Allington
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Allington
Origin / History
Sources disagree on the origin of this variety, reflecting two distinct apples that historical references have associated with the name "Allington."
Per Hansen (1902) and Beach's first entry (1905), Allington was originated by S. A. Alling of Homer, Minnesota. As a seedling it was awarded first premium by the Minnesota Horticultural Society in December 1901.
Per Beach's second entry (1905) and Bunyard (1920), this is a new English variety, raised in South Lincolnshire and introduced by Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co., Ltd. in 1896 (Bunyard). It was awarded a first class certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society in 1894 (Beach citing Bunyard, Jour. Royal Hort. Soc., 21:356, 1898; also Jour. Royal Hort. Soc., 27:217, 1903, fig.; and The Garden, 1906, 131). Beach notes that although it is of good size and of good quality, it is not attractive enough in color to make it a promising commercial variety for New York, and it had not been tested there sufficiently to show how well it is adapted to New York conditions; no reports of the Minnesota variety being grown in New York State had been received either. Bunyard (1920) calls it "a most valuable variety, which is now in the front rank," noting it thrives in nearly all soils, though its fault is in making rather too much lateral growth as a pyramid.
Tree
Tree vigorous (Beach, Bunyard); very fertile (Bunyard). Form spreading, rather open. Twigs long to below medium, irregular, crooked, rather slender; internodes above medium to below medium in length. Bark rather dull brownish-red and dull green; on older wood rather light green. Lenticels scattering, large, roundish, sometimes raised. Buds large, roundish, rather obtuse, appressed, pubescent. Leaves somewhat narrow (Beach); narrow oval, grey green, upfolded undulating, coarsely rounded serrate, nearly crenate (Bunyard). As grown at the Geneva Station it comes into bearing young and gives promise of being quite productive (Beach). Its fault is in making rather too much lateral growth as a pyramid (Bunyard).
Fruit
Size. Medium (Hansen); medium to large, pretty uniform in size (Beach); medium, 2¾ by 2¾ (Bunyard); good-sized (George Bunyard Catalog 1914).
Form. Roundish, conical, sometimes oblique (Hansen); roundish, often somewhat inclined to oblong conic varying to slightly oblate, sides unequal, sometimes slightly ribbed, rather uniform in shape (Beach); round, conical, regular (Bunyard); round-ribbed (George Bunyard Catalog 1914).
Stem. Rather long (Hansen); medium to long (Beach); medium, in a moderately deep, even cavity (Bunyard).
Cavity. Acute, slightly russeted (Hansen); rather obtuse to acute or slightly acuminate, rather shallow to moderately deep, moderately narrow, usually russeted, sometimes prominently lipped (Beach); moderately deep, even (Bunyard).
Calyx / Eye. Open (Hansen); medium to large, closed or partly open; lobes very long, acuminate, reflexed (Beach); slightly open, very long, tips reflexed (Bunyard).
Basin. Corrugated (Hansen); rather obtuse, moderately wide, medium to shallow, often slightly corrugated, nearly symmetrical (Beach); slightly plaited, shallow (Bunyard).
Skin. Yellow, with bronze blush; dots obscure, numerous, minute, russet (Hansen — Minnesota variety); yellow with a bronze blush (Beach first entry, Minnesota variety); thick, smooth, greenish-yellow almost entirely overspread with somewhat dull red, indistinctly striped and mottled with carmine, sprinkled with gray dots; occasionally rather large russet dots and flecks are seen; not particularly attractive in color (Beach second entry, English variety); lemon yellow, slight red flush and faint stripes (Bunyard); yellowish (George Bunyard Catalog 1914).
Flesh / Flavor. Yellowish white, moderately juicy, rich, pleasant subacid, very good (Hansen); tinged with yellow, moderately coarse, rather crisp, tender, rather firm, very juicy, briskly subacid to nearly acid, pleasantly aromatic, rich in flavor, good in quality (Beach); crisp, juicy, pale yellow, sub-acid, pleasantly aromatic (Bunyard); good flavour (George Bunyard Catalog 1914).
Core / Seeds. Core slightly open, clasping; cells round, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; seeds eight to nine, light brown (Hansen). Calyx tube rather large, rather short and wide to sometimes long, funnelform with short truncate cylinder and fleshy projection of pistil point into its base. Core medium or below, open or partly closed, nearly axile; core lines meeting or when the tube is funnel-form, clasping the cylinder of the tube. Carpels roundish ovate to pointed ovate, deeply emarginate. Seeds below medium, very numerous, dark, short, obtuse to acute, plump (Beach).
Season
Late winter (Hansen); November to midwinter (Beach); October to December, dessert (Bunyard); January–November, and outstanding as well as one of the most reliable keepers (George Bunyard Catalog 1914).
