesh: cream

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, upright

Fireblight: 4
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual; very hardy; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: highly aromatic; excellent keeper; hangs well on tree for long time.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing.

Merit or fault?: Tree: holds its leaves unusually late in the fall.

Ratings: n/a

Special: A variety released by Cornell that failed to achieve success commercially. Roger Way defended it, saying that despite some problems in growing Wayne, it nevertheless has outstanding potential. Not thinking Wayne a catchy name for an apple, I added a couple of alternatives.

EARLY OCTOBER

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Pitmaston Pine Apple
(likely an English Golden Pippin open pollinated)
UK
before 1785

NFC GRIN

small

elongated & tapered

honeyed, sprightly, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: golden, russeted; rough, thick

Flesh: yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, cider

T2, upright

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 1
PM: 5
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: very juicy; highly aromatic; prized for rich, sweet flavoring in cider.

Faults: Tree: shy to moderate cropper. Fruit: goes mealy quickly

Merit or fault?: Tree: naturally small. Fruit: russet qualities; small; subject to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but lead to decay at core].

Ratings: Downing: [mentioned but not rated]; AA: [no stars]; Barron: first quality; Bunyard: "neglected on account of their small size, but its distinct flavour should give it a place in the gardens of connoisseurs"; BC: nr; Burford*; Herefordshire: "of great excellence"; Hogg2: distinct flavor: Jacobsen: "It makes my Top Five"; Ragan: [described but not rated; Royal: 1888: first quality; Smith: "great tasting...if it were bigger, everyone would be growing it";S-L: de toute premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Y.

Special: The variety originated around 1785, on the estate of Baron Thomas Foley cultivated by his steward, Mr White. Lord Foley is unlikely to have had any association with the apple at all, since he was known for his debauchery, extravagance, and gambling. Ironically He was nicknamed "Lord Balloon because of his enormous size, while the apple is quite small.

Calmoutier
(Schlabach)
(has identical DNA of Golden Delicious, but differences between the two suggest it is a sport)
Ohio
after 1915

medium

classic shape

intense, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow;
tough,
thick

Flesh: pale cream

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, cider-blending

T2, spreading, dense

Fireblight:
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual; self-pollinating; good pollinator. Fruit: non-browing flesh; beautful rich golden color; highly aromatic

Faults: Fruit: susceptable to bruise marks; doesn't keep long before going soft.

Special: Discovered on the Schlabach farm near the town of Calmoutier, in Holmes County, Ohio. Calmoutier is pronounced Calmoosh. Photo by Mary Jean Walser.

Tolman Sweet
(Tallman Sweeting, Talman)
(possibly Sweet Greening x unknown russet)
Mass., R.I., or NY
before 1820

GRIN USDA+

medium

classic shape

vinous, 1 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: pale yellow, with distinct brown line from top to bottom, occasionally russetting at both ends; tough

Flesh: yellowish white

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, spreading-drooping, open

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 2
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: Hardy [nearly ironclad]; precocious bearer; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: one of the few sweet apples prized for both fresh eating and baking.

Faults: Fruit: quickly browning flesh; varies in keeping quality.

Merit or fault?: Tree: naturally small. Fruit: moderately dry flesh.

Ratings: Downing: scarcely second-rate (rich, sweet flavor); Bull97: 6-7**; Bull09: vg**; Beach: g to vg; Hedrick: * [** in northern NY]dkH (hardy, vigourous, reliable. Varies in keeping qualities.); Hedrick1914: g-vg/**; NY1916: l/sp; Hedrick13: good-vg, **; AA: **; Allen; Alwood: "quality is rich, sweet...excellent for culinary"; APS1911: vg, **KM; Bailey: MW; Baker: **, NY (Top6), MA (Top12), RI (Top20), CT (Top6), OH, MI; Barry: (W), "rich and very sweet"/"highly valued" W; BC: good; Dickerman: NE, NY*; FB113: &: FB208: HR(KM); FB1001*; Folger: H↓ (0 regions); Hansen*: vg [for a sweet apple]; Hayes; Hooper: 1: Jacobsen:in the right setting, it can be the most wonderful apple in the world"; Keil: listed among top varieties for baking; Lowther: vg,19(32); Manning: An excellent table or baking apple; ME94: vg/**-_; Michigan1879: g, 4.7.6; Michigan1890: vg, 6.8.6; Michigan1904: well known; Milam: pie:poor/sauce:poor; Ont1892: 2/7/5/6; PA1889: W21; PA1889: W21; Powell: "market generally glutted"; Prince [in list of inferior kinds]; Ragan: g; S-L: a l'etude; de toute premiere qualitie pour cuire; Thomas: *(rich, very sweet): Walker: #9; Warder: good; Waugh: fair; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert good, cooking fair, commercial value - second class, except in special markets.

Special: although mamy accounts claim Dorchester, Massacusetts, or Rhode Island as the place of origin (before 1800), New York State has two claims, as well. Jon Tallman places the origin to his ancestor Darius Tallman, who developed it around 1820 in his orchard near the Erie Canal in Perinton, NY, near Rochester. C. S. Wilson, in his 1905 thesis about apples of New York State, writes that Thomas Tallman, who owned land near Geneva, NY, in about 1800 grew the Tallman Sweet after planting seeds found in an old Indian orchard that survived the destruction of General Sullivan during his raid through the Finger Lakes in the Revolutionary War. Note: Indians planted orchards using European apple varieties, so presence of the Tolman in Seneca orchards may only indicate its early spread from New England.

American Beauty
(Sterling, Sterling Beauty)
(parentage unknown)
Sterling, Massachusetts
before 1855

NFC USDA+

large

roundish, but tapering, some ribbing

mild, but complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

predominantly red and dark red over yellow, numerous dots

tough skinned

creamy yellow

tender to firm

coarse-grained

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, upright

Fireblight: 4
Scab:
PM: 5
CAR: 4

Merits: Tree: early bearer; very productive, annual; fruit hangs well. Fruit: very aromatic

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: does not keep as well as other varieties of its season.

Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull97:8-9*; Bull99: 7-8/*; Beach: not now grown in NYS; NY1907: vg; Hedrick: g-vg;AA: *; APS1911: vg, *M; Burford*; Elliot: vg; FB208:R(D); Hansen: vg; Ragan: vg; Scott: 1, rich and mild; Thomas: good; Warder: good; Waugh: good.

Hudson's Golden Gem
(possibly Golden Delicious x unknown russet)
Oregon
discovered 1930

GRIN

large

elongated & tapered

intense, complex, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: fully russeted gold over green;
thick rough

Flesh: pale yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, cider-blending

T3, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 1
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: annual. Fruit: does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; highly aromatic; hangs well on tree for long time.

Faults: Fruit: splits when tree is young.

Merit or fault?: Tree: reports differ from heavy cropper to shy bearer. Fruit: russet qualities.

Ratings: AA: *; Brooklyn; Bunker: "a truly fine dessert fruit of unique appearance and exceptional flavor."; Burford; Jacobsen: "Really, this is one of the greats"; Phillips: "Pear-like qualities: rich, nutty, cloyingly sweet with an unusual crunchy texture"; Smith: fantastic taste but LOTS of problems; Traverso: T-S; Yepsen: "something only an apple lover could associate with a gem".

Esopus Spitzenberg
(either name singly or more simply Spitz)
(parentage unknown)
NY
before 1790

Esopus Spitzenburg

NFC GRIN USDA+

med-large

blocky, slightly ribbed

intense, complex, distinctive; 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: dark red stripes over red,
dominant over some yellow,
prominently dotted, slight bloom;
tough

Flesh: deep cream

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright, open

Fireblight: ??
Scab: ??
PM: 5
CAR: 4

Merits: Tree: bears fruit of uniform size; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: unexcelled in rich, spicy, exceedingly high flavor; called equally good for dessert or cooking; attractive in shape & color; does not bruise easily; non-browning flesh

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; biennial; shy bearer; may drop fruit prematurely; quality quite variable due to soil and climate.

Merit or fault?: Tree: fruit ripens unevenly. Fruit: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage; distinctive flavor; subject to sweet water core.

Ratings: Downing: best (unsurpassed); Bull97: 10*; Bull99: 10**; Bull09: vgb**; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: * [** in some other regions] dkHM (lacks vigor, uncertain productiveness, standard in quality, adapted to some localities); Hedrick1914: vg-b/**; Hedrick13: vg-best, **, lacks vigor, unproductive, best quality, adapted to some localities; AA: **; Allen; APS1911: **D; Bailey: HUW; Baker: **, NJ (Top12), CT, OH; CG: 48/24/23/96; CT (12), OH, MI; Barron: second quality; Barry: Top20, (W), (G), "one of the very best"/"one of the very best for dessert" WG, Unimpeachable; BC: vg; Bridgeman: beautiful, of the finest flavor; Brooklyn; Browning; Buffalo; Bunker: "for over than two hundred years ...mentioned in nearly every list of best apples"; Burford*; Dickerman: NY; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(D); Folger: $H↓ (0 regions); Goodman: richly flavored; HSL1: 2; HSL3: 1; Hansen: best; Hayes; Hooper: 1 to 2; Jacobsen: "The new darling of home orchardists and cidermakers"; Kenrick: *(excellent); Leroy: 2; Lewelling; Lowther: best,8(17); Manhart: vg/b; ME94: best/*; Michigan1879: best, 8.10.4 Milam: sauce:good; Ont1892: 9|7|9|10; PA1910: (N) Of excellent quality and good reputation; Phillips: "Sweet and nutty, with spicy aromatic flavors more commonly associated with European apples, backed by a lively acidity"; Pomologie: ****; Powell: * "most highly esteemed," one of the must 6; Prince; Ragan: b; Royal: 1888: second quality; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1, truly delicious, unsurpassed; Seattle24; Thomas: *(nearly unequaled); Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour7; Walker: #24; Warder: best; Waugh: best; Way; Wilkinson: vg-best; Woolverton: first class for all purposes; Yepsen: "venerable".

Special: planted by T. Jefferson, Washington Irving & G. Washington. Rather than being Thomas Jefferson's favorite apple, as is often claimed, this may be the one that frustrated him the most – he planting so many of them in part because they lacked vigor and productivity. Albemarle Pippins (as he called Newtowns) made much more money for him in the export trade, and he planted the orchard for profit. Once among top ten leading apple varieties grown in New York State.

Blenheim Orange
(Blenheim Pippin, Woodstock)
(parentage unknown)
Oxfordshire, England
before 1740

NFC USDA+;

large to very large

flattish, slightly ribbed

sprightly, rich, mellows to nutty, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow blushed and streaked orange red with russet; moderately thick

Flesh: creamy yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, upright, spreadingg

Fireblight: 4
Scab: 5
PM: ??
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; fruit hangs well; resistant to scab. Fruit: very aromatic; non-browning flesh; one of the more flavorful large apples.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; shy bearer for the first few years; triploid (does not pollinate) erractic, but mostly biennial; partial tip bearer (pruning challenge); may drop fruit prematurely.

Merit or fault?: Tree: grows very strong when young at the expense of bearing fruit

Ratings: Hedrick13 g-vg; APS1911: vg; Barron: "good and handsome," only variety included in the top five apples for both Dessert and Culinary; BC: vg; Bridgemen: very superior; Bunyard: one of the best all round apples grown; Engelbrecht: [a light tartness but not much less sweet]; Gardener's: excellent quality, highly valued (DC12)(L); Goodman: culinary and dessert; Hansen: good; Herefordshire: "very valuable and highly esteemed, either for dessert or culinary purposes, but strictly speaking more suitable for the kitchen than the parlour"; Hogg1: very valuable and highly esteemed; Hogg2: first rate dessert and excellent for kitchen; Hooper: 2 to 3; HSL: 1; Jacobsen: "famed... for both kitchen and out of hand eating"; Kendrick: extremely highly flavored; KOB: Around 1900 already classified as a lover; Leroy: 1; Lowther: vg,7(8); Ont1892: 6/7/9/10; Pomologie: *****.; Ragan: vg; RHS: AGM-C/D; S-L: de premiere qualitie pour la table et pour cuire; Scott: 1; Smith: "my favorite cooking apple...excellent as an eating apple"; Warder: good: Waugh: poor; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert good, cooking vg, commercial value - first class;

Special: traditionally used for Apple Charlotte in England; first grown near Blenheim Palace, home for more than 300 years of the Churchill family (including Winston). Possibly one parent of Cox Orange Pippin.

Peck's Pleasant
(Peck Pleasant, Waltz Apple)
(parentage unknown, possibly Newtown Pippin or, possibly, Rhode Island Greening open pollinated)
Massachusetts, discovered; Rhode Island, introduced
before 1800

NFC GRIN USDA+

above medium to large

irregular, apples from the same tree can be flattish, round, and conical

sprightly, distinctive, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: greenish until ripe, then bright yellow,
with orange-red blush, numerous dots; russeting around stem;
thick, tough

Flesh: yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright

Fireblight: 1
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: annual; fruits hang on trees for long time; late blooming protects it from late frosts; resistant to cedar-apple rust. Fruit: does not bruise easily; highly aromatic; excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); shy bearer; has reputation for being a short-lived tree; susceptible to scab, mildew. Fruit: not pretty, by today's standards; very quickly browning flesh.

