Baldwin

Baldwin.

This celebrated apple of New England has been widely distributed over the country, but has not met with universal favor in the West and South; first, because it is apt to become a fall or early winter fruit, instead of a keeping apple; and secondly, because it is not well adapted to our palates; moreover, the tree has been considered tender, having suffered extensively during the cold winters; this is especially true in the nursery. Its productiveness and fair quality will, however, always make the Baldwin a favorite over a large portion of our country, and the New England settlers must have this variety.

Fig. 82.—BALDWIN.

Tree robust, spreading, very productive; Foliage large, dark, on shoots that are stout and have a rich brown bark. Fruit large, frequently round, and sometimes almost conical, but generally inclined to be flattened, so as to be classed by measurement as oblate; large specimens in southern latitudes are very apt to be unequal, and to have their axis inclined, or to be what is called lop-sided; surface smooth, rich yellow where shaded, but the exposed parts quite covered with deep red, which is mixed so as to conceal the ground color, and also to obscure the stripes of deeper red that prevail; this fruit is also frequently marked with veined russet, overlying the red color, or excluding it; Dots minute, and yellow, or gray where the red prevails.

Basin deep, often abrupt and narrow, generally waved, folded or plaited, and these marks are quite characteristic; Eye large and open, from the shortness of the calyx. On this account the variety is considered very subject to the attacks of the Codling-moth.

Cavity wide, regular or wavy, generally brown; Stem medium to long, often curved or inclined, sufficiently stout.

Core medium, regular, closed, meeting, sometimes clasping the eye; Seeds numerous, long, angular, imperfect; flesh yellow, breaking, frequently coarse-grained, juicy, sub-acid, rich; some northern specimens are fine-grained and almost first quality; those from the South are coarse, poor and scarcely second-rate for table use, but are good for cooking; Season October to January, occasionally keeping later.

— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)

Woodpecker. Felch? Baldwin. Pecker. Red Baldwin. Steele's Red Winter. Butters.

The Baldwin stands at the head of all New England Apples, and it is unquestionably a first-rate fruit in all respects. It is a native of Massachusetts, and is more largely cultivated for the Boston market than any other sort. It bears most abundantly with us, and we have had the satisfaction of raising larger, more beautiful, and highly flavored specimens here than we ever saw in its native region. The Baldwin in flavor and general characteristics evidently belongs to the same family as our Esopus Spitzenberg, and deserves its extensive popularity.

Tree vigorous, upright spreading, productive. Young shoots dull reddish brown.

Fruit large, roundish, and narrowing a little to the eye. Color yellow in the shade, but nearly covered and striped with crimson, red, and orange in the sun, dotted with a few russet dots, and with radiating streaks of russet about the stalk. Calyx closed, and set in a rather narrow plaited basin. Stalk half to three-fourths of an inch long, rather slender for so large a fruit, planted in an even, moderately deep cavity. Flesh yellowish white, crisp, with that agreeable mingling of the saccharine and acid which constitutes a rich, high flavor. Very good. The tree is a vigorous upright grower, and bears most abundantly. Ripe from November to March, but with us is in perfection in January.*

• The Baldwin, like nearly all other varieties of winter fruits, originated in the Northern and Eastern States; when grown in Southern latitudes they become autumn or early winter sorts, and lose more or less of their sprightliness and good qualities as table fruits. On the other hand, the summer-ripening varieties, originating North, are greatly improved when grown at the South.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

