My Grandpap's |
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Its history, a chart with notes and descriptions of the apples, plus links to other apple tree resources. And see also our orchard. |
Over a hundred twenty-five years ago, my great grandfather, Joseph Henry Henderson, planted an orchard on his farm in the south-west corner of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and just over the county line from Armstrong County. The size of my great grandfather's orchard was one hundred apple trees. He probably obtained his trees from a traveling entrepreneur selling bare-root whip orchard packages that included more than a dozen varieties. It is possible instead that he ordered the trees from a catalog, perhaps one from the Peter Henderson seed company. Peter Henderson, a well known and well respected horticulturalist in his day, is not related to my Henderson family, but my father tells me that ordering from the Henderson catalog was a long family tradition.
There were already a few apple trees near the house and elsewhere on the farm. One old tree growing by itself near the creek had small, bitter tasting, yellow fruit. Grandpap, perhaps in jest, called it their Johnny Appleseed tree. Perhaps it was not in jest, since Johnny Appleseed would have been traveling in or near those parts about the number of years ago as the age of the tree. Johnny Appleseed did not believe in grafting, so all his trees were seedlings of unknown origins, and few were good for anything except making cider. Suggesting a tree was one Johnny Appleseed had planted was not a compliment.
My Grandpap, John G. Henderson maintained his father's original orchard and made significant changes, discontinuing some varieties, removing trees and adding others. One of his wife's cousins, Bob Fulton, was an expert in grafting apple trees and did much to enhance and improve the orchard. Behind his own house, Bob Fulton had a tree with eleven different varieties grafted to it. Sometime in the early 1920s Grandpap improved the enterprise by having an apple cave built into the side of a hill. It was reinforced with walls and a concrete slab for a roof. Fourteen different varieties were kept in the apple cave. More than fourteen varieties grew in the orchard, but those varieties of apples that were poor keeping and didn't sell out in season were cooked, canned, or dried, and not stored in the apple cave.
The apple business was a family operation. All the children had apple information
grilled into them so they could serve customers. It wasn't enough that they
could sell the apples; each child had to be able to recommend different apples. More than 75 years later, when I interviewed my dad, he was still able to remember not just the names of the apples
but also their qualities and descriptions.
Each apple variety was well suited for the Mid-Atlantic region and fit the early twentieth century standard for being commercially viable. However, each had its own special quality and purpose. Grandpap judged the quality of an apple variety primarily on its use and keeping quality. He favored utility apples like the Baldwin that were good for both cooking and fresh eating over specialty apples good only for baking or only for eating out of hand. In the age before mechanical refrigeration and controlled atmosphere storage, an apple's natural keeping quality was an even more important quality. With a head for business and marketing, Grandpap certainly paid attention to flavor and appearance, as well. My grandmother had her own opinion on the apples, having some favorites for pies and others for fresh applesauce. For canning it didn't matter. For apple butter and canned applesauce, she used whatever apples were in danger of spoiling.
Cider-making was a big event in the fall. It was always made with a blend of apples, but the base for most ciders came from Baldwins.
The orchard was probably at its peak in number of vigorous trees during the 1920s and early 30s, when my father was growing up. Apple sales were a significant source of income during the depression, supplementing the Henderson dairy operation. Apples were sold both at the farm and along the milk route. When the dairy operation was expanded after World War II, the orchard became less important, and the trees were no longer maintained.
My great-grandfather and his neighbor (and cousin) Thomas Hood planted their original orchards at the same time. His son Cree Hood continued his father's orchard. Many years later my uncle Bob, fresh out of the army after World War II, bought the Hood farm, and he and his brother, my uncle Carl, spent several years and a lot of hard work and money trying to revive and expand the old orchard. They also constructed a commercial cider press. They sold fruit and cider from 1946 to 1951. One year their trees survived a frost when most other orchards in the area did not, and they made quite a sizeable profit. In 1951, when there were prospects for a good harvest enough that the orchard might begin to pay for itself, a late frost killed off the blossoms and my uncles's hopes. They both found "second jobs," and gave up on the orchard as a principle source of income. I have a faint childhood memory of a family gathering at the cider mill. What I remember most about it is being teased about worms being crushed into the cider. The orchard went into decline and was eventually torn out to make more room for pasture.