Merit or Fault?: Fruit: flavor best after aged in storage [some advise do not eat before December or January].

Ratings: Downing: vg or best (first rate in all respects); Bull97: 7-8**; Bull99:8-9**; Bull09: vgb*; Beach: vg-best; Hedrick: vg-b; Hedrick1914: b/*; Hedrick20:vg-best (still one of the standards to gauge choicely good apples); Allen; APS1911: vg, **DKM; Bailey: MW; Barron: first quality; Barry: "approaching the flavor of a Newtown Pippin"/"very valuable"; BC: vg; Bridgeman: delicious high aromatic flavor; Cole: first rate quality [but here it is defective]; Elliott: [described, but not rated]; Hansen: vg or best; Hayes; Hooper: 1 (deserves more attention); Kenrick: no*(one of the most saleable, excellent); Lowther: vg,11(25); ME94: vg/*; Michigan1879: vg, 8.7.7; Michigan1890: vg, 9.8.9; Ont1892: 7/7/6/8; PA1889: W23; Ragan: vg-b; Scott: 1; Thomas: *; Walker: #24; Warder: "of first quality in the North"; Waugh: good; Yepsen: "called the classic American apple".

Special: Most sites indicate that the variety originated in Rhode Island, but that is only partially true. The Peck family's own origin story is that it was first grown by Solomon Peck, likely in the 1790s, while he was living in Sutton, Massachusetts. No word on whether he discovered it or grew it from seed. Scionwood from the tree was brought to Rhode Island in 1798 by Solomon's son Benjamin. He built a house on 865 North Main Street, Providence, RI, and established an orchard there. Under the name Peck's Pleasant, perhaps for the first time, the variety became very popular locally. This gave rise to the opinion that the Peck's Pleasant originated in that state. Within a generation it spread to much of New England, and, after that, further west. It was once widely grown in New York State, but by the twentieth century it had fallen out of favor, especially commercially. How it got the name Waltz Aplle I have not been able to determine.

Pound Sweet
(Pumpkin Sweet)
(parentage unknown)
Connecticut
before 1835

NFC GRIN UDSA+

very large

classic shape or flatter, ribbed, often irregular or lop-sided

peculiar, moderately dry 1 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow, with greenish yellow marbling, occasional brownish blush; thin but tough

Flesh: yellowish white

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Culinary, cider

T3, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 1
Scab: 2
PM: ??
CAR: 4

Merits: Tree: Hardy; annual; precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: one of the few sweet apples prized for both fresh eating and baking.

Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: quickly browning flesh; varies in keeping quality.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: moderately dry flesh; its sweet flavor is different that that of modern sweet apples; subject to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but leads to decay at core].

Ratings: Downing: good (very valuable for baking and stock feeding); Bull97: 5-6*; Bull09: vg**; Beach: g to vg; Hedrick: * [** in northern NY]dkH (hardy, vigourous, reliable. Varies in keeping qualities.); Hedrick1914: g-vg/**; NY1916: l/sp; Hedrick13: good, **; AA: [no stars]; APS1911: g; Baker: *; Barry: /"valuable"; Bridgman: "excellent for baking"; Bunker: "they need no sugar and get sweeter as they cook"; Burford; Cole: very rich and sweet [he also warned that many large apples called Pumpkin Sweet were inferior; Elliott: good , "only valued for baking"; FB113: R; Hooper: 3: Kenrick: no*(good); Lowther: g,6(8); Manning: fine for baking, investigating; Michigan1879: g, 4.7.6; Michigan1890: g, 2.8.4; Ont1892: -/4/1/-; Powell: one of the must 20Prince; Ragan: g; S-L: a l'etude; de premiere qualitie pour cuire; Scott: 1 for cooking: Thomas: moderate quality, valuable culinary sort; Walker: #9; Warder: good; Waugh: fair.

Special: The name Pound Sweet is most common in New York State and Maine, but Pumpkin Sweet is more common elsewhere.

Wismer's Dessert
(unknown, but in same family as Esopus Spitzenberg)
Ontario before 1890

USDA+

medium

roundish, but tapering

intense, sprightly, rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red and dark red stripes and splashes over yellow; thin

Flesh: white

Crispness: 4-5

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, cider

T3, upright, open

Fireblight: 3
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: very winter hardy, prolific bearer. Fruit: Excellent keeper.

Ratings: Bull09: n/s,*; Beach: "not acquainted with this apple," but includes description, "excellent flavor and exceedingly fine, tender texture"; Hedrick: good-vg; Hedrick13(22): good.; Powell: a new claimant to flavour, and unanimously pronounced a very high-grade fruit; Ragan: listed but not rated.

Special: Wrote E.H. Burson, an apple grower, in Green's Fruit Grower in 1916: "For today who of us is satisfied with Baldwin or Greening for our own eating or for a plate to set before our best friends, when we can set such a variety as Wismer's Dessert? It is among the half dozen best dessert apples grown in New York." Warned Fred Coleman Sears in Productive Orcharding in 1914, "Wismer's Dessert may be a better apple, but so few people know it that the orchard man can sell a thousand barrels of Baldwins to one of Wismer's Dessert."

Ashmead's Kernel
(parentage unknown)
UK
before 1700

NFC GRIN

medium

flat-round, but irregular, some ribbing

intense, complex, distinctive, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow russet;
rough, thick

Flesh: cream

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: highly aromatic; prized for tartness in cider blends.

Faults: Tree: thinning required to prevent biennial bearing; triploid (does not pollinate); often a shy bearer. Fruit: quickly browning flesh

Merit or fault?: Fruit: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage; russet qualities.

Ratings: AA: ***; Barron: first quality; Brooklyn; BC: nr; HSL: 2; Bunker: "It’s easy to tell why the apple is held in high regards"; Bunyard: valuable for late use, but a poor cropper; Engelbrecht:[very sweet, but not spicy]; Gardener's: high quality (D36)(LK); Herefordshire: "a dessert apple of the very first quality"; Hogg2: first rate; Jacobsen: "long a cult favorite"; Manhart: vg/b; Phillips: "Each bite offers an intense aromatic sting of sharp and sweet"; Potter; Ragan: good; Royal: FCC, AGM-D; S-L: de toute premiere qualitie pour la table ; Salt*; Scott: 1, one of our very best; Smith: a more flavorful version of Golden Russet, 10/8 top flavor; Seattle24; Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour8; Yepsen: "short on shine but long on flavor".

Special: Winner of the 2013 Sage Hen Farm Apple Taste Test.

Reinette Tres Tardive
(Unknown)
France
before 1660

GRIN

variable, medium to large

flatter shape, often lopsided, ribbed

spicy, complex; 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: green and russetted, with occasional reddish tinge; thin

Flesb: creamy yellow

Crispness: 2

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, upright

Fireblight: 1
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: early bearing; heavy cropper; annual; good pollinator; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: very aromatic; excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate), Fruit: quickly browning flesh.

Ratings: Downing: [described, but not rated]; Barron: [described but not rated]; S-L: de premiere qualitie.

Special: No information provided on the GRIN site about pedigree when it was recieved from France. Based on multiple sources, including Nomenclator Pomologicus (1889) Dictionnaire de pomologie (1873), & Cours d'arboriculture (1876), it appears that Reinette Tres Tardive is an alternative name for the French apple Reinette Verte. If so, it is one of the earliest known Reinettes in France. Several British sources list Reinette Tres Tardive as a synonyn for Winter Pearmain. It is very similar to the Old Winter Pearmain as described by A.F. Barron in the 1887 British Apples as "reddish russet," but not the Winter Pearmain as pictured in modern sources. If the same apple, it would be one of the oldest known named apples, or a kin to it. Downing knew it as Green reinette, but it disappeared from American orchards by the turn of the 20th Century.

Starkey
(Moses Starkey, Vassalboro Ribston)
(possibly Ribston Pippin open pollinated)
Maine
before 1820

USDA

medium

classic shape

sprightly, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red crimson, prominently dotted;
tough, but thin

Flesh: pale cream

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating

T1, roundish, dense

Fireblight: ??
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Fruit: highly regarded regionally for fresh eating.

Faults: Tree: biennial.

Merit or Fault?: Fruit: some advise flavor best after aged in storage, but we've found it to be very flavorful soon after picking.

Ratings: Beach: vg; Hedrick: _ [+ in North] dM (appears to be worthy of testing for the North); Bull97: 8/**; Bull09: _*v; Hansen: described as pleasant, but not rated; Lowther: good,...(...); ME94: vg/*; ME08: vg; Ragan: listed, but quality not rated; Waugh: good.

Haralson
(Malinda x Wealthy)
Minn.
1913, introduced by the Minnesota
Agricultural Experiment Station in 1923

Haralson

NFC GRIN USDA

medium

somewhat elongated

mild,
3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red & red stripes over yellow,
dotted; moderately thick

Flesh: white

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T1, spreading

Fireblight: 2
Scab: ??
PM: 3
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; late blooming protects it from late frosts; precocious bearer. Fruit: highly aromatic.

Faults: Fruit: subject to cracking & russeting, especially in early bearing years.

Merit or fault?: Tree: differing reports on resistance to cedar-apple rust. Fruit: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage; subject to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but lead to decay at core].

Ratings: AA: *; Brooklyn; Bunker: "an all purpose apple "; Burford; FB1001*; Manhart: g/vg; Yepsen: "a hardy apple [that] has proved popular with northern growers".

Special: Formerly the official State Apple of Minnesota (replaced by Honeycrisp).

MID OCTOBER

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Zabergau Reinette
(Reinette Zabergäu, Reinette Parmentier)
(unknown)
Belgium
1830
or
Germany
1885

NFC GRIN

large (largest of the russets)

variable from classic shape to flat, with some ribbing

intense, but mellows in storage, nutty, complex sweet/sharp taste that doesn't fit well on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: bronzed russeting over green; thick

Flesh: white

Crispness: 5

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, cider

T2, upright

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 3
PM: 2
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: aromatic; excellent keeper [stores exceptionally well without losing quality].

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid. Fruit: quickly browning flesh.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to watercore; ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage.

Ratings: AA: *; Jacobsen: "now all the coolest people have one;" Yespsen: "crisp, full flavored, and not to everyone's taste."

Special: Disputed origin. Germans claim it was discovered near the Zaber River in Germany in 1885 and distributed widely starting in 1926; Joan Morgan of the Royal Horticultural Society states that Reinette Parmentier is the earlier name for the same apple; named for Belgian pomologist Parmentier who obtained the apple in 1830. There were two botanically minded Belgian brothers, but it was probably Joseph Parmentier, a landscape gardener, who obtained it, not his brother Andrew who left Europe for Brooklyn in 1830 or earlier to escape the July Revolution (French Revolution of 1830) and later founded the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

Northern Spy
(Norton's Pie)
(undetermined, but not Wagener open pollinated, but the two may share a parent from an unknown Connecticut variety)
East Bloomfield, NY
between 1800 and 1825

Northern Spy
NFC GRIN USDA+

A monument to the Northern Spy was constructed over 100 years ago in the Town of East Bloomfield, NY.

large

classic shape, slightly ribbed

sprightly, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: multiple shades of red,
dark & light,
over a pale yellow, bloom; occasional russeting near stem; thin

Flesh:
pale cream

Crispness: 5

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating; culinary, escpecially baking; cider

T3, upright, dense

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 4
PM: 4
CAR: 4

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); reliable bearer; late blooming protects it from late frosts; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: highly aromatic; classic apple flavor; prized for multiple purposes, especially pies; very slow browning flesh; excellent keeper, if not bruised.

Faults: Tree: notoriously slow to start bearing; partial tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: subject to cracking; bruises easily.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: coloring can vary and be dull, but natural gloss gives handsome appearance

Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 8-9**; Bull09: vgb**; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: **dkM (Highest quality. Succeeds only in certain localities.); Hedrick1914: vg-b/**; NY1916: 3; Hedrick13: vg-best,**, highest quality, a standard; AA: *; Allen; APS1911:b, **DKM; Bailey: MW & HUW; Baker: **, NY (Top20), RI (Top20), VA, MI; Barron: first quality; Barry: Top20, (W), (G), "most beautiful and excellent"/"unrivaled beauty and excellence" WGL, Unimpeachable; Bridgeman: rich, rich; Brooklyn; BC: vg; Bunker: "well-balanced, crisp and juicy with the ideal apple taste"; Bunyard: only does well in England in very favourable years; Burford; CG: 46/22/22/90; Dickerman: NE, NY*; Engelbrecht:[pleasantly flavored with a balance of sweet and spice]; FB113: NE*&; FB208: HR(DKM); FB1001*; Folger: *$H↓ (4 regions); Goodman: Slendid; Hansen: vg-b; Hayes; Hogg2: very handsome, first rate; Hooper: 2; Jacobsen: "as formidable apple as you'll find"; Keil: "in my opinionit is the best of all varieties," "the standard of quality for both dessert and culinary uses" & listed among top 6 winter varieties for dessert & top for stewing, pie, baking & jelly; Lear: 10; Leroy: 1; Lewelling; Lowther: best,18(33); Manhart: vg/b; ME94: best/**; Michigan1879: best, 9.9.10; Michigan1890: best, 10.9.10; Milam: pie:excellent/ sauce:vg; Ont1892: 8/10/10/10; PA1889: W2; PA1910: (N)** high quality; Powell: * "has taken its place quite at the front of winter varieties," "comes pretty near being a national fruit," one of the must 6; Ragan: vg-b; Royal: 1888: first quality; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Thomas: **(highest quality); Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour16; Walker: [not in Top 26, but deserving]; Warder: vg; Waugh: vg; Way; Wilkinson: vg-best; Woolverton: dessert best, cooking best, commercial value - home market first class, skin a little tender for distance shipment; Yepsen: "our consummate pie apple...loved for eating out of hand as well".