BALDWIN

REFERENCES. 1. Thacher, 1822:121. 2. Cat. Hort. Soc. London, 1831. 3. Kenrick, 1833:41. 4. Mag. Hort., 1:360. 1835. 5. Manning, 1838:59. 6. Dittrich, 3:53. 7. Downing, 1845:98. fig. 1847. col. pl. 8. French, Horticulturist. 1:315. 1846. 9. Thomas, 1849:163. 10. Cole, 1849:128. 11. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:75. 1851. fig. 12. Hovey, 1:11. 1852. fig. and col. pl. 13. Bivort, An. de Pom. Beige, 1855:147. 14. Hooper, 1857:14. 15. Elliott, 1858:66. fig. 16. Flotow, Ill. Handb. Obstk., 1:427. 1859. 17. Mas, Le Verger, 5:163. col. pl. 18. Warder, 1867:42. fig. 19. Downing, 1872:85. fig. 20. Leroy, 1873:89. fig. 21. Barry, 1883:342. 22. Hogg, 1884:13. 23. Wickson, 1891:245. 24. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:234. 25. Woolverton, Out. Fruit Stas. Rpt., 1895:7. fig. 26. Taylor, U. S. D'rc. Pom. Bul., 7:350. 1897. 27. Amer. Gard., 1899:546. 28. Eneroth-Smirnoff, 1901:261. 29. Budd-Hansen, 1903:43. fig. 30. Thomas, 1903:323. fig. 31. Fr. Lucas, 187.

SYNONYMS. BALDWIN ROSENAPFEL (31). BALDWIN'S ROTHER PIPPIN (6). Calville Butter (18). Felch (7, 18, 19). Late Baldwin (12, 18). Pecker (1, 7, 18, 19). Red Baldwin Pippin (18). Steele's Red Winter (7, 12, 18, 19). Woodpecker (7, 18, 19, 21).

The Baldwin is a bright red winter apple, above medium in size or large, and very good in quality when grown under favorable conditions.1 It stands handling well because of its firm texture and thick skin. It is a favorite market variety because of its desirable season, good size, attractive red color and good quality. The Baldwin is preeminently the leading variety in the commercial orchards in New York, New England, certain regions in Southern Canada, in the southern peninsula of Michigan and on the clay soils of Northern Ohio. In many localities in Northern New York it is apt to winter-kill, especially in the higher altitudes. For the same reason it also fails in portions of Michigan and west of the Great Lakes. In the South and Southwest it is not desirable because it there becomes a fall apple and also because it does not attain as good quality as it does in the Baldwin belt. From Colorado to Washington it is more or less grown in many localities. Not only is the Baldwin a standard fruit in American markets but it is one of the leading apples used for export trade. It is one of the principal varieties handled in cold storage. The apples of this variety which are unsuitable for barrelling supply a large part of the evaporator stock in New York state, and are also used to some extent by canneries. The tree is a strong grower, long-lived and vigorous. The accompanying view illustrates the vigorous development of mature Baldwin trees, as also does the frontispiece. It is somewhat slow in reaching bearing maturity, but when mature it bears very abundantly. In fact, one of the faults of this variety is its habit of producing an overload of fruit biennially and bearing little or none on alternate years. On rather light, sandy or gravelly soils the fruit is apt to have a better color, or at least to color earlier in the season, than it does when grown on heavy clay lands. Some hold that fruit from the lighter or more gravelly soils ripens earlier and consequently scalds earlier in storage than do the duller colored Baldwins grown on heavier soils. The Baldwin is grown successfully on various soils and under various climatic conditions. Besides the other good points of the Baldwin which have been noticed above, it has the advantage of yielding a pretty uniform grade of fruit with a low percentage of culls, when kept free from injurious insects and fungous diseases.

The Baldwin foliage and fruit are often much injured by the apple scab fungus. It has often been remarked that the prevention of fungus diseases and of the attacks of insects, by proper spraying, not only increases the yield of marketable fruit but improves the quality as well.

The Baldwin Spot is the name given to brown flecks in the flesh of Baldwin apples. This is not caused by either insects or fungi. It is a physiological defect which is more apt to appear in overgrown than in medium-sized fruit. No remedy is known.1

Historical. Soon after 1740 the Baldwin came up as a chance seedling on the farm of Mr. John Ball, Wilmington, near Lowell, Mass., and for about 40 years thereafter its cultivation was confined to that immediate neighborhood. The farm eventually came into the possession of a Mr. Butters, who gave the name Woodpecker to the apple because the tree was frequented by woodpeckers. The apple was long known locally as the Woodpecker or Pecker. It was also called the Butters.2 Deacon Samuel Thompson, a surveyor of Woburn, brought it to the attention of Col. Baldwin of the same town, by whom it was propagated and more widely introduced in Eastern Massachusetts as early as 1784. From Col. Baldwin's interest in the variety it came to be called the Baldwin.3 In 1817 the original tree was still alive but it perished between 1817 and 1832.4 A monument to the Baldwin apple now marks the location.

