Babbitt. Large, oblate conical, angular, smooth; greenish white, shaded and striped with red, dots light, few; cavity large, deep, regular; stem short; basin medium, regular, furrowed; calyx shallow; eye small, closed; flesh yellowish white, fine-grained, juicy, brisk, sub-acid; excellent cooking apple. Strong grower, hardy, productive.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

BABBITT.

REFERENCES. 1. Gano, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1889:130. 2. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:234. 3. U. S. Agr. Rpt., 1893:286. 4. Lyon, Mich. Sta. Bul., 169:180. 1899. 5. Fulton, Ib., 194:62. 1901. 6. Thomas, 1903:322. 7. Budd-Hansen, 1903:41.

SYNONYM. Western Baldwin (3, 6, 7).

Babbitt is a very handsome large apple, red and striped, of about the same season as the Tompkins King. It is excellent for cooking but too sour for dessert. It is hardy, healthy and very vigorous. In Western New York, so far as tested, it appears to be productive, comes into bearing rather young, and bears heavy biennial crops. In fact some report that the fruit sets so abundantly that it is apt to be rather small unless attention be given to pruning and thinning. Further testing is required to determine its merits for this region. It has been found very productive in Michigan (5), and is reported as generally productive in the central states (3). In Eastern New York, although it blooms abundantly, it has been found to be a shy bearer. On this account and because the fruit is very acid, it is not there considered worthy of cultivation.

Historical. Babbitt originated from seed of Baldwin about 1845 with C. W. Babbitt of Woodford county, Illinois (3).

TREE.

Tree vigorous to very vigorous. Form roundish spreading, rather open; branches stout, often crooked, tough, with strong joints which hold heavy loads without splitting. Twigs moderately long, rather stocky, varying from curved to nearly straight; internodes very short. Bark bright olive-green with dull reddish-brown markings, thickly mottled with scarf-skin; quite pubescent. Lenticels irregularly scattering, medium to small, usually roundish or somewhat elongated. Buds medium to large, broad, obtuse, pubescent. Leaves medium to large, rather broad, dark green, with thick texture.

FRUIT.

Fruit somewhat resembles Wagener in form, being large, roundish oblate, slightly angular and somewhat irregular. Stem short. Cavity obtuse to acute, moderately shallow, medium to broad, slightly russeted. Calyx nearly closed. Basin somewhat abrupt, moderately deep, somewhat furrowed, slightly corrugated. Skin bright pale yellow with mottled red cheek, striped with bright carmine. When well grown the fruit has good size, bright attractive color and fine general appearance. Calyx tube conical approaching funnel-form. Stamens median. Core rather small, axile, closed; core lines clasping. Carpels broad, roundish, nearly truncate. Seeds dark brown, medium or below.

Flesh whitish, tinged with yellow, moderately fine-grained, moderately crisp, juicy, sprightly subacid or sour; too sour for dessert, excellent for cooking.

Season. It is in season about with Tompkins King but sometimes keeps well till late spring, and is then especially desirable for cooking because it retains well its sprightly subacid flavor.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)

Babbitt (Western Baldwin).—Originated from seed of Baldwin by C. W. Babbitt, of Woodford County, Illinois, about 1845; hardy and productive in Central States. Tree large, a strong grower, with large leaves and tough wood.

Fruit large, oblate conical, angular; skin thick but tender; surface smooth, greenish white, shaded, washed and striped with red; dots few, light; cavity large, regular, deep, with gradual slope, and russet markings; stem short, slender at fruit, thick at base; basin of medium size, regular, abrupt, furrowed; calyx very small and closed; segments very short, converging, slightly reflexed. Core large, wide, conical, open, clasping; seeds few, of medium size, plump, brown; flesh yellowish white, fine-grained, juicy, brisk subacid, very good, particularly for cooking. Winter. (U. S. Agr. Rep., 1893, p. 286.)

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

BABBITT. Western Baldwin. If the fruit were not quite so acid, and the trees were more productive and more regular in bearing, Babbitt would be rated as a valuable variety. The apples are large and often strikingly handsome, while the trees are hardy, healthy, vigorous, and productive. The variety is of value as a culinary fruit, since the apples retain their sprightly subacid flavor throughout late winter. It is grown most largely in the Mississippi Valley. Babbitt is a seedling of Baldwin grown by C. W. Babbitt, Woodford County, Illinois, about 1845.

Tree very vigorous, spreading, open ; branches stout, often crooked. Leaves large, broad, dark green, thick. Fruit large, round-oblate, angular and irregular ; stem short ; cavity obtuse to acute, shallow, broad, russeted ; calyx closed ; basin abrupt, deep, furrowed, corrugated ; skin bright, pale yellow with mottled red cheek, striped with bright carmine ; calyx-tube conical ; stamens median ; core small, axile, closed ; core-lines clasping ; carpels broad, round, truncate ; seeds dark brown, small ; flesh yellow, fine-grained, crisp, juicy, sprightly subacid ; good to very good ; November to May.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)