Special: "Spies for pies!" is still shouted out today; once the third leading apple variety grown in New York State.
One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

King David
(Winesap x Arkansas Black or Winesap or Arkansas Black x Jonathan or open pollinated one of those three)
Arkansas
before 1890

King David
NFC GRIN USDA+

medium

classic shape

very rich, sprightly, spicy, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: dark glossy red very
dominant over hint of green;
tough, thin

Flesh: yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating; culinary; cider

T3, roundish, dense

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: ??

Merits: Tree: bears early; late blooming protects it from frost damage; bears fruits uniform in size & shape; fruits hang on trees for long time; fruits tolerate fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: natural gloss gives handsome appearance; does not bruise easily; highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); not reliable every year; poor keeper for a late ripening apple.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core; should be picked earlier for culinary use, but later for fresh eating.

Ratings: NY Bulletin 385 [suppl to Beach]: g/vg; Hedrick1914: g/+; Hedrick13: good,+, appears promising as a commerical sort; AA: **; APS1911: b; Brooklyn; Browning; Goodman: grand flavor causes it to be sought after; Keil: listed among top varieties for stewing & jelly; Lowther: best,...; Phillips: "Spritely flavor much like Winesap. Versatile apple"; PA1910: (S&N) worthy of trial, fine appearance and reported to be of high quality; Pomologie: ****; Powell: "will prove its ability to stand all the tests better than any other," one of the must 6; Smith: very good classic American red apple; Yepsen: "a sleeper".

Colonel's Kernel
(unknown)
Lodi, NY
20th Century

Colonel's Kernal

medium to large (irregular from year to year)

classic shape, occasionally lopsided

spritely, refreshing; 3 on the sweet-tart scale

red over yellow, some striping

creamy yellow

firm

somewhat coarse-grained

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

Fireblight: 1
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual.

Faults: Tree: Irregular fruiting.

Ratings: n/a

Special: The tree was growing in the woods on our property where once was an old orchard, probably planted in the early 20th century. Its flavor is fine enough that we think it must be a cultivated variety, not a seedling, but we have been unable to identify it. A cutting from original tree has been grafted onto a tree in the orchard.Name honors Margaret's father.

Golden Hornet
(Calocarpa crab x prunifolia coccinea)
England
introduced in 1948

NFC

small

round

astringent

bright yellow

creamy yellow

firm

fine-grained,

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Jelly

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 3
PM:
CAR: 4

Crispness: 3
Juiciness: 1

Merits: Tree: annual, prolific bearer, good pollinator; late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: hangs well on tree for long time.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: Primarily grown as an ornamental.

Ratings: RHS: AGM (1999) but revoked in 2013.

Special: Its fruits grow in bunches. Leaves turn an attractive yellow color in the fall. Developed by John Waterer and Sons Nursery in Surrey as an ornamental. Used as pollinator

Melon
(Norton's Melon, Norton)
(parentage unknown)
East Bloomfield, NY
before 1800
Melon

NFC GRIN USDA+

medium to large

flatter shape; slight ribbing

sprightly, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: crimson & orangy red over pale yellow: smooth, thin

Flesh: white

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, roundish, dense

Fireblight: 3
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: reliably productive. Fruit: aromatic.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; tip bearer (pruning challenge).

Ratings: Downing: best; Bull97: 10*; Beach: vg; Hedrick13: vg; APS1911: b; Barry: Top20, (G), "a most beautiful and delicious fruit", Unimpeachble; Cole: "an excellent fruit, but little known"; Elliott: fine...worthy; Engelbrecht: [in sweetness, flavor, & juiciness, reminiscent of a melon]; FB113; FB208: R(DM); Gardener's: sweet & pleasant (W); Hansen: best; Herefordshire: "of great excellence"; Hogg2: firt rate; Leroy: 1; Lowther: best, 5; Michigan1879: best, 10.8.8; Ont1892: 8/8/7/8; Ragan: vg-b; S-L: de premiere qualitie pour la table et pour cuire; Scott: one of the best; Warder: almost best; Waugh: good.

Special: Originated in same orchard as Northern Spy. With the name "Melon," the fruit might be expected to be large, but the name comes from its supposed melon-like flavor.

Orleans Reinette
(Reinette d'Orleans, Court Pendu Blanc, Winter Ribston (?), also shortened to Orleans)
(parentage unknown)
France
before 1775

NFC GRIN USDA

medium

wider shape

intense, complex, zesty, nutty, & honeyed, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

orange-red & yellow-green blotches & streaks, russetting around stem & netting or overlaying fruit;
thick skinned

creamy, yellow white

firm

fine-grained

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary, cider, dried

T3, upright-spreading

Fireblight: ??
Scab: 1
PM: 2
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: very hardy; bears fruits uniform in size. Fruit: highly aromatic; does not bruise easily; excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: shrivels in storage and loses flavor.

Merit or fault?: Tree: ripens over several weeks; shy or good cropper (reports differ). Fruit: flavor best after aged in storage; russet qualities.

Ratings: Dowling: [described but not rated]. AA: **; Bunyard: of the highest flavour; Hogg: of first quality, "This stands of all apples highest in my esteem."; Jacobsen: "either profoundly unattractive or full of character and wisdom": Ragan: described, but not rated; Scott: high quality [with problems], Way: 14.

Stayman
(Stayman's Winesap)
(Winesap open pollinated)
Kansas
before 1875

Stayman
GRIN USDA+

medium to large

classic shape

rich, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red bloom or stripes
over green,
prominently dotted, occasionally russeting near stem; tough, moderately thick

Flesh: greenish white

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, spreading, open

Fireblight: ??
Scab: 5
PM: 5
CAR: 4

Merits: Tree: annual; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; resistant to scab and cedar apple rust; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: highly aromatic; does not bruise easily; prized for larger size and sweeter flavor, but other good qualities of Winesap; excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); unreliably annual; highly susceptible to scald. Fruit: dull color; quickly browning flesh; subject to cracking.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: subject to sweet water core [provides special burst of flavor, but can lead to decay at core].

Ratings: Beach: g/vg; Hedrick: _dM (Not adapted to New York conditions); Hedrick13: good-vg, not adapted to NY; AA: *; Brooklyn; Browning; Bull99: 8-9X; Bull09: vg?; Burford; CG: 43/18/23/84; FB113: &*; FB1001; Folger: *$H^ (10 regions); Goodman: one ofthe very best and most handsome; Gould: one of the most important (for Pa.); Hansen: best; Heavy: "texture...off-putting...but the flavor was divine — gentle and floral, evocative of violets"; Jacobsen: "distinctive high flavor [especially in the South]"; Keil: listed among top 6 winter varieties for dessert & top for baking; Manhart: vg; Milam: pie:poor/sauce:fair; PA1910: (S&N)** High quality, brings high prices; Powell: * "a decided improvement on the old Winesap," one of the must 6; Ragan: vg-b; Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour5; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: best; Yepsen: "winey character...more accessible".

Special: One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Reinette du Canada
(Canada Reinette)
(unknown)
Normandy,
before 1770

NFC

medium to large

somewhat flatter shape,some ribbing

intense, but mellows in storage; 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: bits of orange over green with russetting; thick

Flesh:
cream

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4 early, then 2

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright, spreading

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 2
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); slow to start bearing; triploid. Fruit: not very attractive

Merit or fault?: Tree: irregular bearer, many years unproductive; spur bearer.

Ratings: Beach: vg; APS1911: vg; Herefordshire: "of excellent quality for either culinary or dessert use"; Goodman: Splendid, suitable for cooking or dessert; Leroy:1; Loudon:1; Received the Award of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1901, awarded the Manzana Reineta del Bierzo PDO in Spain

Special: Despite the name has nothing to do with the country of Canada. Most popular russet in France. Prized in France, the UK, and elsewhere in Europe as a cooking apple, after apples are picked early. Becomes sweeter if left to ripen and then stored. May have been a grandparent of the Cox Orange Pippin.

Northwest Greening
(Northwestern Greening)
(Alexander x Golden Russet)
Wisconsin
introduced in 1872

USDA

large

round, or flatter than round

mild, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: greenish yellow to yellow, blushed;
tough

Flesh: creamy yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, especially sauces

T3, spreading, dense

Fireblight: 3
Scab:3
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); annual; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: excellent keeper; does not bruise easily.

Faults: Fruit: quality and flavor are quite variable from year to year.

Rating: AA: "nice flavor," but no * given; APS1911: vg, *DKM; Bunker: "a wonderful apple and a favorite on the farm" [reviewing Briggs Auburn]; ME08: vg; Ragan: vg; Warder: vg.

Special: We acquired our tree as a Briggs Auburn from Fedco, but recently learned that genetic testing indicates that variety's true identity is Northwest Greening. The Briggs Auburn was a lost variety rediscovered by John Bunker. I guess it now returns to the "lost" status.

Hunt Russet
(Golden Russet of Massachusetts)

Concord, Massachusetts
before 1750

medium to large

classic shape

sprightly, brisk, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow russet with bronze cheek;
rough, tough, thick

Flesh: white tinged with yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, cider

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: annual; fruits tolerate fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; aromatic.

Faults: Tree: tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: quickly browning flesh.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: russet quality.

Ratings: Downing: vg or best; Bull97: 7-8/**; Bull09: vgb*; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: **d; Hedrick1914: vg-b/**; Hedrick13: vg, *, excellent; AA: **; Allen; APS1911:vg, **D; Hansen*:vg-b; Lowther: vg,2(6);ME94: vg/_; Ragan: vg-b; Richmond: *FM; Warder: good; Waugh: good.

Special: Once upon a time this was considered one of the best russets, and that was enough reason to add it to our collection.

Spigold
(Red Spy x Golden Delicious)
Geneva, NY
selected in 1956, introduced by the New York Sate Agricultural Experiment Station in 1962

NFC GRIN

large to very large

classic shape, some ribbing

rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: predominantly yellow with red and bronze stripes

Flesh: yellow

Crispness: 3
Juiciness; 5

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, upright spreading

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 3
PM: 4
CAR: 4

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper; little pre-harvest drop. Fruit: aromatic.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate). Fruit: bruises easily; quickly browning flesh.

Ratings: AA: *; Brooklyn; Browning; Bunker: "excellent for eating and cooking. We recommend it"; Fackler; Manhart: vg/b; Vorbeck: Sweet6; Way: No. 1; Yepsen:"excellent".

Golden Russet

American Golden Russet
(Golden Russet, Bullock)
(English Russet seedling)
New Jersey
before 1750
[Ripens mid to late October]

Golden Russet of Western New York
(Golden Russet, Golden Russet of New York)
(English Russet seedling or synonym of the English Russet)
New York
1845 or earlier
[Ripens early to mid October]

pictured is the Golden Russet of Western New York; the American Golden Russet is darker yellow in the non-russeted areas.

NFC (American) GRIN USDA+ (both)

medium

classic shape

sprightly, complex, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow russet;
rough, tough, thick

Flesh: cream

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: annual; bears fruit of uniform large size; fruits tolerate fall frosts and mild freezes. Fruit: does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; highly aromatic; prized as one of few varieties recommended for unblended cider.

Faults: Tree: tip bearer (pruning challenge); since blooms early but requires long season, can be challenged by frost in both spring & fall. Fruit: quickly browning flesh.

Merit or fault?: Tree: inconsisently a heavy cropper. Fruit: russet quality.

Ratings (uncertain which variety was being described, unless noted): Downing: best; Bull97: 5-6/** or 8-9/*, depending on similarly named varieties; Bull09: b* or gb**, depending on similarly named varieties; Beach: vg/b for AGB, vg for GRof WNY]; Hedrick: *dkH (hard to pick; of excellent quality); Hedrick1914: vg/*; NY1916: 8; Hedrick13: vg, *, excellent; AA: **; Allen; APS1911:vg/b, **DM; Bailey: MW; Baker: **, PA (Top6 or Top20); Barron: first quality; Barry: (W), "of the finest quality"/"valued for table or market" W; Bridgeman: in great repute; Brooklyn; BC: vg; Browning; Buffalo; Bunker: "[different varieties all] have beautiful solid, deep yellow, golden-russeted skin and are difficult to tell apart [and] have long been esteemned"; Burford; Engelbrecht: [really juicy and really sweet]; FB113: &; FB208: HR(DM); Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Goodman: very fine dessert; Hansen*: best; Hayes; Heavy: "rough texture...hides a sweet potato meets marshmallows meets honey interior. Sweet and earthy"; Hooper: 1; Jacobsen: "the real jewel of the cider world [and more]"; Kenrick: *(superior); Lewelling; Lowther: vg,13(21); Manning: spicy and high flavored; ME94: vg/*; Michigan1879: vg, 8.5.9; Michigan1890: vg, 9.5.10; Milam: sauce:poor; Ont1892: 9/8/8/9; PA1889: W13; Pomologie: ****; Powell: "very rich," one of the must 20; Prince; Ragan: g/b; Richmond: *FM; Scott: 1; Smith: need lots of hang time and then some time in the cellar to get good flavor and texture; Thomas: **(rich); Traverso: F-S; Vorbeck: Sweet12; Warder: very best; Waugh: fair; Way; Wilkinson: g-best; Woolverton: dessert fair, cooking good, commercial value - first class; Yepsen:"notable sweetness".

