Antonovka
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Antonovka
[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC catalogue (1900) prints two entries under this name, both "Planted Spring 1895." The second gives an oblate fruit ripening the "last of August" and runs flesh descriptors into its skin line ("Skin yellowish white, crisp, tender, mildly sub-acid"). It may describe a different variety or be garbled. Its details are kept below and attributed to the second Agassiz entry.]
Origin / History
Russian. Hansen calls Antonovka "the leading commercial apple of Southern Russia" and says the fruit is "desirable." Bunyard, who writes the name "Antonowka," calls it "a very popular central Russian variety."
Beach's references trace its North American record from the Montreal Horticultural Society Report of 1881–82. Later reports by Budd, Gibb, Van Deman, Schroeder, Taylor, Bailey, Troop, Stinson, Hamilton, Thomas, Macoun, Hansen, and Farrand follow in Iowa, Maine, Indiana, Arkansas, Michigan, South Dakota, and Canadian publications. The record also runs through the U.S. Pomologist's and American Pomological Society's reports, to Budd-Hansen in 1903. At Agassiz, British Columbia, it was planted in spring 1895.
The Russian Nomenclature Committee grouped it with several closely similar Russian sorts under the name "Antonovka Group." Beach calls it "a Russian fruit of no practical value for this state." Bunyard calls it "hardly worthy of retention" and says it "is best described as a late edition of White Transparent."
Tree
Vigorous upright grower (Agassiz); Bunyard calls the growth very vigorous. Productive, and in the second Agassiz entry an early and free producer, though Bunyard calls it only moderately fertile. Thomas says the tree is "not so hardy as some varieties received from Northern Europe which much resemble it in form and fruit." Hansen says the tree blights in some localities. Leaf very large, little upfolded, sharply serrate (Bunyard).
Fruit
Size: Above medium to large; the second Agassiz entry gives large medium. The Russian Nomenclature Committee gives size 6 to 7. Bunyard measures it 3 by 2½ in one entry and 3 by 2¾ in another.
Form: Roundish, irregular, obscurely angular, flattened at the ends; roundish oblate in Thomas and oblate in the second Agassiz entry. Bunyard gives round conical, ribbed, five-sided, uneven. The first Agassiz entry alone calls it oblong.
Stem: Medium to medium short. Bunyard alone calls it moderately long.
Cavity: Deep, acute, narrow to rather narrow, lined with russet. The russet radiates and spreads out, often in a large patch. Hansen calls the cavity regular; the Russian Nomenclature Committee calls it ridged.
Calyx: Closed. Tube funnel-shaped; stamens median (Hansen).
Basin: Abrupt, medium deep to deep, corrugated or wavy, ridged. Bunyard gives a level basin surrounded by knobs and beads.
Skin: Yellow: straw yellow, pale whitish yellow, or yellowish white. White bloom (Thomas). Greasy (Bunyard). A little russet and a pale blush (Agassiz).
Dots: Minute, raised, white, suffused, giving the skin a rough appearance. Bunyard places them under the skin.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellow (Hansen, Thomas, Russian Nomenclature Committee) or white (Bunyard, Agassiz). Crisp; nearly fine in the Russian Nomenclature Committee, loose grained in Bunyard, somewhat coarse in Agassiz. Juicy, though Bunyard calls it "rather dry." Flavor "sprightly spicy subacid," and aromatic (Bunyard). The Russian Nomenclature Committee and the first Agassiz entry call it "pleasant, acid." The second Agassiz entry gives tender, mildly subacid, with a pleasant flavor. Quality "good."
Core and seeds: Core closed (Hansen) or nearly closed (Russian Nomenclature Committee). Cells ovate, slit. Seeds ten to sixteen, small, pointed, plump, a few imperfect (Hansen).
Season
October, extending into November or December. Bunyard alone carries it to December. The second Agassiz entry gives the last of August.
Uses
Culinary (Bunyard).
Subtypes / Variants
The Russian Nomenclature Committee's Antonovka group included Vargul (277), German Calville (324, marked spurious), Russian Gravenstein (105), and Bergamot (424). J. Sexton found them all alike except No. 105, "which is different in tree." A. G. Tuttle did "not think there is any difference in them." J. B. Mitchell found Vargul, Bergamot, and German Calville "more valuable than Antonovka, although very similar."
