Blenheim Orange
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Blenheim Orange
[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — the George Bunyard & Co. catalog of 1914 attributes the variety to "W. Messey of Wolverton," put in commerce in 1839, which cannot be reconciled with the Woodstock origin given by the Herefordshire Pomona, Downing, Beach, Budd and Hansen, and Bunyard; its closing "Autumn; Syn. Oct." passage reads as a garbled or misplaced entry. The second Veitch (1911) paragraph ("medium size, brownish red skin … Oct. to Feb. Aug. & Nov.") appears to belong to another variety. These passages are reproduced below where they can be salvaged.]
Origin / History
Blenheim Orange was discovered at Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It takes its name from Blenheim, the seat of the Duke of Marlborough, which lies in the immediate neighborhood. Bunyard (1920) says it was raised at Woodstock, near Blenheim, by Mr. Kempster. The exact date of origin is not known. The Herefordshire Pomona says it is "not noticed in any of the nursery catalogues of the last century." It was not cultivated in the London nurseries until about 1818, when it came into notice in the neighborhood of London. The earliest reference in Beach's bibliography is Turner, London Horticultural Society Transactions, 1819. Elliott calls it "Foreign"; Downing calls it an old variety. Elliott and Downing enter it as Blenheim Pippin, and Beach and Budd and Hansen enter it as Blenheim. The George Bunyard catalog of 1914 instead credits it to W. Messey of Wolverton, put in commerce in 1839.
The Herefordshire Pomona reprints an account from the "Gardener's Chronicle" of "that beautiful and justly celebrated apple, the Blenheim Orange." The original stump stood in a dilapidated corner of "the decaying borough of ancient Woodstock," within ten yards of the wall of Blenheim Park. It was then entirely dead and falling to decay: a mere shell about ten feet high, loose in the ground, with a large hole in the center. Until within the last three years it had occasionally sent up long, thin, wiry twigs.
The stump was supported against the corner of the garden wall of old Grimmett, the basket maker. He had watched it from his workshop window for more than fifty successive summers. Grimmett remembered the tree, when he was a boy fifty years before, as "a fine full bearing stem, full of bud and blossom and fruit." In those days "thousands thronged from all parts to gaze on its ruddy ripening orange burden." Gardeners came in spring to collect "the much coveted scions" and to hear its tale from the son of "the whitehaired Kempster."
Kempster had died nearly a century earlier. He was "a plain, practical, labouring man" who lived among his bees and flowers in a narrow cottage garden in Old Woodstock. In his "glorious pride" in that garden he "realised Virgil's dream of the old Corycian." He "first planted the Kernel from whence it sprung." The provincial name was still "Kempster's Pippin," "a lasting monumental tribute" to him.
English writers hold it in high regard. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "this valuable apple," "this favourite variety," and "very valuable and highly esteemed." Bunyard (1920) calls it "this fine variety" and "one of the best all round apples grown." The George Bunyard catalog of 1901 calls it "a highly esteemed variety" and "an old favorite apple." Beach calls the fruit "attractive in appearance and of excellent quality." He says it has long been known in portions of New York, the adjacent states, and Canada, but in no part of that region has it assumed very great commercial importance.
Tree
Large, strong, and vigorous, upright spreading to spreading. Bunyard says it makes a large flat-headed tree. The Herefordshire Pomona says it forms a large and very beautiful standard, the best and most profitable form of its growth; as a dwarf or espalier it does not bear so regularly or so well. Twigs very stout; bark clear, light reddish-brown becoming dark (Beach). Leaf large, broad, very dark, flat, sharply serrate (Bunyard).
Productive, a regular and abundant bearer (Downing), bearing its fruit singly and evenly distributed (Beach). The George Bunyard catalog of 1901 credits it with a good cropping habit. The Herefordshire Pomona says the full-grown tree usually bears regular and abundant crops but is apt even then to bear well only in alternate years. Bunyard calls it "fertile when aged." At Agassiz, British Columbia, a tree planted in spring 1890 proved a vigorous grower but only a moderate bearer.
Fruit
Size: Above medium to very large; most authors call it large, and Beach gives large to very large, usually large or above medium. The Herefordshire Pomona gives the size as generally three inches wide by two and a half high. Bunyard gives 3¼ by 2¾ and calls it "medium to fairly large." The George Bunyard catalogs call it medium (1901) and medium to large (1914).