Special: There were several apples called Golden Russet in the 19th century, so there is much confusion about Golden Russets today. By the 20th century only two survived, but most nurseries do not indicate which variety they grow. The major difference is that the American Golden Russet ripens up to a week later, is slightly darker, may be slightly smaller, and slightly more sweet. There are claims that the Golden Russet is very high in Vitamin C, but that is true of all apples with high acidic content.

Westfield Seek No Further
(Westfield, Seeknofurther, also shortened to Seek, Linnéous Pippin)
(parentage unknown)
Mass.
before 1800

NFC GRIN USDA+

medium

classic shape, but irregular; slightly ribbed

rich, complex, distinctive; 2 on the sweet-tart scale, but with some astringency

Skin: red stripes over deep
yellow tinged with green,
splashed with dull red,
dotted, often covered with blue bloom;
russeting possible: tough

Flesh: white tinged with yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, cider-blending

T2, roundish, dense

Fireblight: 5
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Fruit: good keeper.

Faults: Tree: very slow to start bearing. Fruit: variable skin coloring; red does not always develop well; doesn't keep well

Merit or fault?: Tree: called both a heavy cropper and "somewhat lacking in productivity." Fruit: has unique aroma; distinct taste (too astringent for some)

Ratings: Downing: vg or best; Bull97: 8-9/*; Bull99: 8-9**; Bull09: vgb*; Beach: vg/b; Hedrick: *dM (a favorite dessert apple); NY1916: l/sp; Hedrick13: vg-best; AA: **; Allen; APS1911: b, **DM; Baker: *, NJ (Top20), OH; Barry: "rich and excellent"/"rich"; BC: nr; Buffalo; Bunker: "its looks, utility and flavor make it a standout"; Burford; Dickerman: NY; FB113: NE; FB208: HR(DM); Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Hansen: vg or best; Hayes; Jacobsen: "something of a cause celebre in New England"; Kenrick: no*(excellent); Leroy: 1; Lewelling; ME94: best/*; Lowther: best,8(17); Michigan1879: best, 7.3.5; Michigan1890: best, 9.3.7; UIll: vg/b (one of 17 of "greatest promise for general usefulness"); Ont1892: 7/7/7/8; PA1889: W18; Powell" *; Prince [under New England Seeknofurther]; Ragan: vg-b; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Smith: solid, vague McIntosh school in taste; Thomas: *(rich & spicy, fine flavor); Traverso: T-T; Walker: [not in Top 26, but deserving]; Warder: good; Waugh: vg; Wilkinson: vg-best; Woolverton: dessert vg, cooking fair, commercial value - first class when well grown; Yepsen: "arouses passion with its taste".

Special: Holds the record in our orchard for slowest to bear -- took nine yearrs. Has yet to produce a good sized crop.

Black Gilliflower
(Sheepnose, Black Spitzenburg, Crow's Egg in the Southern US)
(unknown)
Connecticut
before 1800, more widely known by 1840

GRIN USDA+

large

long, tapering, some ribbing

distinctive, known to require an acquired taste;
4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: blackish red over yellow with fine gray-brown russeting; thick, tough

Flesh:
cream with occasional
yellow tinge

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 1

Culinary

T3, upright

Fireblight: 5
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual; prolific bearer; excellent keeper; late blooming protects it from late frosts.

Faults: Tree: notoriously slow to start bearing.

Merit or Fault?: Fruit: peculiarly aromatic.

Ratings: Downing: good; Beach: good; Hedrick: g; AA" [no stars]; Bunker: "pleasantly tart...spicy aroma"; Cole: pleasant, but not excellent; Elliott: poor; Folger: ↓ (0 regions); Hooper: 3 (rather dry, but high flavored); Jacobsen: "Uniquely appealing"; Michigan1879: g, 4.2.6; PA1889: W17; Ragan: g; Salt: "Some love it, others not so much"; Thomas: "rejected by most cultivators on account of its very dry flesh, but a good baking variety"; Warder: "cannot be very highly praised"; Yepsen: "tall, dark, and not particularly toothsome."

Special: Possibly one of the parents of the Red Delicious.

Blue Pearmain
(parentage unknown)
New England
before 1800

NFC GRIN USDA+

large

roundish or flatter shape (variable); some ribbing

mild, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: deep red yellow, blue bloom, dotted; tough, moderately thick

Flesh: creamy yellow

Crispness: 3*

Juiciness: 3

*different texture, somewhat soft, but densely coarse. See also the note about Thoreau in the last column

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, spreading, open

Fireblight: 1
Scab:
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: very hardy (to z3); long lived. Fruit: distinctive coloring; aromatic.

Faults: Tree: slow to bear. Fruit: shrivels in storage (but keeps flavor)

Merit or fault?: Tree: reports differ on productivity.

Ratings: Beach: good; Bull97: 6**; Hedrick: _dM (Not adapted to New York conditions); Hedrick: g; AA: *; APS1911: g; Bunker: "tasty eaten out of hand...highly recommend it for baking...our favorite for baked apples"; Elliott: vg; Folger: ↓ (0 regions) Gardener's: handsome, good quality for dessert and culinary; Goodman: of merit; Hansen: vg; Can: good, commercial value - not profitable because of its unproductiveness; Lowther: G; Manning: listed, but no comment on quality; ME94: g/*; Ont: 6/6/8/8; Ragan: vg; Royal: FCC, AM; Waugh: fair; Wilkinson: vg.

Special: In Thoreau's essay "Wild apples," in which he condemns cultivated apples in general, he admits this variety is "almost as good as wild" and that he does "not refuse the Blue-Pearmain." It is likely that Thoreau approved of the apple because of its austere density that required some work to bite into.

Wagener
(parentage unknown)
Penn Yann, NY
possibly 1791

Wagener

NFC GRIN USDA+

medium

variable, can be elongated; often irregular or lop-sided

sprightly, rich, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: striped red and orange red over yellow,
prominently dotted and motled; often has russet "bonnet" at the top; moderately thick

Flesh: creamy to rich yellow

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T1, roundish, spreading

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 1
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: very winter hardy, prolific. Fruit: excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: know to be short-lived: biennial; tip bearer; susceptible to scald. Fruit: skin can become greasy.

Ratings: Downing: vg-b; Bull97: 8-9*; Bull99:7-8**; Bull09: vgb**; AA: *; APS1911:b, DM; Bailey: HUW; Baker: IL; Barry: Top20, Unimpeachable; BC: vg; B-H: vg-b; Bull1897: 8-9*; Burford; Can: dessert vg, cooking good, commercial value - home market first class, foreign market second class; FB113: NE&; FB208: HR(DM); FB1001: D12,13,14; Gould: of merit, but overbears; Keil: listed among top varieties for jelly; Lowther: best; ME94: best/*; Michigan1879: vg, 8.4.5; Michigan1890: vg, 9.6.6; Ont:8/7/6/7; PA1889: W11; Ragan: vg-b; Unimpeachable; Royal: AM; S-L: de toute premier qualitie; Warder: good. Waugh: good when well grown; Wilkinson: vg/b; Yepsen.

Special: Originated only about 20 miles from our orchard. However, there is a lake in the way.
Despite widespread speculation that the Wagener was one of the parents of the Northern Spy, it is very unlikely. Both trees were planted from seeds brought from Connecticut to different parts of the Finger Lakes region of New York State, and the Northern Spy was well established before the Wagener was discovered and brought to public attention. Quite possibly,instead, they share a common parent.

Adams Pearmain
(Norfolk Pippin, Hanging Pearmain)
(unknown)
Norfolk or Herefordshire, England
Robert Adams introduced it in 1826; was known earlier as Hanging Pearmain

NFC GRIN

medium

tapering

rich, nutty, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

red over orange & yellow with some russeting

creamy yellow

firm

fine-grained

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T1, spreading, almost drooping

Fireblight: 1
Scab: 1
PM:
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: hardier than most English varieties; excellent keeper. Fruit: aromatic; fruit hangs well

Faults: Tree: tends toward biennial; tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: turns brown in storage.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: partial russet qualities give it an unusual appearance.

Ratings: Barron: first quality; Herefordshire: "of first-rate quality, and worthy of great attention"; Leroy: 1; Loudon:1; Smith.

Special: A favorite back in Victorian England for its beauty and flavor.

Roman Stem
(French Pippin)
(parentage unknown)
New Jersey
circa 1800

Roman Stem

USDA+

small to medium

roundish

rich, sprightly; pleasant

pale yellow, brownish red blush and specks, dark russetting clouds & sprinkles;
rough skinned

light yellow with yellow veining

tender

fine-grained

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, irregular, spreading

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 4
PM:
CAR: 4

Merits:: Tree: very hardy; very productive; precocious. Fruit: highly aromatic.

Faults: Tree: may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: not a good keeper; can appear blotched.

Merit or fault?: Tree: ripens over several weeks; shy or good cropper (reports differ). Fruit: does not bruise easily, but tough skin; flavor best after aged in storage; russet qualities.

Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull97: 7*; Bull09: gvg*; Beach: vg, especially for dessert; Hedrick: _vg dh, superceded by better sorts; Hedrick22: good; APS1911: vg, *DK; Baker: PA (Top12), NJ (Top20); BC: nr; Elliott: vg; FB208: *DK; Hansen: excellent*; Hooper: 1; Lowther: vg,2(18); Michigan1879: best, 7.7.4;
PA1889: Ragan: vg: W29;Warder: g-vg; Waugh: vg; Woolverton: excellent.

Special: Fleshy protuberance near stalk (occasionally missing) gives the variety its name. Several sources call it excellent, but not suited for commercial purposes because of its size and drab yellow and russetted appearance. Was available commercially from Daniel Smith of Burlington, NJ, in 1804.

MID TO LATE OCTOBER

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Baldwin
(Woodpecker)
(parentage unknown)
Mass.
before 1740

Baldwin

NFC GRIN USDA+

large

classic shape

rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: multiple shades of red stripes
& mottling, dominant over yellow, occasionally russeting near stem; tough

Flesh: yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 5

Fresh eating; culinary, especially baking; cider

T3, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 2
PM: 4
CAR: 1

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; long lived; bears fruit of uniform large size. Fruit: excellent keeper; very slow browning flesh; does not bruise easily; attractive in shape & color; prized for quality for multiple purposes; revered for excellence as cider base.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; more strictly biennial than most other varieties; triploid (does not pollinate); subject to winter damage; thinning advised to avoid limb breakage; susceptible to scald; drops fruit prematurely. Fruit: needs to be grown widely spaced on trees well open to the sun for full color and richness.

Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull97: 5-6**; Bull09: vg**; Beach: good to vg; Hedrick: **dkM (standard winter apple of New York); Hedrick1914: g-vg/**; NY1916: 1; Hedrick13: good-vg,**, standard winter apple of NY; AA: **; Allen; APS1911: vg, **KM; Bailey: MW; Baker: **, NY (Top6), MA (Top Alwood: "of high grade and fine quality"; 6), RI (Top6), NJ (Top6), PA (Top6), OH; Barron: first quality; Barry: (W), "profitable"/"popular and profitable" WL, Unimpeachable; Bridgeman: most agreeable; Brooklyn; BC: good; Buffalo; Bunker: "We still consider Baldwin one of the best all-purpose varieties'; Burford; CG: 40/20/22/82; Dickerman: US, NY*; Engelbrecht: [sweet like fine wine]; FB113: NE*; FB208: HR(KM); FB1001*; Folger: *$H= (5 regions); Gardener's: only best under favourable conditions in this country (HC); Goodman: strong grower but late bearing, dessert; Hansen: vg; Hogg2: rather rich and agreeable; Hooper: 1 (where it succeeds); HSL: 1; Hayes; Jacobsen: "much celebrated'; Keil: listed among top varieties for stewing, pies & baking; Kenrick: *(excellent); Lear: 9; Leroy: 1; Lowther: vg,21(34); Lewelling; Manning: we prefer it to any other winter variety; ME94: vg/**; Michigan1879: vg, 6.9.10; Michigan1890: vg, 6.9.10; Ont1892: 2/5/7/8; PA1889: W1; PA1910: (N)** Most planted and generally most profitable [but being surpassed]; Pomologie: *****; Powell: * "when well grown, ...very rich," one of the must 20; Prince; Ragan: vg; Royal: 1888: first quality; S-L: de premiere qualitie; Scott: rather rich and agreeable; Thomas: **(first rate); Traverso: F-S; Walker: #3; Waugh: fair; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: dessert fair, cooking good, commercial value - first class; Yepsen: "a sentimental favorite".