Coxe in his work on fruits in 1817 makes no mention of the Baldwin. Thacher's American Orchardist, published in Boston in 1832, gives it very brief but favorable mention. Floy in his American edition of Lindley, Guide to the Orchard, New York, 1833, does not mention it, but in the appendix to the 1846 edition he describes the Baldwin and states that "in the Eastern States (New England) it is well known, highly esteemed, and extensively cultivated." Kenrick's New American Orchardist, Boston, 1833, says, "No apple in the vicinity of Boston is so popular as this, at the present day. It is raised in large quantities for the market * * * and is recommended for extensive cultivation." Hovey in 1852 published an extended description of Baldwin with colored plate (12). He remarks, "The Baldwin is the most popular apple of New England, and is cultivated to a much greater extent than any other variety. Several large and fine orchards are to be found in the vicinity of Boston, some of which produce about one thousand barrels of fruit every bearing year. For exportation it is much sought after; and the large number of fifteen hundred barrels have been sent to the East Indies in one season."

Prior to 1850 the Baldwin was but little known in New York state. After that date, with the extension of the planting of commercial orchards, it came rapidly into popularity and gained the supremacy among the commercial apples of New York which it still holds.

TREE.

Tree large, very vigorous; branches large, strong. Form upright spreading, eventually becoming rather round and somewhat dense. Twigs long, straight, or somewhat crooked, moderately stout; internodes medium to long. Bark dark brownish-red mingled with olive-green and faintly marked with thin scarf-skin; somewhat pubescent. Lenticels numerous, conspicuous, raised, usually oblong, sometimes large. Buds medium to large, broad or roundish, acute, pubescent, free or nearly so. Leaves often broad and large to very large; foliage rather dense.

FRUIT.

Fruit sometimes large to very large; usually above medium; pretty uniform in size. Form roundish inclined to conic, varying to roundish oblong; often faintly ribbed or somewhat irregular; symmetrical; fairly uniform in shape. Stem usually medium, to long. Cavity acute, medium to rather deep, rather broad, often somewhat furrowed, sometimes compressed, sometimes lipped, often russeted, with outspreading rays of russet or deep green. Calyx small to rather large; closed or somewhat open; lobes long, acute to acuminate. Basin abrupt, narrow to moderately wide; often distinctly furrowed; slightly corrugated. Skin tough, smooth, light yellow or greenish, blushed and mottled with bright red, indistinctly striped with deep carmine. Flecks of russet, or even broken russet lines, may occasionally be seen on the base of the fruit. Dots gray or whitish, depressed, small and numerous toward the basin, more scattering, conspicuous, large, irregular, or elongated towards the cavity. Prevailing effect is bright red. Calyx tube conical, rather short and wide with projection of fleshy pistil point into its base. Stamens basal. Core medium or below, nearly axile, closed or partly open; core lines meeting. Carpels roundish ovate, emarginate, somewhat tufted. Seeds variable, often abortive; when normally developed they are large, long, acute, and dark brown. Flesh yellowish, firm, moderately coarse, crisp, rather tender, juicy to very juicy, agreeably subacid, sprightly, somewhat aromatic, good to very good. Season November to March or April in common storage; to May or later in cold storage.1

Uses. Well adapted for general market, dessert and culinary uses.

OTHER BALDWIN TYPES.

Besides the general type of the Baldwin apple above described, mention should be made of the following:

Russet Baldwins. Cases have been reported where the Baldwin has sported and developed fruit with russet skin. Since these apples appear to show no advantage over the smooth-skinned Baldwins, they are seldom propagated.