The list and descriptions of the following apple varieties come principly from a discussion I had with my dad, Joseph R. Henderson, on New Year's Day in 2004. He was then 89, but his memory of those apples was quite clear. He did need some prompting at times. For example, he couldn't remember the name of one favorite apple, but when I suggested King of Tompkins County, his face lit up as he said "King" and went on to describe it with crisp detail. Dad died at Christmastime in 2010, and one of my favorite memories of his storytelling (and he had a lot of stories) was that day we talked about the orchard.
|
Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time (in sw Pa.) |
Origin |
Size and Color |
Notes Based on My
Father's Memories |
| Baldwin AA, NF, VV |
Sept. to Oct. | near Lowell, Mass., before 1750 |
Large. Dark red predominant over yellow |
There were more Baldwin trees than any other variety. It was the apple most asked for by name. My grandpap liked the Baldwin because it had a pleasing appearance and good size, had a thick enough skin to keep the fruit from bruising, kept all winter, and was the most versatile apple, excellent for fresh eating and good for both cooking and baking. It had an excellent flavor, not too sweet nor too tart. Good cider was not made until the Baldwins had been picked and given time to mellow. Its biggest flaw was that Baldwin apples were plentiful only every other year. |
| Banana (Winter Banana) AT, DW, NF, VV |
October | Case County, Indiana, before 1880 |
Very large. Off-yellow with pinkish blush |
Not widely popular, and only one tree was grown. It had an oddly sweet flavor and aroma. Although it ripened late, it was not one of the apples stored in the apple cave. The fruit bruised easily and didn't keep long before turning mealy. Even with its odd flavor (elsewhere I've seen musky as a description), it was primarily sold as an eating apple, since it wasn't very good cooked or baked. Some apples were quite round while others were ribbed. |
Germantown |
October | Pennsylvania, before 1700 |
Medium. Yellow, striped & spotted with red |
About all Dad remembered about this apple is its name and that it was mostly yellow. He didn't know about the "Doctor" variations of the name. It was one of the last varieties to ripen and was one of the 14 varieties kept in the apple cave. I learned only long after our conversation that this apple was one of old varieties that was thought to be lost and forgotten until it was re-discovered by Conrad Gemmer, a fruit detective and collector from Susquehanna, Pa., sometime in the 1990s. |
| October | Rhode Island, before 1700 |
Large. Yellow green |
This apple was simply called a Greening. It was probably a Rhode Island Greening, but could have been a Northwest Greening. It was favored for applesauce and pies. Since it was so tart, it was not a fresh eating apple. One of the qualities my grandpap admired was that it was an excellent keeper. | |
| Grimes Golden AT, CF, NF, VV |
September | Brooke County, WV, before 1805 |
Medium to Large. |
A very flavorful apple and a favorite for those who wanted a sweet, not tart, apple. The trees were bountiful and full of fruit. Some years, however, since the blossoms ripened pretty early, the frost damage meant they didn't get a crop. Although favored for fresh eating, some customers liked it for sauces and pies, because even though sweet, it had a very rich flavor that didn't bake out like some other sweet apples. They kept well, except for a tendency for the skin to shrivel. |
| September | New York, before 1830 |
Small to medium. |
Although they had very good sweet-tart flavor, they were small and easily bruised, so not good sellers. Since Jonathans didn't store well, they weren't kept in the apple cave. They were primarily a fresh eating apple. My Grandpap used them in a special way. They were the apples he was willing to hand out to kids begging for apples while delivering milk and fruit to Iselin, especially during the Depression when Iselin was populated by the families of unemployed and underemployed coal miners. | |
|
Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time |
Origin |
Size and Color |
Notes Based on My
Father's Memories |
| King (Tompkins King or King of Tompkins County) AT, DW, HH, NF, VV |
October | near Jacksonville, NY, before 1805 |
Extra large. Red stripes over yellow |