Special: America's first dominant commercial variety (for more than 75 years) especially in New York, Pennsylvania, & New England and upper midwest states.
One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

Ingram
(Ingram's Janet)
(Ralls Janet open pollinated)
Missouri
1890

GRIN USDA+

medium

roundish but tapering; often irregular or lop-sided

sprightly, rich, 2.5 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: red and dark red nearly completely covering yellow; smooth, thin

Flesh: cream

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, cider

T3, upright-spreading, dense

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: late blooming protects it from late frosts; fruit hangs well. Fruit: very productive; annual; slow-browning flesh; excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree:

Ratings: Beach: g-vg; Bull97: 7-8; Bull09: vg; Hedrick: _g-vg dk; Alwood: needs further testing; Burford; Folger: ↓ (0 regions).

Special: Ingram has larger fruit size and a redder skin color than its parent Ralls Janet. It is only slightly less juicy. Best for us is that it has an earlier harvest date, so we can grow it this far north when the Ralls Janet would be very iffy. Ralls Janet has several more famous offspring, including the Fuji (Crispin), but the Ingram is supposed to have the most similar flavor. It shares with its parent late blossoming, annual bearing, and excellent storage quality, earning it a "never-fail" reputation.

Newtown Pippin
(Albemarle Pippin, Yellow Newtown)
(parentage unknown)
Queens, NY
before 1760

NFC USDA+

medium to large

irregular, apples from the same tree can be flattish, round, and conical

sprightly, distinctive, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: greenish yellow,
prominently dotted, russeting around stem;
tough

Flesh: cream to greenish white

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 4
PM: 4
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit; fruits hang on trees for long time; late blooming protects it from late frosts; partially self-pollinating. Fruit: does not bruise easily; prized for its clear juice in cider making; excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: tends toward biennial; slow to start bearing; partial tip bearer (pruning challenge). Fruit: not pretty, by today's standards; very quickly browning flesh.

Merit or Fault?: Tree: listed as both a diploid and a triploid; bears fruits of variable size and color . Fruit: subject to sweet water core; flavor best after aged in storage [some advise do not eat before December or January].

Ratings: Downing: best; Beach: best; Hedrick: _ [** in Hudson Valley]dkH (Not a good commercial sort. Excellent in quality.); Hedrick1914: b/*; APS1911: vg, **DKM; Bailey: HUW; Baker: NJ (Top12), KY (Top20), OH; AA: *; Barry: "celebrated [but] its success is confined to certain districts and soils"; Brooklyn; BC: vg; Browning; Bull97: 10*; Bull99:8-9*; Bull09: vgb*; Burford*; CG: 47/21/22/95; Dickerman: NY; FB113: NE*&; FB208: R(DKM); FB1001; Folger: $H= (1 region); Gardener's: rarely at its best in this country; Goodman: first class where it does well; Hansen: best; Hayes; Hogg2: very fine; Hooper: 1; HSL: 2; HSL3: 1; Jacobsen: "has shown a knack for effortless success"; Kenrick: no*(first rate); Leroy: 1; Lewelling; Leroy: 1; Lowther: vg for Green, B for Yellow, 4(22); Manning: so superior to all others; Manhart: best; Michigan1879: b, 10.8.3; Ont: 9/9/7/10; PA1889: W10; Phillips: "Packs a refreshing wallop for tart-apple fanciers, with full sugar and rich flavor developing in winter months"; Pomologie:*****; Powell: "reachest perfection...in a few localities"; Prince; Ragan: Green=b, Yellow=vg-b; S-L: a l'etude; de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Thomas: *(high, fine flavor); Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour4; Warder: best; Waugh: best; Way; Wilkinson: vg/b/*; Woolverton: dessert first class, cooking first class, commercial value - first class; Yepsen: "called the classic American apple".

Special: Grown by G. Washington and T. Jefferson, and once presented in a gift basket to Queen Victoria by the American ambassador. The first apple variety to have recognized strains, Yellow and Green. The Green Newtown now very rare.

Calville Blanc d'Hiver
(White Winter Calville, Rambour a Cotes Gros)
(parentage unknown)
France
before 1600 as Blanche de Zurich, introduced as Calville Blanc d'Hiver in 1628

Calville Blanc

NFC GRIN USDA+

medium

elongated, prominently ribbed; often misshaped

intense, spicy, complex, distinctive, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: pale yellow
tinged with green,
with faint blush; prominently
dotted where exposed to sun;
smooth

Flesh: yellowish-white

Crispness: 2

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, cider

T1, spreading

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 2
PM: 4
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: late blooming protects it from frost damage. Fruit: highly aromatic; non-browning flesh.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing, slower to bear good quality fruit; shy bearer. Fruit: prone to cracking.

Merit or Fault?: Fruit: ripens over several weeks; odd shape; can look blemished when it is not; ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage.

Ratings: AA: [no stars]; Barron: very tender; Barry: "one of the finest dessert varieties"; Bridgeman:pleasant; Brooklyn; BC: good; Browning; Bunyard: "delicate flavour... rarely well finished in this country; Elliott: unworthy; Engelbrecht: [not quite sweet, uniquely seasoned[; Gardener's: briskly flavoured (W); Heavy: "big bold flavor bomb, with a tartness that builds and builds"; Herefordshire: "valuable for all culinary purposes, good also for dessert when apples are scarce"; Hogg1: rich, lively, agreeable flavor; Hogg2: first rate; HSL: 2; HSL3: 1; Jacobsen: "wrings the superlatives aout of people"; Kenrick: no*(worth cultivating); Leroy: 1; Manning: wiothout much flavor; Manhart: vg; Pomologie: ****; Prince; Ragan: p; Royal: 1888: first quality; S-L: de premiere qualitie pour la table et de toute premiere qualitie pour cuire; Salt*; Scott: 1, valuable kitchen fruit; Thomas: (valueless here); Traverso: F-T; Vorbeck: Sour12; Warder: poor; Yepsen: "not unpleasantly tart".

Special: Grown by Jefferson at Monticello, painted by Monet; there are claims that it is very high in Vitamin C, but that is true of all acidic apples.

Bourassa
(Golden Russet of Quebec)
(unknown)
Quebec, or possibly France
before 1750

medium

classic shape, ribbed

pleasant, rich, spicy,
3 on the sweet-tart scale

yellow, with crimson cheek and orange russeting

white, sometimes stained.

tender, fine-grained

Juiciness: 2

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

Fireblight: 1
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: very hardy. Fruit: aromatic

Faults: Tree: shy bearer. Fruit: poor keeper for a late apple; apt to shrivel.

Merit or fault?: Tree: does better in northern climes.

Ratings: Dowling: good; Elliot: best; Hogg: second rate; Raglan: g; Thomas: good; Warder: pretty good, but apt to be tough and wilted.

Special: Thought to have been lost, but rediscovered in Maine by fruit explorer Regina Grabrovac.

Ladies' Sweeting
(Lady Sweet, Winter Sweeting, Pommeroy, [NOT Lady])
(parentage unknown)
NY
before 1825

USDA+

large

elongated

distinctive, 1 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: nearly all red; stripes over red and pale yellow; thin, but tough

Flesh: whitish, can have slight yellow tinge

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, cider

T3, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 1
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; excellent keeper, does not shrivel nor lose flavor. Fruit: highly aromatic.

Faults: Fruit: slow to start bearing; needs to be grown widely spaced on trees well open to the sun for full color and richness.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: its sweet flavor is different that that of modern sweet apples.

Ratings: Downing: vg or best ("the finest winter sweet apple, for the dessert, yet known"; Bull97: 7-8*; Bull09: gvg*; Beach: vg to best; Hedrick: **dkM (one of the most desirable of the sweet apples); Hedrick1914: vg-b/*; Hedrick13: vg-best,*, one of the most desirable of the sweet apples/1922: vg-b; Allen; APS1911: vg; Baker: *, MA(Top12), NY (Top20); Barron: worthless; Barry: "one of the best winter sweets"/"sprightly, agreeable"; Bridgeman: high flavored; Cole: "one of the finest"; Engelbrecht: [sweet and mild]; Elliott: quotes Downing's vg or best; Hansen: quotes Downing's vg or best; Hooper: 1, one of our best sweet apples; Lowther: vg,9; Michigan1879: vg, 5.7.6; Powell: "exceedingly good at times"; Prince; Ragan: g-vg; Royal: 1888: worthless; S-L: a l'etude; de premiere qualitie; Scott: 1; Thomas: *(agreeable, fine); UIll: best; Walker: #21; Waugh: good

LATE OCTOBER INTO NOVEMBER

Variety

Origin & Date

Image Sources

Fruit

Uses

Tree Size & Shape

Disease Resistance

Merits & Faults

Ratings

Size,
Shape
& Flavor

Skin & Flesh Crispness & Juiciness

Kinnaird's Choice
(Kinnard)
(probably Winesap open pollinated)
Tennessee
before 1870

USDA+

medium to large

somewhat flatter shape, sides sometimes unequal

rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: mottled red and purple
red over yellow,
some russeting near stem;
thick, tough

Flesh: white tinged with yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, spreading, but irregular

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 2
PM: 4
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: very hardy for a "Southern" tree; precocious bearer; reliable bearer, even if somewhat biennial late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: highly aromatic; very good keeper.

Faults: Tree: slow to start bearing; triploid (does not pollinate); requires long season.

Merit or fault?: Tree: irregular grower. Fruit: subject to sweet water core.

Ratings: Bull97: 5-6--; Beach: g/vg; Hedrick: _dkH (does not appear to be adapted to New York); Hedrick13: good-vg, not adapted to NY; APS1911: g; Burford; FB113: &; FB1001; Hansen: vg; Lowther: good,...; Waugh: fair.

Special: According to Burford, it was regionally popular during Great Depression for being a flavorful, late blooming variety dependable as an annual cash crop.

Winesap
(parentage unknown)
NJ (possibly Virginia)
before 1800
winesap

NFC GRIN USDA

small to medium

classic shape

sprightly, somewhat astringent, complex, 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: two shades of deep red over yellow,
prominently dotted;
tough, moderately thin

Flesh: cream white tinged with yellow with occasional veins of red

Crispness: 3

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, roundish, dense

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 5
PM: 4
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: hangs well on tree for long time. Fruit: highly aromatic; does not bruise easily; prized for its tart, wine-like flavor (with some bitterness), especially in cider; excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: triploid (does not pollinate); extra thinning required to prevent overbearing; may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: quickly browning flesh; fruit subject to small cracking.

Merit or fault?: Tree: precocious or slow to start bearing (reports vary, ours was slow); irregular, straggling growth. Fruit: subject to sweet water core.

Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull99: 7-8*; Bull09: vg*; Beach: g/vg; Hedrick: _dkM (Both tree qualities and fruit poor in New York); Bull97: 7-8/**; Hedrick13: good-vg, tree characters and fruit poor in NY; AA: **; Alwood: "has no superior among red varieties [on the right soil]"; APS1911: vg; Baker: PA (Top20), KY (Top20), OH, VA; Barry: "fine for cider"/"rich"; Bridgeman: high rich flavor; Brooklyn; BC: nr; Burford*; CG: 43/20/25/88; FB113: NE*&; FB208: R(DKM); FB1001; Folger: *$^ (7 regions); Gould: magnificent; Hansen: vg; Hayes; Hooper: 2 to 1; HSL3: 2; Jacobsen: "one of the heavyweights of the apple world"; Keil: listed among top 6 winter varieties for dessert & top for stewing, pie, baking & jelly; Lear: 9; Lowther: vg; Lewelling; Lowther: vg,6(39); Manning: of medium quality; ME94: vg/*; Michigan1879: vg, 6.6.4; Milam: pie:vg/sauce:fair; Ont1892: 7/_/1/3; PA1889: W15; Phillips: "rich, vinous flavor is like an explosion in the mouth"; Pomologie: ****; Prince [in list of cider apples also good for table]; Ragan: vg; Richmond: **FM; S-L: a l'etude; de premiere qualitie pour la table et de toute premiere qualitie pour cidre; Scott: 1; Thomas: (rich, rather acid, one of the best for baking); UIll: vg; Warder: good; Waugh: good/high quality; Wilkinson: vg; Woolverton: vg, commercial value - first class in certain districts, second class as grown in Canada; Yepsen: "the distillation of a crisp fall day".

Special: There are several varieties of Winesap. Ours was labeled Original Winesap.

Wassail
(unknown)
Lodi, NY
20th Century
wassail

small to medium, quite variable

classic shape

tart, but has been likened to a watermelon flavored Jolly Rancher hard candy; 4 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: striped red over yellow; thin

Flesh:
creamy yellow

Crispness: 4-5

Juiciness: 3

Culinary, cider

T3, spreading

Fireblight: 1
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual, prolific bearer.

Faults: Fruit: turns brown in storage.

Ratings: n/a

Special: The tree was growing on our property when we arrived in Lodi. The tree is forty feet tall. It grows in a prominent place, so we suspect that it had been planted there, but we have been unable to identify it as a known variety.

Idared
(Ida Red)
(Jonathan x Wagener)
Moscow, Idaho
introduced by the Idaho
Agricultural Experiment Station in 1942
idared

NFC GRIN USDA+

medium to large, quite variable

somwhat flatter shape, slight ribbing

rich, complex, 2 or 3 on the sweet-tart scale depending on when picked from tree. Note: Several sources online call Idared bland or even flavorless – they must only know Idared from supermarket fruits picked too early

Skin: bright red splashing, with crimson stripes and mottling over greenish yellow, prominent dotting,
some russeting near stem;
thick, tough

Flesh: white or cream with occasional red flecks and veins

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T3, upright-spreading, open

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 4
PM: 5
CAR: 4

Merits: Tree: precocious bearer; reliable bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit; late blooming protects it from late frosts;prolific; hangs well on tree for long time, resistant to scab. Fruit: highly aromatic; one of the best keepers.