Bergamot is Russian. Hansen says it "resembles Antonovka closely and may be indentical with it." Fruit large (Hansen) or medium (Thomas); regular, oblong, cylindrical, truncated. Rich yellow with white bloom; Thomas says it has "much the appearance of Grimes' Golden." Dots minute, white, numerous, with large whitish bases. Cavity regular, deep, acute, with much russet, the russet often extending out in a large irregular patch. Stem very short. Basin deep, ribbed. Calyx closed, segments large, erect. Core closed; tube conical; seeds small, packed close in cells. Flesh yellow, firm, fine grained, crisp, satisfying, subacid, good. Late fall.
Other
Figured by Thomas (Fig. 452; Bergamot, Fig. 451). Beach's references cite figures in the Montreal Horticultural Society Report of 1881–82, Van Deman's 1886 U.S. Pomologist's report, Thomas 1897, Hansen's 1902 South Dakota bulletin, and Budd-Hansen 1903.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 7 catalogs (1900–1912) from Illinois, Oregon, Washington
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Cinnamon
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
View original book sources (6)
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Antonovka. (No. 236)
Antonovka—Origin, Russia—The leading commercial apple of Southern Russia. Fruit desirable but tree blights in some localities. Fruit large, roundish, irregular, obscurely angular; surface yellow; dots minute, raised, white, suffused; cavity deep, regular, with radiating, often large patch of russet, stem medium; basin abrupt, corrugated or wavy; calyx closed. Core closed; cells ovate, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds ten to sixteen, small, pointed, plump, a few imperfect; flesh yellow, juicy, sprightly spicy subacid, good. October.
" ANTONOVKA GROUP.
Antonovka; 16 M and 236; No. 224; Vargul, 277; German Calville, 324 (spurious); Russian Gravenstein, 105; Bergamot, 424.
DESCRIPTION: Antonovka—Size, 6 to 7; form, roundish, angular, flattened at the ends; color, straw yellow, with dots that give the skin a rough appearance; cavity, narrow, ridged, deep, russeted; stem, medium short; basin, medium deep, ridged; calyx, closed; flesh, yellow, nearly fine; core, nearly closed; flavor, pleasant, acid; season, October; origin, Russia.
J. Sexton: All the above appear alike to me, except No. 105, which is different in tree.
A. G. Tuttle: I do not think there is any difference in them.
J. B. Mitchell: I find Vargul, Bergamot and German Calville more valuable than Antonovka, although very similar." (Rus. Nom. Com.)
[Additional entry in this volume: "Bergamot", pp. 30–30]
Bergamot (No. 424)—Origin, Russia; resembles Antonovka closely and may be indentical with it—Fruit large, regular, oblong, cylindrical, truncated; surface with rich yellow with white bloom; dots minute, white, with large whitish bases, numerous; cavity regular, deep, acute, much russet, the russet often extending out in a large irregular patch; stem very short; basin deep, ribbed; calyx closed, segments large, erect. Core closed; tube conical; seeds small, packed close in cells; flesh yellow, firm, fine grained, crisp, satisfying, subacid, good. Late fall.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Antonovka. Roundish oblate; yellow with white bloom; basin deep and cavity acute; flesh yellow, sub-acid, crisp, good. Tree not so hardy as some varieties received from Northern Europe which much resemble it in form and fruit. Fig. 452. Russian.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Bergamot", pp. 363–363]
Bergamot. Medium, regular, oblong, cylindrical; yellow with white bloom, has much the appearance of Grimes' Golden; cavity regular, deep; stem very short; basin deep, ribbed; flesh yellow, crisp, sub-acid, good. Fig. 451. Russian.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)ANTONOVKA.
