Backhouse's Lord Nelson

Origin/History

Backhouse's Lord Nelson originated in York, England. It was first brought into notice by Mr. John Nelson, a noted Wesleyan preacher in the early days of Wesleyanism, who, while engaged in the work of evangelization in Yorkshire, distributed grafts among his friends; from these circumstances it became known as the Nelson Apple. Mr. Hugh Ronalds, who received it from Mr. Backhouse of York, published it in the Pyrus Malus Brentfordiensis under the name Backhouse's Lord Nelson — a name which the late Mr. James Backhouse disclaimed, saying he preferred that so excellent an apple should rather be the memorial of so excellent a man.

Tree

The tree is a strong, vigorous, and healthy grower, bearing abundantly (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard likewise notes vigorous growth and describes it as very fertile, with a medium-sized, oval, sharply bi-serrate leaf. Bunyard further remarks that the tree is remarkable for its magnificent flower.

Fruit

Size

Large and handsome. Bunyard gives dimensions of 3½ inches by 3¼ inches.

Form

The sources vary slightly: the Herefordshire Pomona describes the fruit as conical or oblong; Downing gives roundish conic; Bunyard describes it as oval conical and irregular.

Stem

About a quarter of an inch long (Herefordshire Pomona); Bunyard describes the stem as rather short. Both sources agree the stem is inserted in a deep cavity.

Cavity

Very deep and angular (Herefordshire Pomona); described as uneven by Bunyard.

Calyx

Open, with short segments (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard likewise notes the eye as open.

Basin

Deep, plaited, and irregular (Herefordshire Pomona); Bunyard describes it as deep and ribbed.

Skin

On the shaded side, the skin is greenish yellow, strewed with russety specks. When exposed to the sun, it becomes a fine deep yellow, covered with rather large dark spots encircled with a dark crimson ring (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing describes the color as yellowish with a dull green shade. Bunyard gives green to yellow.

Flesh and Flavor

The flesh is yellowish white, delicate, tender, juicy, and sugary (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing agrees it is tender and rates it Good. Bunyard, however, describes the flesh as soft, white, and sub-acid — in contrast to the Herefordshire Pomona's characterization as sugary; both descriptions are recorded here as the sources disagree on this point.

Core and Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

The Herefordshire Pomona gives the season as September to January. Downing gives December to January. Bunyard agrees it keeps until January.

Uses

A very excellent apple; of first-rate quality as a culinary fruit, and also valuable for the dessert (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard classifies it primarily as a culinary variety and notes, "Hardly required" — suggesting he considered it largely superseded in the context of a modern collection.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.