Bailey Crimson
Crab AppleOrigin/History
Raised by William H. Bailey, of Plattsburgh, N.Y. In 1871 the Committee of the American Pomological Society on Native Fruits reported on this variety, noting its origin with Bailey and describing it as vigorous, upright, very productive, and very handsome. References: Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1871:50; Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1879:91; Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1884:38; Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:234.
Tree
Vigorous, upright, very productive. Beach (quoting the 1871 APS report) additionally characterizes the tree as very handsome.
Fruit
Size and Form: Downing describes the fruit as large for a Siberian, roundish, very slightly conic. The 1871 APS report (as quoted by Beach) gives the size as medium or large for its class, roundish, inclining to conic.
Stem: Short to long, slender.
Cavity: Medium or small.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Rather shallow, corrugated.
Skin: Yellow, shaded over the whole surface with deep rich crimson, almost purplish in the sun, and covered with a light bloom.
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh yellow, juicy, subacid and astringent (Downing). The 1871 APS report characterizes the flesh as similar to other Siberian crabs.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Beach (1905) notes that neither he nor his correspondents had personally examined this variety at the time of writing.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Bailey's Crimson Crab.
Raised by William H. Bailey, of Plattsburgh, N. Y. Tree vigorous, upright; very productive.
Fruit large for a Siberian, roundish, very slightly conic; skin yellow, shaded over the whole surface with deep rich crimson, almost purplish in the sun, and covered with a light bloom; stalk short to long, slender, in a medium or small cavity; basin rather shallow, corrugated; flesh yellow, juicy, subacid and astringent. September.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)BAILEY CRIMSON.
REFERENCES. 1. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1871:50. 2. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1879:91. 3. Ib., 1884:38. 4. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:234.
SYNONYMS. BAILEY'S CRIMSON (2, 4, of New York 3). BAILEY'S CRIMSON CRAB (1).
In 1871 the Committee of the American Pomological Society on Native Fruits made the following report concerning this variety: "Originated with Wm. H. Bailey, Plattsburgh, N. Y. Tree vigorous, upright, very productive and very handsome.
"Fruit medium or large for its class; roundish, inclining to conic; skin yellow, shaded over the whole surface with deep rich crimson; flesh similar to other Siberian crabs."
We have not seen this variety nor have we obtained any report concerning it from our correspondents.