Gray Baldwin, Blue Baldwin, Black Baldwin and Dark Baldwin are indefinite terms sometimes applied to what appears to be a distinct type of the Baldwin. Scattering trees of it are occasionally found mingled in orchards with Baldwins of the ordinary type. The Dark Baldwin as compared with the common type has fruit that is slower in maturing on the tree, and keeps longer. The flesh has more of a greenish tinge and is firmer. The skin also shows dull green where the common type is yellow, and the red is dull and darker than the red of the common Baldwin. So far as we know the Dark Baldwin is not being intentionally propagated. In speaking of the Dark Baldwin as a distinct type the fact is here recognized that the ordinary Baldwin when grown on sandy or gravelly soil generally gives brighter colored fruit than when grown on heavy clay soil. But the above-mentioned occurrence of a type called Dark Baldwin, mingled as it sometimes is in orchards with Baldwins of the common type, does not seem to be satisfactorily accounted for by attributing its appearance to a difference in soil. It is more probable that a distinct strain has arisen and been disseminated unwittingly in place of the common type.

Olympia is a sport of the Baldwin which differs from the type in having larger and better colored fruit. It is described under "Olympia."

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

Baldwin

The Baldwin is preeminently the leading variety in the commercial orchards of New York, New England and certain parts of Canada. Also it is one of the leading varieties of Michigan and Northern Ohio. In the South and Southwest it is not a desirable apple, because it ripens too early to be a good winter variety, and because it does not attain so high a quality and flavor as in other climates. It does fairly well in the Pacific Northwest, but is not one of the best varieties, and it seems to be conceded that it cannot be grown successfully in these districts in competition with the Northeastern states where it reaches its highest perfection.

The tree is a strong grower, long lived and vigorous. It is somewhat slow in reaching maturity, but when mature it bears abundantly.

Historical. This fruit originated as a chance seedling on the farm of John Ball, Wilmington, Massachusetts, about 1740, but it was given the name Baldwin because it was largely propagated by Col. Baldwin.

Tree large, very vigorous, branches large, strong. Form upright, spreading, eventually becoming rather round and somewhat dense. Twigs long, straight or somewhat crooked, moderately stout; internodes medium to long. Bark brownish red, mingled with olive green.

Fruit sometimes large to very large; usually above medium; pretty uniform in size. Form roundish to conic, varying to roundish oblong. Skin tough, smooth, light yellow or greenish, blushed and mottled with bright red; sometimes approaching a deep red. Flesh yellow, firm, moderately coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, agreeable subacid, very good. Season March or April; November to December in the Northwest. Later in cold storage.

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

THE BALDWIN APPLE.

Baldwin. Thatcher's American Orchardist, p. 121. Pecker, ] Late Baldwin, > of some American Collections. Steele's Red Winter, ]

The Baldwin is the most popular apple of New England, and is cultivated to a much greater extent than any other variety. Several large and fine orchards are to be found in the vicinity of Boston, some of which produce about one thousand barrels of fruit every bearing year. For exportation, it is much sought after; and the large number of fifteen hundred barrels have been sent to the East Indies in one season. Considering the hardiness, vigor, productiveness, and adaptation to all soils, of the Baldwin, and its size, beauty, long keeping and superior flavor, it must be ranked among the very finest apples which this country has yet produced.

The Baldwin originated in the town of Wilmington, in Middlesex County, about a century ago; and the most correct account of it we have ever read, appeared in the Magazine of Horticulture for 1835, (vol. i.) The original tree grew on the farm of Mr. John Ball: this farm was situated about three miles southeast of Lowell: Mr. Ball purchased the farm, then wholly uncultivated, about the year 1740, and, not long after, this variety came up in a lane leading from the house to the barn. Its cultivation was confined to the immediate neighborhood for many years, when the late Col. Baldwin, of Woburn, became acquainted with it. He at once perceived its great excellence and brought it into notice, and from him it received its present name. In 1817, the original tree was alive, but, between that period and 1832, it disappeared.

