My Grandpap's Apple Orchard
My Grandpap's Apple Orchard |
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| See also our orchard and the apple links at the bottom of the page. |
Over a hundred 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. There were already a few apple trees near the house and one old tree growing by itself near the creek. It had small, bitter tasting, yellow fruit. Grandpap, perhaps in jest, called it their Johnny Appleseed 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 great grandfather planted an orchard of a 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 his father always ordered from his catalog and his grandfather may have as well.
Grandpap 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 enhanced 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. They grew more than fourteen varieties in the orchard, but many were poor keeping and only used in their season without being stored.
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. To this day, more than 75 years later, Dad has retained his memory for the apples and their qualities. The list of apple varieties on this page are those my father remembers from the orchard with his memory of their description.
Each apple variety was well suited for the Mid-Atlantic region, fit the early twentieth century standard for being commercially viable, but had a different quality and purpose. Grandpap judged the quality of an apple variety primarily on its use (favoring versility) and keeping quality. In the age before mechanical refrigeration and controlled atmosphere storage, an apple's natural keeping quality was one of its most important qualities. With a head for business and marketing, Grandpap also paid attenttion to flavor and appearance. 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 were Baldwins.
The orchard was probably at its peak in number of vigorous trees during the 1920s and early 30s, when my father, Joseph R. Henderson, was growing up. Apple sales were a significant source of income, supplementing the Henderson dairy operation. Apples were sold as an addition to the dairy products along the milk route. They were also available to customers who came directly to the farm. When the dairy operation was expanded after World War II, the orchard became less important and the trees were no longer maintained. Today only a few of those apple trees remain.
My great-grandfather's neighber (and cousin) Thomas Hood planted an orchard with trees from the same agent (or catalog) at the same time. His son Cree Hood continued the 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.
|
Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time (in Pa.) |
Origin |
Size and Color |
Notes Based on My
Father's Memories |
| Baldwin AA, 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 the apples were plentiful only every other year. |
| Banana (Winter Banana) AT, VV |
October | Case County, Ind., before 1880 |
Very large. Off-yellow with pinkish blush on one side |
Not a very popular apple, and only one tree was grown, and not one of the apples stored in the apple cave. It had an oddly sweet flavor and aroma. Even though it was a late ripening apple, the fruit bruised easily and didn't keep long before turning mealy. Even with its odd flavor, it was primarily sold as an eating apple, since it wasn't very good cooked or baked. |
Germantown |
October | Pennsylvania, before 1700 |
Medium. Yellow, striped and spotted with red |
About all Dad remembers about this apple is its name. It was one of the last to ripen and was one of the 14 varieties kept in the apple cave. |
| October | Rhode Island, before 1700 |
Large. Yellow green |
This apple was simply called a Greening, but 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 an eating apple. One of the qualities my grandpap admired was that it was an excellent keeper. | |
| Grimes Golden AT, CF, VV |
Late Sept. | 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. It was equally good for fresh eating, sauces, and baking into pies. They kept well, except for a tendancy for the skin to shrivel. |
| Sept. | 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, when Iselin was populated by unemployed and underemployed coalminers. | |
|
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, 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 my 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, VT, VV |
Sept. | Ontario, before 1800 |
Medium. Red blush over green and & yellow-white |
Because they were smaller in size and didn't keep long before turning mealy, they were not a top seller. The were one of the 14 varieties kept in the apple cave, but they weren't expected to last until spring. My grandmother did like the McIntosh for baking. My dad remembers her saying, if you bring me some McIntoshes, I'll make some pies. |
| Northern Spy AA, AT, DW, VV |
Late Sept. to Oct. | 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 had more of them than any other variety. Many customers considered the Spy the very best pie aand 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. Though only a short extra time per apple, when picking many bushels, the time added up. |
| Pippin (probably Fall Pippin) |
Sept. | Uncertain. Before 1800 |