Both Dad's and Grandpap's favorite eating apple. It was large and rich flavored -- sweeter than the Baldwin, with still a good measure of tartness. The apple could get some members of the family in trouble because of its size. Dad's younger siblings couldn't finish one they started, and Grandpap would get upset when he found half eaten apples lying around. It was used for both fresh eating and cooking, but it was better for cooking when it not quite ripe. It ripened earlier than the Baldwin, but was not as good a keeper as the Baldwin. Grandpap said of the King that it was "the way an apple is supposed to taste." |
| McIntosh
AA, AT, DW, NF, VT, VV |
September | Ontario, before 1800 |
Medium. Red blush over green & yellow-white |
Because they were smaller in size and didn't keep long before turning mealy, they were not a top seller. They were one of the 14 varieties kept in the apple cave, but they weren't expected to last until spring. Although it was sold primarily as a fresh eating apple, it could be used for baking, as well. Dad said my grandmother may have appreciated the McIntosh more than my grandpap did. Dad remembers his mother saying, if you bring me some McIntoshes, I'll make some pies. |
| Northern Spy AA, AT, DW, NF, VV |
October | East Bloomfield, NY, before 1800 | Red stripes over yellow |
My grandpap kept only a few Spy trees, in contrast to his cousin, Cree Hood, who swore by the Northern Spy and grew more of them than any other variety. Many customers considered the Spy the very best pie and baking apple, so they had a prime location in the apple cave. What my grandpap didn't like about the Northern Spy was that it bruised too easily, and that caused problems for both handling and keeping. He would remark that a high percentage of the Hoods' apples went to waste. Northern Spies were also more difficult to pick. Short stemmed, they had to be pulled off with a more elaborate twist. That short extra time per apple added up when picking many bushels. |
| Pippin (probably Fall Pippin) NF |
September | Uncertain. Before 1800 |
Large. Greenish yellow. |
Sweeter than a Baldwin, good for fresh eating and baking, too. One of the first to ripen of the apples that were kept in the apple cave. They were as good sellers as any in the earlier part of the season, even though they were not especially attractive. Dad also remembered the Pippins being among the apples that were allowed to mellow a week or two before being ready. Dad only remembered Pippins being called just that, but based on its color and earlier ripening, it probably was the Fall Pippin, not the Newtown Pippin. |
| [Summer] Rambo VV |
August | France, before 1600 |
Yellow green
|
Remembered fondly because it was one of the first apples to ripen in the summer, but it was more for home use and long gone when the main commercial crop of apples had ripened. Highly flavored. My grandmother liked to use them for applesauce. She wouldn't make a pie of all Rambos, but some added to give a pie extra flavor. Although Dad called the apple the Rambo, this variety is different from another apple called the Rambo, or Winter Rambo, a variety that was introduced before 1700 either by Peter Gunnarsson Rambo, one of the original settlers of New Sweden, or one of his descendents. Since there is no written record of the variety before the nineteenth century, there is no way of telling, although it was written down that the first Rambo brought fruit tree and garden seeds with him in a box. Through my father's mother's side of the family, the Rambos were among our ancestors [The only reason for this digression]. In contrast, the Summer Rambo is thought to be of French origin and the original spelling was Rambour. The Summer Rambo, or Rambour d'Ete, is said to have originated in the village of Rambures in the Somme department in the region of Picardy, not far from the English Channel. |
| Rome Beauty AT, DW, NF, VV |
October | Ohio, before 1820 |
Large. Red stripes |
Beauty does have its own rewards. My grandpap liked to set out the Rome Beauty apples for display. Being large, bright red, and often with a perfectly round shape, they attracted attention. That made them a good seller, even though they were only average for either fresh eating or in cooking. One very good quality that Grandpap appreciated was that the fruit didn't bruise easily and could be sold better than most other varieties after long storage. |
| Russet (Roxbury?) AA, AT, CF. VV |
October | Massachusetts before 1650 | Medium. Russetting over reddish brown |
