Bethlemite
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Bethlemite
Origin/History
The origin of this apple is obscure or unknown. It was first brought to notice from the town of Bethlehem, in Ohio, and its cultivation appears to have been largely confined to Morrow County, where it was frequently exhibited before the Ohio Pomological Society by friends Lipsey, Morris, and Benedict (Warder). Downing considered it undoubtedly a seedling of the Newtown Spitzenberg, which it much resembles.
Tree
Upright, strong, stocky, short-jointed grower (Downing). Thrifty, hardy (Warder). Young shoots dull reddish brown, quite downy (Downing). Productive bearer; fruit keeping and carrying well; very valuable for all purposes (Downing).
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium. The two sources give somewhat different forms: Warder describes the fruit as flat or oblate-globular, regular; Downing describes it as oblate, inclining to conical, regular.
Stem: Rather short, slender (Downing). Warder gives the stem as medium to short.
Cavity: The sources differ: Warder describes the cavity as rather wide, regular, and brown; Downing describes it as large and considerably russeted.
Calyx: Open or partially closed; segments large and generally erect (Downing). Warder gives the eye as medium and closed.
Basin: The sources differ in degree: Warder describes the basin as wide, deep, regular or folded, and leather-cracked; Downing describes it as large and slightly corrugated.
Skin: The sources agree on a yellow ground with red coloring, but differ in description. Warder: surface smooth, dull red or bright red, mixed, on yellow, with broken splashes of crimson. Downing: pale yellow, striped, shaded and splashed with shades of light and dark red nearly over the whole surface, with a thin grayish tinge. Dots are present in both accounts but described differently: Warder gives them as distinct, large, gray and yellow; Downing as pretty thickly sprinkled with light and brown dots.
Flesh/Flavor: The two sources diverge on texture. Warder: yellowish-white, breaking, juicy, sub-acid, aromatic. Downing: white, compact, crisp, juicy, rich, mild subacid, slightly aromatic.
Core/Seeds: Warder: core regular, neat, closed, just meeting the eye; axis short; seeds numerous, short, very plump, pale. Downing describes the core only as small.
Season
December (Warder). December to March (Downing), indicating good keeping quality.
Uses
Good for table and cooking (Warder). Very good (Downing). Noted for keeping and carrying well (Downing).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Bethlemite.
This apple has frequently been exhibited before the Ohio Pomological Society, by friends Lipsey, Morris and Benedict, of Morrow County, to which region its cultivation appears to have been confined. The origin of the fruit is obscure.
Tree thrifty, hardy, productive, upright.
Fruit medium, flat, or oblate-globular, regular; surface smooth, dull red or bright red, mixed, on yellow, with broken splashes of crimson; Dots distinct, large, gray and yellow.
Basin wide, deep, regular or folded, leather-cracked; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity rather wide, regular, brown; Stem medium to short.
Core regular, neat, closed, just meeting the eye; Axis short; Seeds numerous, short, very plump, pale; Flesh yellowish-white, breaking, juicy, sub-acid, aromatic; Quality good, for table and cooking; Season December.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Bethlemite.
The origin of this fine apple is unknown. It was first brought to notice from the town of Bethlehem, in Ohio, and is undoubtedly a seedling of the Newtown Spitzenberg, which it much resembles. Tree an upright, strong, stocky, short-jointed grower, with young shoots dull reddish brown, quite downy. A productive bearer, the fruit keeping and carrying well; very valuable for all purposes.
Fruit, medium, oblate, inclining to conical, regular. Color pale yellow, striped, shaded and splashed with shades of light and dark red nearly over the whole surface, thin grayish tinge, and pretty thickly sprinkled with light and brown dots. Stalk rather short, slender. Cavity large, considerably russeted. Calyx open or partially closed. Segments large and generally erect. Basin large, slightly corrugated. Flesh white, compact, crisp, juicy, rich, mild subacid, slightly aromatic. Core small. Very good. December to March.