Faults: Tree: since blooms early but requires long season, can be challenged by frost in both spring & fall.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage.

Ratings: AA: *; Brooklyn; Bunker: "enough flavor to distinguish it from the more tasteless sweet inventions of recent times"; Manhart: g-vg; Pomologie: *****; Royal: AGM-C/D; Traverso: F-T; Yepsen: "With its thick, handsome lipstick red skin, Idared is a commercial grower's idea of an apple".

Special: The tree was growing in our backyard and was probably planted in the 1980s when it was much more popular. A friend who is a pomologist identified it with 95% certainty as an Idared.

Doctor
(Germantown, De Witt, Doctor of Germantown, Newby)
(unknown)
Germantown, Pennsylvania
before 1800

USDA+

medium to large

somwhat flatter shape, sides sometimes unequal

rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: yellow with bright red blush and carmine splashing,
some russeting near stem;
thick, tough

Flesh: yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright-spreading, open

Fireblight: 2
Scab: 2
PM:
CAR: 5

Merits: Tree: precocious bearer; reliable bearer; late blooming protects it from late frosts. Fruit: highly aromatic; very good keeper.

Ratings: Bull97: 5-6--; Beach: g/almost vg; Hedrick: _dkH (does not appear to be adapted to New York); Hedrick13: good-vg; Burford; FB113: &; FB1001; Hansen: vg; HSL3: 2; Michigan1904: vg, promising; Waugh: fair.

Special: Named after Christopher Witt of Germantown, Pa. (1675-1765) – called DeWitt in some documents – who was an astrologer, mystic, herbalist, orchardist, self-taught doctor, clock- & telescope-maker, musician, painter, instructor in the "Arts & Mysteries of Chymistry, Physick & the Astral Sciences," slave-owner (his slave was freed at his death and made his principle heir). Coxe and Downing suggest the doctor "brought it into notice," but there is a big gap between his death in 1765 and public notice of the variety in the early 1800s.
One of the apples grown on my grandfather' and great-grandfather's orchard in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.

Swayzie
(Swayzie's Pomme Grise)
(Pomme Grise x Unknown)
Introduced in Upper Canada (Ontario), near Niagara Falls, but may have originated in New Jersey
before 1800, but not widely introduced until decades later.

USDA

small to medium

round with some tapering

nutty, rich, and sprghtly, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

golden yellow with some red and large patches of russet.

pale yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary

T2, upright

Fireblight: 5
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 3

Merits: Tree: annual; heavy cropper, but thinning required for good sized fruit. Fruit: does not bruise easily; excellent keeper; aromatic.

Faults Tree: light bearer. Fruit: quickly browning flesh.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: russet quality; flavor mellows after storage.

Ratings: Beach: vg to best for dessert; Ont1892: 10/-/6/8; Ragan: vg; Salt: a great example of an apple that’s highly desirable in so many ways, but could not possibly make the grade as a major commercial variety; Smith: very pleasing to eat, 13th top apple for flavor; Woolverton: no choicer winter dessert apple, dessert first class, cooking third class.

Special: The variety's history is uncertain and legendary. It was introduced from the farm and nursery of Isaac Swayzie, who is said to have escaped into Canada from a New Jersey prison wearing his wife's clothes while under a sentence of death for being a British spy during the Revolutionary War. While making his overland journey across New York and across the Niagara River, he carried tree saplings on his back. In Upper Canada, now Ontario, he became a controversial figure, charged with several crimes and unethical behavior, but he kept getting elected to the parliament of Upper Canada. There is documentary evidence that he was a British loyalist who was a horse thief, saboteur, and spy, but he may not have left New Jersey until after the war was over.

Piel de Sapa
(Toad Skin)
Northern Spain
unknown

GRIN

medium

classic shape

Semi-sharp, aromatic, astringent

Skin: reddish russet;
rough, tough, thick

Flesh: cream

Crispness: 5

Juiciness: 2

Cider

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 5
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: annual. Fruit: does not bruise easily; excellent keeper.

Faults: Fruit: not for fresh eating, not pretty.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: only good for cider.

Special: Scion wood was a present. This is the only hard cider apple we grow.

Blacktwig
(Black Twig, Mammoth Blacktwig, Arkansaw
[not Arkansas Black and not Paragon])
(probably Winesap x Limbertwig)
Arkansas
before 1830, introduced more widely in 1868

NFC GRIN USDA+

large

classic shape with some ribbing

rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: dark red over greenish
yellow with some red
striping and purply black,
prominently dotted;
thick, tough

Flesh:
cream to pale yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright-spreading, open

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit; very hardy for a "Southern" tree; late blooming protects it from late frosts; reliable bearer. Fruit: excellent keeper.

Faults: Tree: Triploid (does not pollinate); irregular bearer, often shy; requires long season; slow to start bearing; may drop fruit prematurely. Fruit: skin is slightly bitter; texture softens in storage.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: should be picked when fruit is still hard; flavor best after aged in storage.

Ratings: Bull97: 9*; Bull09: vg*; NY1909: _kM (not valuable in New York, except Long Island); Hedrick13: good, valuable in the South but not in NY; AA: *; Alwood: "a promising cosmopolitan apple"; Browning; Bull1897: 7-8/*; Burford; FB113: &; FB208: R(KM); FB1001; Folger: (3 regions); Gould: excellent, but shy; Hansen: vg; Jacobsen: this is an apple's apple"; Lowther: vg,2; Powell: "vigourous, productive, and very hardy"; Milam: pie:vg/sauce:fair; Traverso: T-T..

Special: State apple of Tennessee.

Reinette Clochard
(Reinette de Parthenay, Tramp Queen)
(parentage unknown)
France
circa 1850

NFC GRIN

medium

blocky

intense, rich, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: sage green and yellow with orange red blush and russet & blush; thick skinned

Flesh: creamy yellow, fine grained

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright

Fireblight: 5
Scab: ??
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: very hardy. Fruit: very aromatic, almost perfumy; fruit should hang late before picking.

Faults: Tree: Fruit: not a pretty fruit, often subject to flyspeck and other blemishes.

Merit or fault?: Tree: .

Ratings: AA: ***; Engelbrecht:[spicy, with somewhat predominantly sweet]; S-L: de premiere qualitie.

Special: "Clochard" in English is "tramp" or "hobo," likely added to the apple's name because of its rough and mottled look. That is an indication that the variety has survived because of its outstanding flavor and versatility

Virginia Beauty
(Zach's Red)
(parentage unknown)
Virginia
before 1820

USDA

medium to large

classic shape

sprightly, on the sweet side of sweet-tart, complex

Skin: glossy red with distinctive
russet "bonnet" at the top;
tough

Flesh: greenish-yellow

Crispness: 3-4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating

T3, spreading, open

Fireblight: 2
Scab:
PM: 2
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: very hardy for a "Southern" tree; precocious bearer; heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit; late blooming protects it from frost damage; bears fruits uniform in size & shape; wide branching limbs. Fruit: highly aromatic, natural gloss gives handsome appearance; does not bruise easily; excellent keeper.

Faults: Fruit: may not develop as good size, color and flavor in NYS as farther south.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: ideal flavor comes after it mellows in storage.

Ratings: Bull09: vg_ [ a regional favorite that did not receive national attention; it's not even in Ragan]; AA: *; Burford*; Folger: H (0 regions); Gould: of merit, but largely unknown; Lowther: vg,...(...).

Special: Who cares about the purported favorites of Washington and Jefferson? -- this was the favorite apple of Doc Watson.

Goldrush
(Gold Rush)
(Golden Delicious x PRI 1689-100 x PRI 668-100) [known parentage includes Winesap, Rome Beauty, Melrose, & Siberian crab]
New Brunswick, NJ, Urbana, IL, & West Lafayette, IN
selected 1980, introduced by joint program of the Indiana, Illinois, and New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Stations in 1994

medium

classic shape

intense, breaking, extreme sweet-tart combination that doesn't fit well on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: green yellow with bronze to red blush; can turn to deep yellow in storage
tough, spidery russeting; moderately thin

Flesh: greenish yellow

Crispness: 5

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary

T2, upright-spreading

Fireblight: 1
Scab: 1
PM: 3
CAR: 4

Merits: Tree: very late blooming. Fruit: non-browning flesh

Faults: Tree: although developed in Minnesotoa, may not ripen well in Northern climates.

Merit or fault?: Tree: very late ripening is challenge, but high sugar level helps protect from freezing. Fruit: flavor best after aged in storage.

Ratings: AA: **; Browning; Jacobsen: "intensely sweet and spicy, yet still with that sour, metallic counterpunch"; Manhart: notable new; Salt; Smith: fanastic apple, probably the best low-spray backyard apple, bulletproof, 7th top rated for flavor, 4th overall; Vorbeck: Balanced; Yepsen: "feels effervescent on the tongue."

Special: The official State Apple of Illinois.

White Winter Pearmain
(White Pearmain)
North Carolina or England
1792 or before 1600. Rediscovered in Indiana in 1849.

medium

classic shape, with some ribbing

sprightly, distinctive, 3 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: pale greenish yellow with red blush and occasional russeting, thin
Flesh: cream, fine grained

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 5

Fresh eating, culinary, cider

T2, upright spreading

Fireblight: 5
Scab:
PM:
CAR:

Merits: Tree: heavy cropper, thinning required for good sized fruit and to prevent biennial bearing; annual. Fruit: highly aromatic; long keeping. Fruit: handsome appearance; very juicy;

Ratings: Downing: vg; Bull97: 8-9; Beach: vg-best; APS1911: vg; Folger: = (2 regions);

Special: When it was rediscovered in Indiana, its history was unknown other than it was thought to have been brought to Indiana from the east. Anne Matthews Jessup had established an orchard in North Carolina with trees from several sources, including scionwood she brought home with her from a two-year trip to Scotland and England. She moved to Indiana and died shortly before the White Pearmain was introduced along with a Red Pearmain, which turned out to be an Esopus Spitzenburg. If it was collected in England, it could have been a variety that originated before the 16th century.

Kentucky Limbertwig
(Red Limbertwig open pollinated)
Kentucky
before 1830

large

elongated, tapered

unusual, musky & spicy/sweet, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: light red and orange over greenish-yellow

Flesh: creamy yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 3

Fresh eating, culinary

T2, drooping

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: annual; excellent keeper; Fruit: aromatic.

Faults: Fruit: dull color is not especially attractive.

Merit or fault?: Fruit: listed as having the "distinctive limbertwig flavor," but colleagues have told me it is sweeter than most limbertwigs.

Ratings: n/a

Brushy Mountain Limbertwig
(Red Limbertwig open pollinated)
North Carolina
before 1830

medium

round, but pointed

oddly spicy, 2 on the sweet-tart scale

Skin: dull, dark red over yellow with some russet

Flesh: creamy yellow

Crispness: 4

Juiciness: 4

Fresh eating, culinary

T2, drooping

Fireblight: 3
Scab: 2
PM: 2
CAR: 2

Merits: Tree: annual; excellent keeper; Fruit: very aromatic.

Faults: Fruit: dull color is not especially attractive.

Ratings: n/a

NOTES

If variety is listed without an image, no fruit of that variety has yet been produced in our orchard.

Alternative Names
The names in parentheses are other names the variety is or has been known by. Some of the names listed were the variety's original name. Others were a regional name, or the name used in another country. Many haven't been used in over a hundred years.

Pedigree
Long established pedigrees of some apples have been challenged by DNA testing. This was especially true of cultivars developed by the breeding program at the University of Minnesota. Here is the citation of a study that altered the pedigrees of nearly 30 cultivars, of which we have five: Luby, J. J., Howard, N. P., Tillman, J. R., and Bedford, D. S. (2022). Extended Pedigrees of Apple Cultivars from the University of Minnesota Breeding Program Elucidated Using SNP Array Markers. HortScience, 57(3), 472-477. DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI16354-21.

Fruit Shape
I find the mathematical terms for apple shapes confusing and a bit misleading. So instead of using terms such as obovate, oblong, ovate, and oblate, I have opted to simplify descriptions of shapes. Most apples have a "classic apple shape," which is often written as roundish, roundish-ovate or round-conical. Those apples are as tall as they are wide or slightly taller than it is wide, with some tapering toward the bottom.

Flavor
John J Thomas, in his Hints on Describing Fruits, 1842, devised a ranking system from 1 to 6.
1 (Sweet) as Tallman
2 (Perceptible Shade of Acid) as Rambo
3 (Sub-Acid) as Fall Pippin and Baldwin
4 (Acid) as Esopus and Gravenstein
5 (Very Acid) as [no apples I've heard of]
6 (Very Acid and Austere) as Hewes' Crab [which we used to grow]

As he notes himself, this only goes part way in describing apples. Sub-acid as a term has been replaced by sweet-tart and it means well-balanced between the two. Sub-acid varieties were once the most prized among apples by American tastes. Tastes and expectations have changed by the apple-buying public. Once the Red Delicious arrived on the scene, it quickly dominated apple sales, and its sweet, but bland flavor became the standard. The arrival of Gala led to a new revolution and newly introduced varieties each seem to be even sweeter than that last. In modern day apple taste tests, sweeter apples (1 and 2) win consistently, but a strong minority will complain that many modern apple varieties are too sweet and don't have enough true apple flavor.