Good in cooking and excellent for the rich flavoring it gave to cider, but Dad did not like it for eating fresh. I'm not sure if that was because he thought it too sugary or if he didn't like the leather coat. Simply called the Russet, Dad remembers a reddish coloring in addition to the russeting, so they were more likely to have been Roxburys than Golden Russets. Praised for keeping so long and so well in storage. |
|
Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time |
Origin |
Size and Color |
Notes Based on My
Father's Memories |
| Sheepnose (Sweet Bough or Black Gilliflower?) AA |
early | ? | Large |
This was one of the best flavored apples, and very juicy, but, unfortunately, they didn't last long. There was only one tree, and it grew near the house, not part of the orchard. The apples were not sold commercially. It was never crunchy, and they got mushy and rotted quickly after they dropped. Its shape was elongated, so it did resemble a sheep's nose. Dad only knew it as Sheepnose, and based on his description it is uncertain which of several varieties nicknamed Sheepnose it really was. |
| Stark |
October | Ohio, before 1870 | Medium. Dull red over yellow |
The Stark was a good apple, but neither exceptional in flavor nor appearance. It was a good keeper. Dad is not sure how Grandpap acquired the Stark trees, since the Hendersons were the only orchard growers in those parts with them. That uniqueness of the Starks meant they often won prizes at the county fair. It merited storage in the apple cave. |
| October | Leavenworth, KS, before 1870 |
Large. Almost solid red |
Another good all purpose apple. The best apple in the minds of several customers. Both sweeter and tarter than the Baldwin, with a pleasant aroma, its flavor contrasts made it stand out. It was also one of the preferred apples for cider. Although it was early to blossom, it was one of the last trees to ripen, so some loyal customers had a long wait for them to go on sale. Since it was an excellent keeping apple, however, they could be sold and eaten long after most other apples were no longer in good condition. | |
| Wealthy AA, AT, NF, VV |
Early Sept. | Minnesota, before 1860 |
Medium. Solid red when fully ripe |
Very juicy, with a good texture. Good all-purpose apples, they were less flavorful than many others. Since the fruit ripened sooner than the winter apples, they sold well earlier in the season. Although they have a reputation for being large, Dad remembered them as being smallish in size. Competed well against the Pippin and Macintosh, but not the Baldwin. The trees were very hardy and could be counted on year after year. They were among the 14 varieties stored in the apple cave, but didn't keep as well. |
| Wolf River NF, VV |
Late Aug. to Sept. | Wisconsin, before 1880 |
Huge. Red stripes over yellow |
There was only one tree, big and tough, if not very handsome. It was part of the old orchard planted by my great grandfather. The huge size of the Wolf River apples would catch everyone's attention, but unfortunately it was pretty dry and flavorless. When cooked, it shriveled down to nothing. Another downside was that it didn't store well. Grandpap didn't sell them, but, because of their size and appearance, he placed a Wolf River as a novelty right on top each bushel he sold. Mother could enter Wolf Rivers at the Indiana County Fair and count on winning first prize, since at the fair, apples were judged for appearance, not culinary quality. |
| Yellow Transparent AA, AT, NF, VT, VV |
Early August or even July | Russia, before 1800 |
Medium. Yellow green |
Beloved because it was the first apple to ripen each year. It was only fair to eat fresh, but when there are no other apples around, the taste was pretty good. Not sold, but used by the family. Used for applesauce by my grandmother rather than for baking. They were long gone by the time most other apples were first picked. |
| October | York, Pa., before 1830 |
Med./Large. Yellow with red stripes |
Another apple that was featured in display, although some were distinctly "lop-sided." It kept better than the other varieties and didn't bruise. A few could be counted on to still be in decent shape to eat at Easter time. It stayed crisp over time. Its flavor was a bit bland, but it had its loyal supporters. It was another apple that was said to need mellowing. |
| Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time |
Origin |
Size and
Color |
Notes Based on My Father's
Memories |
| Ben Davis NF |