From Woburn, the cultivation of this apple extended to the adjoining towns, and, in West Cambridge and Watertown, the orchards which were planted were chiefly filled with Baldwins. From the period of its first introduction to notice, it has continued to increase in popularity, and, at the present time, notwithstanding the increase of new sorts, the variety which is in the greatest demand with nurserymen, as well as that which is the most sought after in the market, is the Baldwin.

The Baldwin grows vigorously and forms a large and handsome head, rather compact, unless judiciously pruned. It appears adapted to all soils; but that which suits it best, and in which the finest and highest-colored specimens are produced, is a strong, rich loam.

Tree. — Vigorous, very straight, erect, and regularly branched when young, as represented in the vignette, which is from a tree two years budded; when full grown, forming a large round head.

Wood. — Deep reddish chestnut, stout, slightly downy, rather long-jointed, and sprinkled with large, round, white specks; buds rather large, with prominent shoulders, broad, obtuse, flattened and inclining towards the branch. Flower-buds oval, with brown scales, and slightly woolly.

Leaves. — Large, thick, cordate at the base, roundish ovate, suddenly tapering to a point, doubly and rather obtusely serrated, wavy, and curved inwards at the edges; the under side downy, with strong, reddish nerves; petioles stout and rather short; stipules medium length, linear.

Flowers. — Large and showy, tinged with pink.

Fruit. — Large, about two and a half inches deep, and three broad: Form, roundish, largest about the middle, and narrowing little to the eye: Skin, fair, smooth, glossy, bright yellow in the shade, but nearly covered with deep orange red, approaching to scarlet, indistinctly striped with crimson, and covered with prominent grayish specks, thickest near the crown; blotched with russet in the cavity around the stem, which, in some specimens, extends in irregular tracings over the base of the fruit: Stem, medium length, about three quarters of an inch, rather slender, curved, and obliquely inserted in a regular and moderately deep cavity: Eye, medium size, closed, and sunk in a rather deep and slightly plaited or furrowed hollow; segments of the calyx long and woolly: Flesh, yellowish, fine, crisp and tender: Juice, abundant, sugary, with a delicious admixture of acid, rich, brisk, and high-flavored: Core, medium size, very close: Seeds, rather large and pointed, but mostly abortive.

Ripe in December, and keeps in excellent condition till May or June.

— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)

Baldwin.

Late Baldwin, Woodpecker, Pecker, Steele's Red Winter.

American: originated in Massachusetts. This variety inclines to bitter or dry rot on soils deficient in lime and potash, and, for the Western soils, should be worked where intended to have the head commence. It has proved tender on Western prairie soils, and, in Southern sections, is liable to drop prematurely. Trees fifteen years old do better than while young. Tree, vigorous, upright, dark brown shoots, very productive. Our drawing was taken from an Eastern-grown specimen, and is not more than one-half the size of this variety when grown in Illinois.

Size, large; form, roundish, narrowing a little to the calyx; color, yellowish, nearly covered and striped with red, dotted with a few russet spots, and with radiating streaks of russet about the stem: stem, three-fourths inch long, slender: cavity, deep; calyx, closed; basin, rather narrow, plaited; flesh, yellowish white, crisp, tender, sub-acid; core, small, compact; capsules, ovate hollow; seeds, long ovate, pyriform. December to March.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Baldwin.* Rather large, roundish, with more or less of a rounded taper towards the apex; shaded and striped with yellowish red and crimson on yellow ground; stalk three-fourths of an inch long, rather slender, calyx in a narrow, slightly plaited basin; flesh yellowish white, with a rich, sub-acid flavor. Young tree vigorous, upright, shoots dark brown, diverging and ascending. Fig. 380. Very productive. Ripens through winter. A first-rate winter apple in New England, New York, and Michigan; mostly unsuccessful at the West and South. Too tender, and mostly fails as far north as Maine, unless grafted standard height. Massachusetts. The Baldwin is liable to vary in character; the Late Baldwin appears to be identical, but modified by external causes.

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