Astringency can make an apple "inedible" or enhance its flavor with a special zest. It has been a prefered quality in hard cider. On the scale of how much flavor an apple has, the varieties range from mild to sprightly or rich to intense. Some of the best flavored apples have a complex quality that may or may not be called spicy. Some conjure to mind a flavor reminiscent of other fruits, commonly pear-like, pineappley, or vinous. Distinctive flavors can affect different tasters differently. Westfield Seek-No-Further, for example, is highly prized by some, but I have also heard it nicknamed "Westfield Eat-No-Further." My wife can recognize its slight astringency, but I can't. What is wonderful about taste tests with a group of people is the wide range of preferences and such varying opinions. Sweeter apples usually win, but are given low scores by others. Kidd's Orange and Jonagold received the most 10s in our 2014 apple taste test, but neither finished in the top two. In our 2016 taste test the apple variety with the most votes for #1 was Autumn Crisp. Others getting votes for #1 were Jonagold, King David, Connell Red, and Hubbardston Nonesuch. However, in terms of overall rating, although Autumn Crisp and Jonagold finshed first and second, but none of the others finished in the top five. In 2017 Autumn Crisp finished on top again, but none of the other varieties were the same as the previous year. Timing is important, too. The first taste in 2018 was much later, and Autumn Crisp, no longer crisp, did not do very well.

Texture
1 = Soft, not firm nor crunchy
2 = Tender, firm when picked, but not crunchy; becomes soft quickly
3 = Firm, with some crunch, when picked, but loses it crunch quickly
4 = Crisp, firm and crunchy when picked and remains crisp for some time in storage
5 = Hard when picked and stays crunchy even after stored for several weeks or months

Juiciness
Most lists of descriptions for apple varieties simply include the word "juicy," but don't indicate how juicy. I have used a numerical system from 1 to 5, with 1 the driest and 5 the juiciest. Numbers mostly based on rating in the apple database created by Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, but supplemented from personal experience and comments found elsewhere on the web, such as Eat Like No One Else. Here is a code:

1 = very dry
2 = drier than average
3 = of average juiciness
4 = juicier than average
5 = among the juiciest

Skin Color
Skin colors can be quite variable. Few or our apples are all red or all yellow or green. Color of block indicates predominant color: red, yellow or green, or highly russetted.

Tree Size and Shape
Many factors effect tree size, including local climate and conditions, and especially rootstock, but a tree's natural vigor is key when making comparisons and choosing rootstocks. Joan Morgan and Alison Richards rated trees from T1 (small) to T3 (large) in The Book of Apples. The Home Orchard Society followed this method its page of Estimated Tree Vigor, no longer maintained, so now archived. I have used both here, as well as personal observation. The Cornell/Geneva apple database has a scale from 1 to 6, but it is quite incomplete. Note vigor is used to describe size only; it is not related to the health or hardiness of the tree.

The shape of the tree will vary. Most varieties of apple trees are both upright and spreading. If listed as upright, new limbs will shoot straight upward. They can be a challenge for pruning and shaping. Spreading trees are those with limbs that naturally grow at angles, and if the limbs grow below horizontal, they are deemed drooping. Roundish trees are those that have a mix of limb growth, but can also become bushy, so they can also be a challenge for pruning.

Blossom Dates
Blossom dates are not listed except as part of the description for very late blossoming varieties with the note that the late blooming helps that variety to avoid damage of late frosts. I do not include it because my experience has been that all our varieties, even earliest and latest blossoming, have had some overlap. Most varieties will blossom for 9 to 12 days so even an early blossoming variety, such as Gravenstein, will overlap for a few days with Northern Spy and other late blossoming varieties.

Keeping
Keeping qualities are not listed except as part of the merits and faults very exceptionally good or bad keepers. There are not included because there is a general rule to follow: summer apples do not keep well, mid-season apple varieties will keep for two or three months, and winter apples should be stored for a few weeks to allow them to mellow into their best flavor and then will keep for five or six months using only old-fashioned storage practices that most non-commercial orchardists might employ. Commercial operations using modern storage techniques and equipment can keep most apple varieties for long periods of time – more than a year. However, while the appearance of the apple can be maintained, flavor can and will decline, and the apples may have been picked before they were fully ready so they would ship better.

Disease Resistance: There are many diseases and tree ailments, but only a few are well documented by the resistance or susceptibilty of varieties, so only a few of the most common are listed. Fireblight, Apple Scab, Powdery Mildew (PM), and Cedar Apple Rust (CAR). Ratings are on a scale of 1 to 5 most resistant to most susceptible:

1 = very resistant
2 = resistant
3 = moderately resistant
3 = moderately susceptible
4 = susceptible
5 = very susceptible
?? = sources vary on resistance and susceptibility
[blank]= no report found or observed in our orchard

Ratings are based only in part on personal observation. Mostly I have relied on several sources. They don't always agrees, so I have been consulted and compared them. They include the apple database created by Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva; a Cornell blog; a study done by Janna Beckerman of Purdue; a Colorade State factsheet, the Midwest Tree Fruit Pest Management Handbook; observations made at the Walden Effect; a table of apple cultivar susceptibility to powdery mildew compiled by K. S. Yoder and A. R. Biggs; and other resources.

Merits and Faults
My own observations as well as several resources have been used to compile merits and faults. The apple database created by Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY,in cooperation with the National Germplasm Resources Laboratory's Germplasm Resources Information Network has been especially valuable, although I have found some internal contradictions, and our orchard has many varieties not found there. Tip bearing: Full and partial tip bearing trees need to be carefully pruned, or too much of the following season's crop could be pruned away. The Home Orchard Society published a list of spur, semi-spur, tip, and partial tip bearing apple varieties in 2006. A pdf of the list is still available online.

KEY to the sources for Apple Images

All pictures shown are of apples from our orchard. Additonal images may be viewed at these websites:

NFC=National Fruit Collection at Brogdale (UK)
GRIN=National Germplasm Resources Laboratory's Germplasm Resources Information Network, Geneva, NY
USDA= United States Department of Agriculture's Pomological Watercolors, a gallery of over 7500 technically accurate paintings, drawings, and lithographs created from 1889 to 1940 (+ indicates multiple images are available on the National Library of Agriculture's Digital Collections). NOTE: The link goes to a catalog record. To view larger images, scroll down to "View Online, then select icon for any of the "Digital Version" files listed.

KEY to the sources used for apple ratings:

Ratings in almost all the sources are for flavor, not for overall quality of the fruit or tree. The list is in alphabetical order by author, after four primary sources (more including some revisions) that have special significance and importance.

Downing=Andrew Jackson Downing and Samuel Downing. The Fruits and Fruit-trees of America The ratings were added by Samuel Downing in the 1865 revised edition. There were several additional revisions, but the ratings did not change. These ratings also found their way into many subsequent apple books – at least there is a surprising amount of agreement with Downing by later sources. Even the ratings in Beach's Apples of New York seem to mostly echo those of Downing.

Bull97="Catalog of Fruits Recommended for Cultivation; Division I: Fruits Mainly Adapted to Northern Localities; Section 1: Apples," U.S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Pomology. Bulletin No. 6, 1897. The catalog and its ratings were made by a standing committee of the American Pomological Society appointed in 1895 at the behest of the Department of Agriculute. T.T. Lyon of Michigan chaired the committee, and the most prominent member may have been Liberty Hyde Bailey. The ratings ranged from 1 (very poor) to 10 (best). After the rating following a slash, is a notation for District No. 2 that includes New York's Finger Lakes: * known to succeed; ** highly successful; + promising; NR may mean either not reported or not recommended. Bull99: A rating listed here reflects revisions made and published in Bulletin No. 8 in 1899. Since there were only slight changes, only when there were significant are they noted. Bull09: when the catalog was revised in 1909, the more traditional ratings of good, very good, and best replaced the numerical system.

Beach = S. A. Beach, assisted by N.O. Booth, and O.M. Taylor. Apples of New York, 1905, Volume I and Volume II. Beach emphasizes that "good" represents medium quality only. When multiple ratings appear that indicates that the quality can vary in that variety. Downing is cited throughout the book, but he is not named as a source for the ratings, even though with some exceptions, those ratings are repeated.

Hedrick = U.P. Hedrick, N.O. Booth, and O.M. Taylor. "Varieties of Apples for New York" in "Report of the Horticultural Department" in 25th Annual Report of the Board of Control of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station, 1907. The flavor ratings repeated Beach, so listed here are the recommendations for the Central Lakes district, except where noted. **=Well Recommended; *=Recommended; +=Worthy of Trial; _=Undesirable for region. Further notions are d=dessert; k=kitichen; c=cider. H=home use; M=market; L=local market, meaning they don't ship well. The following works by Hedrick will only be cited when ratings changed:

Hedrick1914 = Another update, this one by F. H. Hall in "The Best Apples for New York State," found in the 32d Annual report of the Board of Control of the New York Agricultural Experiment Station, 1914. The number of varieties rated was reduced to 98 of special value or merit in New York State. One key trait is bearing age in years.
Hedrick13: U.P. Hedrick worked with G.H. Howe to produce Apples: Old and New for the New York Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 361, 1913.
Hedrick22: Much of his findings were repeated in Hedrick's Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruit (Macmillan, 1922) with a few changes. Further comment from the 1922 book only when different or additional information was provided. They will be listed as quality rating, star rating for Central Lakes district of NY, notes.

Other sources:

AA=Adam's Apples, where apples are rated from no stars to three stars "based on their qualities eaten out of hand."
Allen= inclusion in a list of Best Varieties of Apples for Cultivation found in Richard Lamb Allen's (revised by Lewis F. Allen) New American farm book, 1908. List included 30 varieties most widely cultivated, not specific to a particular region.
Alwood=William Bradford Alwood, Orchard Studies. III. Notes on Some of the More Important Varieties of Apples. Bulletin 130. Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, November 1901.
APS1911=rating g (good), vg (very good) or b (best)[nothing lower than good], Apples highly recommended for District 2 (which includes most of New York State, including the Finger Lakes, as found in Bulletin 151 of the American Pomological Society, Fruits recommended by the American Pomological Society for cultivation in the various sections of the United States and Canada, 1911, and reported in Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture, 1914. **=Highly recommended; *=Recommended. D,K & M=Dessert, Kitchen &Market.
Baker=Charles Baker, Practical and scientific fruit culture Lee and Shepard, 1866 [Rated * or ** for suitability [only Western NY included here] or _ for not rated. and listed among the best 6, 12, or 20 trees for particular states [or at least best 20 if no # listed].
Bailey=Field Notes on Apple Culture (1886) by Liberty Hyde Bailey. Although Bailey advised commercial orchardists to plant no more 5 or 6 varieties in an orchard of 500 apple trees and that 4 of them be winter varieties, he did recommend more than 60 apple varieties as either the best for market or recommended for home use, dividing them up "For Summer and Fall" and "For Winter." Abbreviated as MSF, MW, HUSF, and HUW.
Barron=British Apples: Report of the Committee of the National Apple Congress, Held in the Royal Horticultural Gardens, Chiswick, October 5th to 25th, 1883, compiled by Archibald Farquharson Barron.
Barry=Patrick Barry. The Fruit Garden, 1857/supplemented by Barry's Fruit Garden, 1872. Barry was an orchardist near Rochester, NY. In the first edition, he listed a top 20. In the later edition, he created select lists for different regions, Revariableproduced here are apples included in the Select List recommended for Eastern and Middle States for summer, autumn (A), winter (W), choice garden (G), and "large and beautiful" (L). "Unimpeachable" indicates the best choices for Western New York.
Beecher=comments from Henry Ward Beecher in his Pleasant Talk about Fruits, Flowers and Farming, 1874.
BC=Catalog of Fruit Trees Under Test at the Experimental Farm at Agassiz, British Columbia, 1900.
Brooklyn=Brooklyn Botanical Gardens' The Best Apples To Buy And Grow, 2005.
Bridgeman=Thomas Bridgeman, American Gardener's Assistant, 1886.
Browning=included in the chapter "Twenty or So Prize Apples" from Frank Browning's Apples, 1999.
Buffalo=Rated "first-rate" [or 2nd rate where noted] at the Pomological Convention at Buffalo, 1848, as reported in the Ohio Cultivar the next year.
Bunker=Comments from John Bunker and associates from his orchard's Out on a Limb web site.
Bunyard=Edward Bunyard. A Handbook of Hardy Fruits More Commonly Grown in Great Britain: Apples and pears, 1920.
Burford=Included in Tom Burford's Apples of North America, 192 Exceptional Varieties [* indicates in his list of Top 20 fresh-eating apples, even though some were not included in his book].
CG=R.J. Barnett. "Quality in Apples," Country Gentleman, November 10, 1917 [Ratings dessert quality-50/cooking quality-25/keeping quality-25/total-100.
Cole=S. W. Cole, The American Fruit Book, 1849.
Dickerman= Charles Dickerman, How to Make the Farm Pay; Or, The Farmer's Book of Practical Information on Agriculture, Stock Raising, Fruit Culture, Special Crops, Domestic Economy & Family Medicine, 1870. The label "US" or "NE" indicates the variety was judged among the best six for the whole country or the Northeast States. "NY" indicates the variety had proven successful in New York State. NY* indicates it was especially recommended for the state.
Elliott = F. R. Elliott, Elliott's Fruit Book, 1858.
Engelbrecht = Th. Engelbrecht. Deutschlands Apfelsorten, 1889
FB = US Department of Agriculture. Farmers Bulletins.