Form: Roundish oblate to roundish, somewhat flattened, slightly to distinctly conical. Regular and handsomely shaped; Beach says usually pretty regular and symmetrical, and Budd and Hansen say very regular. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it globular and broader at the base than the apex. Beach says it is sometimes a little furrowed at the apex.
Stem: Short and stout to medium; Beach gives short to medium, and Bunyard medium. Rather deeply inserted, scarcely extending beyond the base (Herefordshire Pomona).
Cavity: Moderately deep to deep, regular and even. Beach describes it as below medium to rather large and rather narrow to wide, acute to acuminate, usually symmetrical, sometimes compressed or lipped. Budd and Hansen call it obtuse. Russeted; Beach says the russet often extends beyond the cavity, and Budd and Hansen describe a large patch of radiating russet.
Calyx: Large to very large, open. Segments short, stunted (Herefordshire Pomona) or small (Budd and Hansen). Beach describes the segments as flat and separated at the base, plainly exposing the yellowish tube, with obtuse lobes. Tube funnel-shaped; Beach calls it short, very wide, cone-shaped. Stamens median, or median to somewhat basal (Beach).
Basin: Large, round, and broad, from shallow and obtuse to deep and abrupt; most authors give it rather deep to deep. Even, regular, and smooth, though Budd and Hansen call it medium in size and Beach finds it somewhat furrowed and slightly wrinkled.
Skin: Moderately thin and tough (Beach); surface very smooth (Budd and Hansen). Ground yellowish to deep yellow, becoming deep orange; greenish yellow in the Agassiz trial. Overspread with dull red, as a tinge, cheek, or flush on the sunny side, and streaked or striped with deeper, darker red. Beach describes a rather dull pinkish-red that in highly colored specimens becomes a deep and rather bright red. Budd and Hansen describe "solid dull brown red, obscurely streaked darker red on sunny side." The George Bunyard catalog of 1914 calls the fruit "dull orange-red."
Fine russet appears in places. Beach describes the skin as somewhat roughened with netted capillary russet lines; Budd and Hansen say it is sometimes mixed with russet. Handsome in appearance; Beach gives the prevailing effect as "rather attractive red and yellow." The Herefordshire Pomona plate shows "the rich ripe tints it assumes when it takes the place of honour on the Christmas dinner table."
Dots: Russet. Beach calls them numerous, small or conspicuously large; Budd and Hansen call them obscure, few, and small.
Flesh and flavor: Yellow to yellowish or tinged with yellow; crisp, breaking, rather firm (Beach). Grain fine, or in Beach's words "moderately fine grained or a little coarse." Juicy to moderately juicy, though Elliott calls it "dry."
Subacid, with a characteristic flavor (Bunyard). Beach calls it "somewhat aromatic, agreeable sprightly subacid, becoming rather mild subacid." Budd and Hansen call it "peculiar mild spicy subacid." Some authors call it sweet: Elliott "sweet," Downing "very sweet, pleasant," the George Bunyard catalog of 1914 "sweet and of excellent flavour." The Herefordshire Pomona joins the two, "sweet and pleasantly acid." Flavor rich, high, and excellent: "very pleasant and of high flavour" (Agassiz), "rich flavour" (Veitch), "excellent flavor" (George Bunyard catalog, 1901).
Quality good to very good. Downing and Budd and Hansen rate it "good," and Beach "good to very good" and "of excellent quality." Agassiz gives "quality very good," Veitch "fine quality," and Bunyard "fine quality and texture for dessert."
Core and seeds: Core medium or below, axile or somewhat abaxile (Beach). The cells are given as closed or open. Beach finds them often unequally developed, closed or partly open. The Herefordshire Pomona gives them open or closed, with roundish obovate cell-walls. Budd and Hansen call the core open, with large, roomy, obovate, axile cells. Core lines meeting; carpels flat, tufted, emarginate. Seeds few and frequently abortive, irregular, often not plump, long, acute to acuminate, tufted (Beach).
Season
The recorded season runs from October into April. Most authors give autumn and early winter, October or November through November or December. Bunyard carries it to January, and the Herefordshire Pomona to February.
Beach says it is at its best from October to December and often may be kept until midwinter or later. He also calls it not a good keeper and variable in season. In southeastern New York its commercial season is October. In Western New York it comes into season with the Twenty Ounce and keeps into early winter. Beach cites Macoun for a season of November and December in Ontario. Veitch gives October to April, saying it "keeps well when stored in cool dry quarters."