References. 1. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 8:28, 70, 130. 1881-82. fig. 2. Budd, Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1882:76. 3. Gibb, Ib., 1883:432. 4. Budd, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1883:71. 5. Ib., Ia. Agr. Coll. Bul., 1883:22. 6. Ib., 1885:8. 7. Van Deman, U. S. Pom. Rpt., 1886:272. fig. 8. Schroeder, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1886-87:72. 9. Budd, Ia. Agr. Coll. Bul., 1890:24. 10. Can. Hort., 13:175, 216. 1890. 11. Budd, Ia. Sta. Bul., 19:537. 1892. 12. Taylor, Me. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1892:57, 58. 13. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:234. 14. Can. Hort., 16:359. 1893. 15. Ib., 17:289, 290, 291. 1894. 16. Troop, Ind. Sta. Bul., 53:124. 1894. 17. Nat. Nurseryman, 3:32. 1895. 18. Stinson, Ark. Sta. Bul., 43:104. 1896. 19. Hamilton, Can. Hort., 20:412. 1897. 20. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1897:11. 21. Thomas, 1897:286, 626. fig. 22. Budd, Ia. Sta. Bul., 41:66, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74. 1899. 23. Troop, Ind. Sta. Rpt., 1899:79. 24. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Rpt., 1899:78. 25. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:25. 1902. fig. 26. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:43. 1903. 27. Budd-Hansen, 1903:38. fig.
Synonyms. Antenovka (23). Antonovka (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27). Antonowka (15, 17). Antony (3, 14). Bergamot, 424 (25). Cinnamon (24). German Cahille (24). German Calville, 324 (spurious) (25). No. 224 (25). No. 236 (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 25). Possarts Nalivia (2, 4, 5). Russian Gravenstein, (25). 26 M (1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 25). Vargul, 277 (25).
A Russian fruit of no practical value for this state. Hansen (25) describes it as "large, roundish, irregular, obscurely angular; surface yellow; dots minute, raised, white, suffused; cavity deep, regular, with radiating, often large patch of russet, stem medium; basin abrupt, corrugated or wavy; calyx closed. Core closed; cells ovate, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds ten to sixteen, small, pointed, plump, a few imperfect; flesh yellow, juicy, sprightly spicy subacid, good. October."
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Antonovka.—Origin, Russia; the leading commercial apple of southern Russia. Fruit desirable but tree blights in some localities.
Fruit large, roundish, irregular, obscurely angular; surface yellow; dots minute, raised, white, suffused; cavity deep, regular, with radiating often large patch of russet; stem medium; basin abrupt, corrugated, or wavy; calyx closed. Core closed; cells ovate, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds numerous, small, pointed, plump; flesh yellow, juicy, sprightly, spicy, subacid, good. October.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)ANTONOWKA. Culinary, October, December, 3 by 2¾, round conical, ribbed, five-sided, uneven. Colour, pale, whitish yellow, with dots under the skin, greasy. Flesh, white, loose grained, rather dry, aromatic. Eye, closed, on a level basin surrounded by knobs and beads. Stem, moderately long in a rather narrow, russet lined cavity, the russet spreading out. Growth, very vigorous, moderately fertile. Leaf, very large, little upfolded, sharply serrate. Origin, a very popular central Russian variety. This is hardly worthy of retention and is best described as a late edition of White Transparent.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Antonovka", pp. 26–26]
ANTONOWKA. Culinary, October, December, 3 by 2½, round conical, ribbed, five-sided, uneven. Colour, pale, whitish yellow, with dots under the skin, greasy. Flesh, white, loose grained, rather dry, aromatic. Eye, closed, on a level basin surrounded by knobs and beads. Stem, moderately long in a rather narrow, russet lined cavity, the russet spreading out. Growth, very vigorous, moderately fertile. Leaf, very large, little upfolded, sharply serrate. Origin, a very popular central Russian variety. This is hardly worthy of retention and is best described as a late edition of White Transparent.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1895. A vigorous upright grower, productive. Fruit above medium size, oblong. Skin yellowish white, with a little russet, and a pale blush. Flesh white, somewhat coarse, crisp, juicy, pleasant, acid, quality good. Season, October and November.
Planted Spring 1895. Tree a vigorous grower and an early and free producer. Fruit large medium, oblate. Skin yellowish white, crisp, tender, mildly sub-acid, with a pleasant flavour, quality good. Season last of August.