FB113=Farmers' Bulletin No. 113 (1909): The Apple and How to Grow It, by G.B, Brackett. (NE=recommended for the district that includes New England, New York, and Pennsylvania; NE* recommended for commercial as well as family orchard; &=recommended for another part of the country)
FB208 = Farmers' Bulletin No. 208 (1904): Varieties of Fruits Recommended for Planting, compiled by W.H. Ragan. [Ratings (HR, highly recommended, R, recommended, and T, recommended for trial; D=Dessert (desirable for eating in a fresh or uncooked state), K=Kitchen (has good cooking qualities), M=Market (is good bearer, has fine appearance, possesses firmness and keeping quality, C=cider) are for District 2: Nova Scotia, most of New England and NY, northern NJ, PA, OH, & IN, and the lower peninsula of Michigan;
FB1001 = Farmers' Bulletin No. 1001 (1920): Varieties of Fruits Suggested for Planting in 14 different districts of the US (* indicates variety was including in District 1 (colder portions of New England and New York) or District 2 (whicg includes the Finger Lakes)).

Folger=John Clifford Folger & Samuel Mable Thomson. The commercial apple industry of North America, 1921. [* among top 12 commercial country wide (80% of all apples); $ most marketable, fetching best prices; H good for home use as well]; apples increasing in commercial production, staying the same, or decreasing are marked ^, =, or ↓.
Gardener's=The Gardener's Assistant, Volume 4, by Robert Thompson and William Watson. London, 1901. Advice from two curators of Royal Gardens. After brief descriptions of apple varieties, they are placed in groupings. Categories include best dessert (D), culinary (C), dessert & culinary (DC), richly flavoured (R), handsome & coloured (HC), large (L), prolific (P), hardy, for warmer climes of England (W), and late keeping (LK). For the first three groupings, distinctions were made for the best 6, 12, 24, and 36.
Goodman=Descriptive catalogue of fruit trees grown for sale by Chas. J. Goodman, nurseryman, Picnic Point Nurseries. Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia: 1918.
Gould=H.P. Gould. "Some Comments on Important Apple Varieties," in Annual Report of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 1910.
Hansen=Niels Ebbesen Hansen's chapter on apples in J. L. Budd's American Horticultural Manual, Volume II: Systematic Pomology, 1903. A star indicates the variety is winter hardy, based on N.E. Hansen's A Study of Northwest Apples, South Dakota Agricultural College, 1902, in which Hansen included the same ratings, but only include the winter-hardiest of apple varieties.
Hayes=Grown by Rutherford B Hayes at his Spiegel Grove estate after he left the Whitehouse
Heavy=from a review of heirloom apples in the blog Heavytable.
Herefordshire=The Herefordshire Pomona, containing coloured figures and descriptions of the most esteemed kinds of apples and pears. Volume One & Volume Two. Hereford, England, 1876-1885.
Hogg1=Robert Hogg. British Pomology, London, 1851. Hogg was the premier British pomologist of the mid-19th Century.
Hogg2= Robert Hogg. Fruit Manual, 1862.
Hooper=E. J. Hooper. Hooper's Western Fruit Book: (1857). Note that by "western" Hooper meant only as far west as Ohio and Indiana.
HSL1=A Catalogue of the Fruits Cultivated in the Garden of the Horticultural Society of London, 1831. HSL3=Catalogue of Fruits Cultivated in the Garden of the Horticultural Society of London. 3d ed. London, 1842 (only used if different from first edition). Some of the same information was included in [Royal] the Royal Horticultural Society's' British Apples Illustrated, 1888. Included is a descriptive catalog of apples exhibited in 1883 and 1888. 1888 indicates the variety was included in a list of the top 120 apples selected by exhibitors from through Britain for dessert or culinary use. Starting a decade later, the variety gained an award at an annual meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, London. In the late 19th Century and well into the 20th Century, two awards were given, First Class Certificate (FCC) and Award of Merit (AM). In 1993, the society presented Awards of Garden Merit (AGM) for dessert (D) and culinary (C) apples.
Jacobsen=Included in Rowan Jacobsen's Apples of Uncommon Character, 2014, and since Jacobsen is such a wordsmith, brief comments of his are included.
Keil=J.B. Keil. "The Apple from a Consumer's Standpoint." Ohio State Horticultural Society Annual Report, 1917 (Dessert apples were his own personal preference. Cooking apples were selected from cooking tests done at the station?).
Kenrick=William Kenrick. New American Orchardist, 1835. Starred or not (comments).
KOB=Das Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau-Bodensee in Bavendorf, a German foundation created for the promotion of fruit cultivation. Archived copy now linked. Onits web site were descriptions of more than 180 apple varieties. The phrases used here are translations.
Lear=Missouri orchardist O.H. Lear's flavor rating from 1-10, as recorded in James Fitz's Southern Apple and Peach Culturist, 1872.
Leroy=Andre Leroy. Dictionnaire de pomologie: Pomme. Qualité was listed generally or divided for "le couteau (the knife, or fresh eating)" and la cuisson (cooking). Either premiére or deuxième. In my notation, they will be 1 or 2, and if divided, separated by a slash.
Lewelling=indicates the variety was included among the fruit trees brought from Iowa to Oregon by covered wagon in 1847 by Henderson Lewelling to establish the first commercial orchard in the Pacific Northwest.
Lowther=Encyclopedia of practical horticulture, by Granville Lowther and William Worthington, 1914 [noting that good was the lowest rating and best was more generously bestowed than elsewhere]. First number represents the number of recommendations the variety received by orchardists in the Northern division, 25 being the most. Number in parentheses indicates total from all districts, 65 being the most and 25 being the mean of the 64 top-rated varieties.
Manhart= Included in W. Manhart's Apples for the Twenty First Century, 1995, as one of 50 apples worth growing, based on his 30 years testing apple varieties in the Pacific Northwest. Ratings range from g/vg to best.
Manning=R. Manning, Esq. "Pomological Notices," in Magazine of Horticulture, volume 7, 1841. In the article, Manning describes "one hundred of the best varieties of that most valuable fruit, the apple."
ME94="Catalog of Maine Fruits: Apples," Annual Report of the Maine Experimental Station, 1894; ME08 = W. M. Munson, "Preliminary Notes on the Seedling Apples of Maine," Annual Report of the Maine Experimental Station, 1908 [rating after / indicates notation for southern Maine, except where noted: * recommended; ** highly recommended, _ not recommended.
Michigan1879=Fruit Catalogue of 1879, prepared by the State Pomological Society of Michigan. Found in Ninth Annual Report of the Secretary of the State Pomological Society of Michigan, 1879. The quality is rated from good to best, followed by numerical ranking for dessert, cooking, market.
Michigan1890=Fruit Catalogue of 1890, an update prepared by the State Pomological Society of Michigan. Found in Fruit List and Apple Scab, by L.R. Taft, Michigan State Board of Agriculture, 1890. As in the first list, the quality is rated from good to best, followed by numerical ranking for dessert, cooking, market. Ratings are similar to, but not the same as the first catalogue, and fewer apples were included.
Michigan1904="New Varieties" described in the 1904 Special Bulletin of the Michigan State University Agricultural Experiment Station."New" only meant new to the South Haven Experiement Station.
Milam=Ava Bertha Milam & Harriet Barbara Gardner. Comparative Cooking Qualities of Some of the Common Varieties of Apples Grown in Oregon, 1915. The study included 71 apple varieties, although results did not list all varieties in all tests. The same recipes were followed, and there were tests for sauce, pies, dumplings, jelly, and marmalade, but only results for pies and sauces, which were the most complete, are reproduced here. Among the factors considered were flavor, color, and texture.
Ont1892=Catalogue of Fruits--Apples; for Use of Judges at Exhibitions, in Ontario Legislative Assembly, Sessionaly Papers, Volume 24, 1892. The four ratings are for Quality:Dessert | Quality:Cooking | Home Market Value | Foreign Market Value.
PA1889=List of of Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums and Cherries, compiled from responses by members of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Association, 1889. Listed by preference for both market and family. S=Summer, A=autumn, W=Winter. The higher the number the better.
PA1910=John Pogue Stewart.The Apple in Pennsylvania: Varieties, Planting and General Care. Pennsylvania State College Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 106, 1910. Varieties are divided into recommended for southern (S) and northern (N) Pennsylvania. Central Pennsylvania locations were included with one or the other based on elevation. **=fully commercial, *limited commercial, lack of stars for home orchards.
Phillips=included in a list of recommended heirloom varieties in The Holistic Orchard: Tree Fruits and Berries the Biological Way (2012) by Michael Phillips.
Pomologie=Alain Roueché's apple ratings on a scale of * [pauvre] to ***** [très bonne], from the site Pomologie.com
Potter=included among five "special favorite" apples named by British pomologist J.M.S. Potter (director of Brogdale Experimental Horticulture Station and in charge of the National Fruit Collections from 1936 to 1972). The only one of the five not in our orchard is the Ribston.
Powell=E.P. Powell.The Orchard and the Fruit Garden, 1909. Powell was an orchardist from Clinton, NY, who was affiliated with Cornell's Experimental Station for several decades. * indicates suggested for New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
Prince=included in Prince's Annual Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees, 1841. William Prince's was the first commercial orchard in North America.
Ragan=Nomenclature of the Apple: a catalogue of the known varieties referred to in American publications from 1804 to 1904, compiled by W. H. Ragan, 1905
Richmond=selected from a Catalog of Southern and Western Apples at a pomological meeting held in Richmond, Va., 1871, as recorded in James Fitz, Southern Apple and Peach Culturist, 1872. *=recommended, **=superior, F=for family use, M=for market.
S-L=Simon-Louis frères. Guide pratique de l'amateur de fruits [Practical Guide for the Fruit Enthusiast], 2d ed., 1895. The ratings given ranged from de bonne qualite to de premiere qualitie to de toute premiere qualitie (good to premier to highest). Some of the trees were or "under study." Many trees were listed under the category of douteuses ou peu meritantes or of "doubtful or little merit," but only Antonovka from our orchard was given that distinction. pour la table indicates fresh eating. pour cuire indicates for cooking.
Salt=selected by the Salt Spring Apple Co., of British Columbia. A few years ago, it ranked varieties into its Big 26. An asterisk indicate it was also listed in its more elite Top 9 list. In a new design of its site, the top rankings have disappeared, so the links are to the pages found through the Way Back Machine.
Scott=Scott's Orchardist: Or Catalogue of Fruits Cultivated at Merriott, Somerset, 1873 [most every tree received a 1 rating, but Scott was in the business of selling trees. Included in part to show what American varieties he had imported to England].
Seattle24=included in Seattle Tree Fruit Society's list of the 24 best varieties, based on a poll of society members in 2011.
Smith=Scott Smith, a fruit grower from Maryland, and founder of the Growing Fruit forum, summarized his apple variety experience from 2005 to 2022 with descriptions and ratings, some from his 2018 version.
Thomas=John Jacob Thomas. The American Fruit Culturist, 1875. Starred if included in a list of apples recommended for New York State or a neighboring state or region and double starred if listed as one of the six top Western New York apples. (Special comments).
Traverso=included among Amy Traverso's "59 Great Apple Varieties" listed in her book The Apple Lover's Cookbook, 2011. Categorized into four groups: Firm-Tart (Best for richer baked desserts), Firm-Sweet (Best for lighter baked desserts), Tender-Tart (Best for fresh preparations, sauces, and eating out of hand), and Tender-Sweet (Also good for fresh preparations, sauces, and eating out of hand).
UIll=University of Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Varieties of Apples (Bulletin #45), 1896.
Vorbeck=rated among the best by Tom Vorbeck, late of the website Applesource, in three categories: Sweet (13), Balanced (8), Sour (16).
Walker: #1-24=among top two dozen varieties best-suited to the meridian of New England, ranked according to merit by Samuel Walker, president of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, in Hovey's Magazine, vol 25, 1849.
Warder=J. A. Warder, American Pomology. Apples, 1867. Ratings are from poor to best. Good? is between poor and good.
Waugh=Frank Albert Waugh. The American Apple Orchard: a sketch of the practice of apple in North America at the beginning of the twentieth century, 1908.
Way=on Roger Way's Top 20 list from 1966 [Way was Cornell's leading apple expert in the 20th Century].
Wilkinson=A. E. Wilkinson, The Apple: A Practical Treatise, 1915 (* indicates that the variety was included among the list of the 36 best for the farm or commercial orchard for New England or New York).
Woolverton=Linus Woolverton. The Canadian Apple Grower's Guide, 1910. Ratings are given for dessert, cooking, and commercial value.
Yepsen=selected for inclusion in Roger Yepsen's book Apples, 1994.

This page written and maintained by John R. Henderson (jhenderson @ ithaca.edu).
Last modified: 4 August 2024
URL: http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/ourapples.html
Background image of cidering by Laura McCormick Low.