Black Jersey
AppleBlack Jersey Apple
Origin and History
Black Jersey is generally believed to be identical with the Black Apple described and disseminated by Coxe in 1817, though some historical confusion exists regarding correct identification. Several varieties have been disseminated under the name Black Apple, and further confusion arose over whether Jersey Black was synonymous with Black Apple or a distinct variety—Warder (1867) disputed the identity, believing Jersey Black to be different from the Black Apple of Coxe and Downing. Black Jersey is an old variety now practically obsolete.
Tree
Tree moderately vigorous and productive, with slender branches eventually becoming drooping. Twigs rather slender to rather stout, rather pubescent, clear olive-green mingled with red, irregularly overlaid with grayish scarfskin; internodes long. Lenticels conspicuous, numerous, raised, mostly below medium size, and elongated. Buds medium, not very prominent, broadly acute to obtuse, adhering and slightly pubescent.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium. Roundish, somewhat irregular; sides somewhat unequal; pretty uniform in size and shape.
Stem: Variable, sometimes knobbed, often inserted under a lip.
Cavity: Irregular, moderately deep to deep, acute.
Calyx: Rather small, closed or partly open. Calyx tube conical.
Basin: Rather wide, somewhat abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled, shallow.
Skin: Very dark red, almost black, shading to wine red over yellow, and somewhat streaked in the lighter portions; sometimes shows a whitish bloom. Attractive appearance. Dots many, whitish or light, rather large, showing through the red skin.
Core: Medium or above, usually axile, closed or somewhat open; core lines clasping. Carpels elongated ovate to obcordate, concave, slightly tufted.
Seeds: Acute, plump, dark.
Flesh and Flavor: Yellowish-white often tinged with red, juicy, crisp, a little coarse. Subacid becoming mildly sweet, aromatic, agreeable in flavor but not high in quality.
Season
November to January or February.
Uses
Dessert apple.
Other
The variety is documented across numerous pomological sources dating from 1817 onward, including references in Coxe (1817), Thacher (1822), Downing (1845), the Horticulturist (1849), Thomas (1851), Hooper (1857), Elliott (1858), Warder (1867), the American Pomological Society Catalog (1873), the Illinois Station Bulletin (1896), and Budd-Hansen (1903). Historical records note the variety under several names including Black Apple, Black American, Dodge's Black, and Jersey Black, contributing to the nomenclatural confusion surrounding this old variety.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)BLACK JERSEY.
REFERENCES. 1. Coxe, 1817:139. fig. 2. Thacher, 1822:121. 3. Downing, 1845:99. 4. Horticulturist, 4:470. 1849. 5. Thomas, 1851:63. 6. Hooper, 1857:18. 7. Elliott, 1858:123. 8. Warder, 1867:653. fig. 9. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1873. 10. Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:327. 1896. 11. Budd-Hansen, 1903:49.
SYNONYMS. BLACK APPLE (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7). Black American (7). Dodge's Black (7). JERSEY BLACK (4, 10). Warder (8) describes a JERSEY BLACK which he believes is not the Black Apple of Coxe and Downing. Jersey Black (7).
Fruit medium, dark red, almost black. A pleasant flavored, dessert apple.
Origin. There are several varieties which have been disseminated under the name Black Apple and more or less confusion exists with regard to their correct names. Black Jersey is generally believed to be identical with the Black Apple described and disseminated by Coxe (1), although Warder differs from this view (8). It is an old variety now practically obsolete.
TREE.
Tree moderately vigorous, productive, with slender branches eventually becoming drooping. Twigs rather slender to rather stout, rather pubescent, clear olive-green mingled with red, irregularly overlaid with grayish scarfskin; internodes long. Lenticels conspicuous, numerous, raised, mostly below medium, elongated. Buds medium, not very prominent, broadly acute to obtuse, adhering and slightly pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium. Form roundish, somewhat irregular; sides somewhat unequal; pretty uniform in size and shape. Stem variable, sometimes knobbed, often inserted under a lip. Cavity irregular, moderately deep to deep, acute. Calyx rather small, closed or partly open. Basin rather wide, somewhat abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled, shallow. Skin very dark red, almost black, shading to a wine red over yellow, and somewhat streaked in the lighter portions; sometimes it shows a whitish bloom; attractive. Dots many, whitish or light, rather large, showing through the red skin. Calyx tube conical. Core medium or above, usually axile, closed or somewhat open; core lines clasping. Carpels elongated ovate to obcordate, concave, slightly tufted. Seeds acute, plump, dark. Flesh yellowish-white often tinged with red, juicy, crisp, a little coarse, subacid becoming mildly sweet, aromatic, agreeable in flavor but not high in quality. Season November to January or February.