Bethlehemite
Apple
Bethlehemite
Origin/History
First brought to notice in Bethlehem, Ohio, from which it takes its name; origin otherwise obscure. Elliott (1865) notes that all specimens examined were from trees grown in rich, loamy soils, and that some growers knew the variety under the name of Newtown Spitzenberg. It is but little known in New York state. Beach (1905) describes it as an apple of the Newtown Spitzenburg type but inferior to that variety in size and color, and not superior in quality, and does not recommend it for planting in New York.
Tree
Vigor: Beach (1905) describes the tree as moderately vigorous; Elliott (1865) and Thomas (1903) both describe it as a strong grower. Form: Upright spreading, somewhat open (Beach); upright (Elliott, Thomas). Twigs: Short, stout; internodes short. Bark: Olive-green, mingled with dark red, covered with light scarf-skin, very pubescent. Lenticels: Numerous, large, oblong, raised, conspicuous. Buds: Large, broad, obtuse, appressed, pubescent. Leaves: Large, broad.
Fruit
Size: Medium or below, rarely above medium (Beach); medium (Elliott, Thomas).
Form: Beach describes the form as oblate to roundish conic, often obscurely ribbed, sides sometimes unequal, fairly uniform in shape and size. Elliott describes it as roundish, flattened, tapering slightly to the apex. Thomas gives roundish-oblate, remotely conical.
Stem: Beach describes the stem as medium to rather long and rather thick; Elliott and Thomas both describe it as short. Thomas adds that it is deeply set.
Cavity: Beach describes the cavity as acute to acuminate, wide, deep, often symmetrical, sometimes appressed or lipped, and covered with thin greenish outspreading russet. Elliott describes the cavity as narrow and irregular — conflicting with Beach on width.
Calyx: Rather large, closed or partly open; lobes often separated at the base, often erect, wide, long, acute, conspicuous (Beach). Elliott gives calyx as medium, sometimes large.
Basin: Beach describes the basin as rather shallow to moderately deep, moderately wide, somewhat abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled. Elliott describes it as deep, broad, irregular, somewhat furrowed. Thomas gives deep and furrowed — Beach thus conflicts with Elliott and Thomas on basin depth.
Skin: Rather smooth, pale yellow or greenish, washed, mottled and striped with red; color rather dull and unattractive (Beach). Elliott describes the ground color as pale yellow, striped and stained with two shades of bright red, dotted with irregular-shaped brown dots, with some russet about the stem. Thomas gives striped red on yellow. The sources agree on a yellow ground with red striping; Beach and Thomas describe the color as less vivid or merely "striped," while Elliott specifically notes two shades of bright red with prominent brown dots.
Dots: Distinct, large to very small, gray or russet; near the basin very numerous and often submerged (Beach). Elliott describes irregular-shaped brown dots.
Calyx tube: Wide, large, cone-shaped, or approaching funnel-form. Stamens: Median to basal.
Core: Small, somewhat abaxile; cells usually symmetrical and partly open; core lines meeting; carpels short, concave, sometimes slightly tufted, wide (Beach). Elliott describes the core as small and compact.
Seeds: Short, plump, obtuse, dark reddish-brown, sometimes tufted, numerous (Beach). Elliott describes the seeds as obovate obtuse pyriform.
Flesh/Flavor: Beach describes the flesh as whitish with a slight green or yellow tinge, firm, fine-grained, tender, crisp, juicy, mild subacid, aromatic, good to very good. Elliott gives yellowish white, tender, with a mild sub-acid juice and exceedingly pleasant flavor. Thomas gives yellowish white, tender, with a mild sub-acid, very agreeable flavor. The sources are in close agreement on flesh color and flavor character; Beach adds firmness, fine grain, crispness, juiciness, and aroma as additional identification details.
Season
November to March (Beach). November to January, but keeps until April (Elliott). Ripens through winter (Thomas).
Uses
Good to very good for either dessert or culinary uses when well grown, but does not always develop good quality (Beach).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Beach (1905) references prior descriptions in Elliott (1858), Warder (1867), the American Pomological Society Catalogue (1871), Downing (1872), and Thomas (1885). Elliott notes that the variety was observed exclusively from trees in rich, loamy soils, which may bear on the inconsistency of quality noted by Beach.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)BETHLEHEMITE.
REFERENCES. 1. Elliott, 1858:69. fig. 2. Warder, 1867:423. fig. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1871:6. 4. Downing, 1872:96. fig. 5. Thomas, 1885:231.
SYNONYM. BETHLEMITE (2, 4).
This is an apple of the Newtown Spitzenburg type but it is inferior to that variety in size and color and is not better in quality. When well grown it ranks good to very good for either dessert or culinary uses, but it does not always develop good quality. It is not recommended for planting in New York.
Origin. It was first brought to notice in Bethlehem, Ohio (1) from which town it takes its name. Its origin is obscure. It is but little known in New York state.
TREE.
Tree moderately vigorous. Form upright spreading, somewhat open. Twigs short, stout; internodes short. Bark olive-green, mingled with dark red, covered with light scarf-skin, very pubescent. Lenticels numerous, large, oblong, raised, conspicuous. Buds large, broad, obtuse, appressed, pubescent. Leaves large, broad.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium or below, rarely above medium size. Form oblate to roundish conic, often obscurely ribbed, sides sometimes unequal; fairly uniform in shape and size. Stem medium to rather long, rather thick. Cavity acute to acuminate, wide, deep, often symmetrical, sometimes appressed or lipped and covered with thin greenish, outspreading russet. Calyx rather large, closed or partly open; lobes often separated at the base, often erect, wide, long, acute, conspicuous. Basin rather shallow to moderately deep, moderately wide, somewhat abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled. Skin rather smooth, pale yellow or greenish, washed, mottled and striped with red. Color rather dull and unattractive. Dots distinct, large to very small, gray or russet and near the basin very numerous and often submerged. Calyx tube wide, large, cone-shaped, or approaching funnel-form. Stamens median to basal. Core small, somewhat abaxile; cells usually symmetrical and partly open; core lines meeting. Carpels short, concave, sometimes slightly tufted, wide. Seeds short, plump, obtuse, dark reddish-brown, sometimes tufted, numerous. Flesh whitish with slight green or yellow tinge, firm, fine-grained, tender, crisp, juicy, mild subacid, aromatic, good to very good.
Season November to March.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Bethlehemite.
This is a variety somewhat resembling the Newtown Spitzenberg, and we have testimony of one or two who say they know it under that name. Thus far all specimens we have seen were from trees grown in rich, loamy soils, and all we can learn of its history is, that it came from Bethlehem, in Ohio. Size, medium ; form, roundish, flattened, tapering slightly to the apex ; color, pale yellow ground, striped and stained with two shades of bright red, dotted with irregular-shaped brown dots, some russet about the stem ; calyx, medium, sometimes large ; basin, deep, broad, irregular, somewhat furrowed ; stem, short ; cavity, narrow, irregular ; flesh, yellowish white, tender, with a mild, sub-acid juice, and exceedingly pleasant flavor ; core, small, compact ; seeds, obovate obtuse pyriform. November to January, but keeps until April. Trees upright, strong growers.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Bethlehemite. Medium, roundish-oblate, remotely conical; striped red on yellow; stalk short, deeply set; basin deep; furrowed; flesh yellowish white, tender, with a mild, sub-acid, very agreeable flavor. Ripens through winter. Growth strong, upright. Ohio.