Baptist

Apple

Baptist Apple

Origin/History

Originated at Clinton, Kentucky; originator unknown. Received for testing at the Geneva Experiment Station from W. M. Samuels of that place. Referenced in Downing (1876), Bailey's An. Hort. (1892), U.S. Pom. Rpt. (1895), and Taylor's Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. (1897). Not recommended for cultivation in New York. Not a good market variety, but valuable as a table and family apple.

Tree

Tree vigorous. Form roundish, spreading, dense; branches rather stout. An abundant bearer in alternate years. Twigs rather long to below medium, somewhat curved, moderately thick; internodes medium to short. Bark rather dull, dark reddish-brown; somewhat pubescent. Lenticels numerous, very irregular in size, shape, and distribution; generally small, slightly elongated, and very thickly set, but some are large and narrow. Buds medium or below, often rather prominent, generally acute, very pubescent and free. Leaves moderately broad.

Fruit

Size and Form: Medium or below; pretty uniform in size and shape. Form oblate to roundish, truncate at base, often obscurely ribbed; sides sometimes unequal. Downing describes the fruit as somewhat depressed.

Stem: Short to medium, thick and stout.

Cavity: Broad; obtuse. Depth conflicts between sources: Downing describes it as deep; Beach as moderately shallow to rather deep. Sometimes russeted, greenish; occasionally lipped.

Calyx: Sources conflict: Downing describes the calyx as half open; Beach describes it as closed or sometimes slightly open. Medium or below in size; pubescent.

Calyx Tube: Long, conic to funnel-shaped. Stamens median to basal.

Basin: Wide. Depth and scale conflict between sources: Downing describes it as large, broad, and deep; Beach as rather shallow to moderately deep, wide, and rather abrupt. Surface somewhat furrowed, corrugated, and slightly wrinkled.

Skin: Thick, tough, smooth. Ground color green or yellow, blushed with red, deepening to very dark red in full sun; indistinctly marked with narrow deep crimson stripes. Downing describes the skin as yellow, entirely covered with dark red, with a few faint splashes on the shaded side. Dots conspicuous, small, pale yellow or russet (Downing: many yellowish and brown dots). Prevailing effect very dark red. In early winter the coloring is dull dark red overspreading a dull greenish background; the fruit holds its color well into late season, and eventually the yellow tones become brighter, making the fruit rather attractive.

Flesh/Flavor: Sources conflict on texture and quality. Downing: whitish, half fine, tender, moderately juicy, very mild subacid, inclining to sweet. Beach: yellowish, very firm, somewhat coarse, not crisp, moderately tender, not very juicy, mild subacid, eventually becoming nearly sweet; hardly good. Both sources agree the flavor is mild subacid trending toward sweet. Beach characterizes the variety as lacking distinctive character in both appearance and quality.

Core/Seeds: Core medium to small (Downing: small), closed or partly open, axile or nearly so, very broadly turbinate; core lines clasp the cylinder. Carpels elliptic or inclined to obcordate, emarginate. Seeds few, about medium size, rather wide, obtuse, somewhat tufted.

Season

In Kentucky, December to February (both sources). At the Geneva Experiment Station, January to June.

Uses

Table and family apple. Not a good market variety.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Baptist.

Origin, Clinton, Kentucky, but by whom is not known; tree vigorous, spreading, and an abundant bearer alternate years; not a good market variety, but valuable as a table and family apple.

Fruit medium, oblate, somewhat depressed; sides sometimes unequal; skin yellow, entirely covered with dark red, a few faint splashes on the shaded side, and many yellowish and brown dots; stalk very short, rather stout; cavity broad, deep, russeted; calyx half open; basin large, broad, deep, slightly wrinkled; flesh whitish, half fine, tender, moderately juicy, very mild subacid, inclining to sweet; core small. December, February.

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

BAPTIST.

REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1876: app. 44. 2. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:234. 3. U. S. Pom. Rpt., 1895:20. 4. Taylor, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1897:36.

As fruited at the Geneva Experiment Station, Baptist lacks distinctive character both in appearance and quality. In early winter its prevailing effect is dull dark red overspreading a dull greenish background, but it holds its color well until very late in the season and eventually the yellow tones become brighter making the fruit rather attractive. It is not recommended for cultivation in New York.

Historical. Baptist originated at Clinton, Kentucky (1), and was received for testing at the Geneva Experiment Station from W. M. Samuels of that place.

TREE.

Tree vigorous; branches rather stout. Form roundish, spreading, dense. Twigs rather long to below medium, somewhat curved, moderately thick; internodes medium to short. Bark rather dull, dark reddish-brown; somewhat pubescent. Lenticels numerous, very irregular in size, shape and distribution, generally small, slightly elongated, and very thickly set, but some are large and narrow. Buds medium or below, often rather prominent, generally acute, very pubescent and free. Leaves moderately broad.

FRUIT.

Fruit medium or below; pretty uniform in size and shape. Form oblate to roundish, truncate at base, sides sometimes unequal, often obscurely ribbed. Stem short to medium, thick. Cavity obtuse, moderately shallow to rather deep, broad, sometimes russeted, greenish, occasionally lipped. Calyx closed or sometimes slightly open, medium, or below, pubescent. Basin rather shallow to moderately deep, wide, rather abrupt, somewhat furrowed and corrugated. Skin thick, tough, smooth, green or yellowish blushed with red, deepening to very dark red in the sun, indistinctly marked with narrow deep crimson stripes. Dots conspicuous, small, pale yellow or russet. Prevailing effect very dark red.

Calyx tube long, conic to funnel-shaped. Stamens median to basal.

Core medium to small, closed or partly open, axile or nearly so, very broadly turbinate; core lines clasp the cylinder. Carpels elliptic or inclined to obcordate, emarginate. Seeds few, about medium size, rather wide, obtuse, somewhat tufted.

Flesh yellowish, very firm, somewhat coarse, not crisp, moderately tender, not very juicy, mild subacid, eventually becoming nearly sweet, hardly good.

Season at Geneva, January to June, in Kentucky, December to February.

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