Uses
Acceptable for dessert; particularly suitable for culinary use (Beach). Dessert (Bunyard, George Bunyard Catalog 1914).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 6 catalogs (1897–1917) from England
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897 — listed as Allington Pippin
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900 — listed as Allington Pippin
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Allington Pippin
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911 — listed as Allington Pippin
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914 — listed as Allington Pippin
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917 — listed as Allington Pippin
View original book sources (4)
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Allington-Originated by S. A. Alling, Homer, Minnesota. First premium as seedling awarded by Minnesota Horticultural Society, December, 1901. -Fruit medium, roundish, conical, sometimes oblique; surface yellow, with bronze blush; dots obscure, numerous, minute, russet; cavity acute, slightly russeted; stem rather long; basin corrugated; calyx open. Core slightly open, clasping; cells round, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; seeds eight to nine, light brown; flesh yellowish white, moderately juicy, rich, pleasant subacid, very good. Late winter.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)(I) ALLINGTON.
This is a late winter apple of medium size, yellow with a bronze blush, subacid. It was originated by S. A. Alling of Homer, Minnesota. As a seedling it was awarded first premium by the Minnesota Horticultural Society in 1901.¹ We have received no reports of its being grown in New York State.
(II) ALLINGTON.
REFERENCES. 1. Bunyard, Jour. Royal Hort. Soc., 21:356. 1898. 2. Jour. Royal Hort. Soc., 27:217. 1903. fig.
SYNONYM. ALLINGTON PIPPIN (1, 2).
This is a new English variety which was awarded a first class certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society in 1894. (1) Although it is of good size and of good quality it is not attractive enough in color to make it a promising commercial variety for New York. It has not been tested here sufficiently to show how well it is adapted to New York conditions.
TREE.
Tree vigorous. Form spreading, rather open. Twigs long to below medium, irregular, crooked, rather slender; internodes above medium to below medium in length. Bark rather dull brownish-red and dull green; on older wood rather light green. Lenticels scattering, large, roundish, sometimes raised. Buds large, roundish, rather obtuse, appressed, pubescent. Leaves somewhat narrow. As grown at the Geneva Station it comes into bearing young and gives promise of being quite productive.
¹ Hansen, S. D., Expt. Sta. Bul. 76:22. 1902.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium to large, pretty uniform in size. Form roundish, often somewhat inclined to oblong conic varying to slightly oblate, sides unequal, sometimes slightly ribbed, rather uniform in shape. Stem medium to long. Cavity rather obtuse to acute or slightly acuminate, rather shallow to moderately deep, moderately narrow, usually russeted, sometimes prominently lipped. Calyx medium to large, closed or partly open; lobes very long, acuminate, reflexed. Basin rather obtuse, moderately wide, medium to shallow, often slightly corrugated, nearly symmetrical. Skin thick, smooth, greenish-yellow almost entirely overspread with somewhat dull red, indistinctly striped and mottled with carmine, sprinkled with gray dots; occasionally rather large russet dots and flecks are seen. Not particularly attractive in color. Calyx tube rather large, rather short and wide to sometimes long, funnelform with short truncate cylinder and fleshy projection of pistil point into its base. Core medium or below, open or partly closed, nearly axile; core lines meeting or when the tube is funnel-form, clasping the cylinder of the tube. Carpels roundish ovate to pointed ovate, deeply emarginate. Seeds below medium, very numerous, dark, short, obtuse to acute, plump. Flesh tinged with yellow, moderately coarse, rather crisp, tender, rather firm, very juicy, briskly subacid to nearly acid, pleasantly aromatic, rich in flavor, good in quality. Season November to midwinter. Uses. Acceptable for dessert. Particularly suitable for culinary use.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)ALLINGTON PIPPIN. The Garden, 1906, 131. (South Lincoln Pippin.) Dessert, October to December, Medium, 2¾ by 2¾, round, conical, regular. Colour, lemon yellow slight red flush and faint stripes. Flesh, crisp, juicy, pale yellow, sub-acid, pleasantly aromatic. Eye, slightly open, very long, tips reflexed in a slightly plaited, shallow basin. Stem medium in a moderately deep, even cavity. Growth, vigorous; very fertile. Leaf, narrow oval, grey green, upfolded undulating, coarsely rounded serrate, nearly crenate. Origin, raised in South Lincolnshire and introduced by Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co., Ltd., in 1896. A most valuable variety, which is now in the front rank. Thrives in nearly all soils. Its fault is in making rather too much lateral growth as a pyramid.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)Dessert; Jan.-Nov. Yellowish round-ribbed and good-sized fruit; good flavour, and outstanding as well as one of the most reliable keepers.