Late Sept. | unknown, probably Tennessee, Kentucky, or Virginia, before 1860 |
Yellow with red mottling |
The Ben Davis apple was considered a worthless apple, at least in that part of Pennsylvania. The apples were small, hard, dry, and tasteless. Its sole redeeming quality was its keeping quality. After one of Dad's uncles waited five years for his first apple trees to bear, he discovered they were not an assortment of commercial apples as had been claimed, but all Ben Davis instead. In disgust he pulled out by its roots every single one of the trees. [In Southern States the Ben Davis has had a slightly better reputation.] |
| Maiden Blush AT, HH, VV |
Aug. to Sept. | Burlington, NJ, before 1820 | Red cheeked or blushed over yellow |
Dad remembers his mother speaking fondly of the Maiden Blush tree that grew near her house when she was growing up. The fruits were very pretty with their blush of red on one side. However, none were grown in my Grandpap's orchard, perhaps because it didn't have a good reputation for keeping long and he thought the apple was prettier than it was good to eat. I have seen different opinions on its flavor, from bland to sharply tangy, but Dad say which his father thought. |
| Smokehouse CF, VV |
September | Lampeter, Lancaster County, Pa., before 1830 | Red shading over greenish-yellow |
The Smokehouse was another tree that grew by Dad's mother's father. Smokehouse apples were a good, sweet, and faintly spicy. Dad doesn't know why Grandpap didn't include them in the orchard. Dad spent his last years only a few miles from the town of Lampeter, where the tree was first discovered. It was growing near a farmer's smokehouse, hence the name. |
US: PA/NY New England Midwest South West | UK & Ireland | Canada | Oz & NZ
Available online from multiple sources, and all now have the color illustrations in color:
The Apples of New York, by Spencer Ambrose Beach (1905), became something of a Bible for apple growers. Beach was a horticulturist at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva and was known as the leading pomologist of his day. In two volumes, Beach provided as complete descriptions of apples has had ever been compiled before or since. The ample historical sections and list of references he provides for each apple described testifies to his research in both the field and in the library.
Beach's Ratings
One key feature of Beach's descriptions was the general rating Beach gave to the apples for the quality of the fruit. The ratings are found in the section describing the flesh of the fruit, and considered taste, texture, color of flesh. The rating should not be considered an overall rating of the quality of the fruit and were unrelated to the quality of the trees. Many highly rated apples were not commercially viable and were noted for home orchards only. Key defects were short season, shy or unreliable cropping, poor keeping, and too tender for shipping. As a result, too many of the top rated apples have disappeared or been almost forgotten. Beach appears to have relied on previous pomologists for some of the ratings, since he notes for some top rated apples that "we have not seen this variety." With that caveat, here are Beach's top rated apples:
Volume I (Winter) [24 apples]:
Best: Green Newtown and Yellow Newtown. Very Good to Best: Bullock [American Golden Russet], Esopus Spitzenburg, Hubbardston, Hunt Russet, Jonathan, Lady Sweet [not Lady, aka Api], Newark Pippin, Newtown Spitzenburg, Northern Spy, Peck Pleasant, Pomme Grise, Swaar, Swazie, Tompkins King, Wagener, Westfield Seek-No-Further. Good to Best: Red Canada
Very Good to Best (with caveats): Ellsworth [but he had not seen], Evening Party [but little grown in New York], Grimes [but generally does not develop in color, size, and quality as well in New York as in more southern latitudes; Pryor [but southern apple not well adapted to New York], White [Winter] Pearmain [but midwest apple not recommended for planting in New York].Volume II (Summer and Fall) [10 apples]:
Best: Summer Pearmain. Very Good to Best: Autumn Sweet Swaar; Cox Orange; Dyer; Early Joe; Gravenstein; McIntosh; Mother; Primate; Victuals and Drink
In addition to Beach's Apples of New York, these historical sources are all available online:
This page maintained by: John R. Henderson (jhenderson@ithaca.edu),
Ithaca College Library.
Last modified: December 6, 2011
Author: John R. Henderson, Ithaca College Library
URL: http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/apple.html