Large. Greenish yellow. |
Sweet, good for fresh eating, especially after mellowing a few weeks, but not especially attractive. Dad only remembers Pippins being called just that, but based on its color and when earlier ripening, it probably was the Fall Pippin, not the Newtown Pippin. They were as good sellers as any in the earlier part of the season. They were kept in the apple cave. |
| [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 was no longer around when apples were stored in the apple cave. Highly flavored. My grandmother liked to use them to add flavor to pies and applesauce. Not one of Grandpap's commercial apples, since, as is true of most summer apples, they didn't keep well. This variety is different from the Rambo, sometimes called the Winter Rambo, a variety that was possibly introduced before 1700 by Peter Gunnarsson Rambo, one of the original settlers of New Sweden, but more likely by one of his Rambo descendents. Since there is no written record of the variety before the nineteenth century, there is no way of telling. Through my father's mother's side of the family, the Rambos were among our ancestors. 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 Rambure in Picardy. |
| Rome Beauty AT, DW, 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. |
| Russet (Roxbury) AA, AT, CF. VV |
October | Massachusetts before 1650 | Medium. Russetting over reddish brown |
Good in cooking and excellent for flavoring cider, but not good for eating fresh. Simply called the Russet, Dad remembers it was more reddish than yellow, so of the two most common russets of the time, Roxbury and Golden Russet, the Roxbury is more likely. The skin of the Roxbury is green and bronze with an occasional reddish blush, while the Golden skin varies from grey-green to golden bronze to coppery-orange. Both are coated with a variable amount of leathery russet. |
|
Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time |
Origin |
Size and Color |
Notes Based on My
Father's Memories |
| Sheepnose (Sweet Bough or Black Gilliflower) |
early | Large |
This was one of the best flavored apples, and very juicy, and 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. Since he only knew it as Sheepnose, which variety it really was is uncertain. | |
| 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. The Hendersons were the only orchard growers in those parts with them. Because of lack of competition, the uniqueness of the Starks meant they often won prizes at the county fair. It was an apple cave apple. |
| October | Leavenworth, KS, before 1870 |
Large. Almost solid red |
Another good all purpose apple. Both sweeter and tarter than the Baldwin, with a pleasant aroma, its strong sweet and sour contrast made it a popular eating apple for some and a preferred apple 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 still be eaten over a long time period. | |
| Wealthy AT, VV |
Early Sept. | Minnesota, before 1860 |
Medium. Solid red when fully ripe |
Very juicy, with a good texture. Good all-purpose apples, they were smaller and less flavorful than most other varieties they sold. Since the fruit ripened sooner than the winter apples, they sold well earlier in the season. Competed well against the 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. |
| Wolf River VV |
Late Aug. to Sept. | Wisconsin, before 1880 |
Huge. Red stripes over yellow |
The huge size of the Wolf River 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 appearance not culinary aspects were judged. There was only one Wolf River tree and it was part of the old orchard. |
| Yellow Transparent AT, 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. Prized for applesauce by my grandmother. They were long gone by the time the apples kept in storage were picked. |
| October | York, Pa., before 1830 |
Med. to Large. Yellow with brownish-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. It stayed crisp over time. Its flavor was a bit bland, but it had its loyal supporters. |
| Variety (and links to images) |
Ripening Time |
Origin |
Size and
Color |
Notes Based on My Father's
Memories |
| Ben Davis |
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, since the fruit was too tender to be a commerical apple and it was prettier than it was flavorful. |
| Smokehouse CF, VV |
September | Lampeter, Lancaster County, Pa., before 1830 | Red shading over greenish-yellow |
The Smokehouse was another tree that grew near where Dad's mother's house. Smokehouse apples were a good, sweet, and faintly spicy. Dad doesn't know why Grandpap didn't include them in the orchard. |
US: PA NY Great Lakes New England South West | UK & Ireland | Canada | Oz & NZ
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. The Apples of New York is available online from Google Books: Volume I and Volume II, with the color illustrations reproduced in color. It was earlier available online from Cornell's Core Historical Literature of Agriculture. However, the color illustrations were reproduced in black and white.
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 apple 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: September 12, 2009
Author: John R. Henderson, Ithaca College Library
URL: http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/apple.html