Uses
Dessert and culinary. The Herefordshire Pomona finds it "strictly speaking more suitable for the kitchen than the parlour, except for its very handsome appearance in size, and shape, and colour." Veitch calls it "one of the best cooking apples." Beach calls it "excellent either for dessert or culinary use," and Bunyard says it cooks excellently and has fine quality and texture for dessert.
Beach finds the fruit desirable for both home and market. He nevertheless calls the variety usually unsatisfactory for commercial planting because it is not a good keeper, is variable in season, and commonly suffers considerable loss in drops and culls. In some locations, however, it is considered a good profitable variety.
Subtypes / Variants
Bunyard says there are doubtless many seedlings in cultivation that closely resemble Blenheim Orange but are not quite identical. He describes Woodstock Pippin as "generally considered by pomologists as identical with Blenheim Orange, but is distinct from that in many respects." His Woodstock Pippin is of uncertain origin, used for dessert or culinary purposes, and keeps till April. Fruit "large, fairly large," 3 by 2½, round, flattened, fairly regular. Color pale yellowish-green, rarely with a faint flush. Flesh crisp, yellow, juicy, rather acid. Eye open, in a shallow, wide, slightly plaited basin. Stem short and thick, in a moderately deep, regular, russeted cavity. Growth strong, rather spreading; fertility poor. Leaf large, round, sharply pointed, curved serrate, held down, flat.
Other
The Herefordshire Pomona plate shows the fruit when fit to gather from the tree, with the leaves and blossom.
The second Veitch (1911) entry reads: "medium size, brownish red skin and fine flavour, fine, rich-looking fruit, very fine flavour Oct. to Feb. Aug. & Nov."
The 1914 George Bunyard catalog adds the notation "(H, B.T., P.)" and a further passage: "Autumn; Syn. Oct. Pale, large, roundish yellow, cooks well, fine fragrant; very profitable. A good bearer for commercial purposes."
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
- The Herefordshire Pomona (1876–1885)
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905) — listed as Blenheim
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920) — listed as WOODSTOCK PIPPIN
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Blenheim
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as Blenheim Pippin
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Blenheim Pippin
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 14 catalogs (1845–1917) from England, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845 — listed as Lord Nelson
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
View original book sources (10)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Blenheim Pippin. Blenheim Orange, | Woodstock Pippin. Foreign. Large, roundish, yellow and dull red; flesh, yellowish, sweet, dry. October. November.
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)BLENHEIM ORANGE.
[Syn.: Blenheim Pippin; Kempster's Pippin; Woodstock Pippin; Northwick Pippin]
This valuable apple was first discovered at Woodstock, in Oxfordshire, and received its name from Blenheim, the seat of the Duke of Marlborough, which is in the immediate neighbourhood. The exact date of its origin is not known. It is not noticed in any of the nursery catalogues of the last century, nor was it cultivated in the London nurseries until about the year 1818.
The following interesting account of this favourite variety appeared some years ago in the "Gardener's Chronicle":—"In a somewhat dilapidated corner of the decaying borough of ancient Woodstock, within ten yards of the wall of Blenheim Park stands all that remains of the original stump of that beautiful and justly celebrated apple, the Blenheim Orange. It is now entirely dead and rapidly falling to decay, being a mere shell about ten feet high, loose in the ground, and having a large hole in the centre; till within the last three years, it occasionally sent up long, thin, wiry twigs, but this last sign of vitality has ceased, and what remains will soon be the portion of the wood-louse and the worm. Old Grimmett, the basket maker, against the corner of whose garden wall the venerable relic is supported, has sat looking on it from his workshop window, and while he wove the pliant osier, has meditated for more than fifty successive summers on the mutability of all sublunary substances; on juice, and core, and vegetable as well as animal, and flesh, and blood. He can remember the time when fifty years ago he was a boy, and the tree a fine full bearing stem, full of bud and blossom and fruit, and thousands thronged from all parts to gaze on its ruddy ripening orange burden: then gardeners came in the spring time to collect the much coveted scions, and to hear the tale of his horticultural child and sapling, from the lips of the son of the whitehaired Kempster. But nearly a century has elapsed since Kempster fell like a ripened fruit and was gathered to his fathers. He lived in a narrow cottage garden in Old Woodstock, a plain, practical, labouring man; and in the midst of his bees and flowers around him, and in his "glorious pride" in the midst of his little garden, he realised Virgil's dream of the old Corycian: "et regum equabat opes animis." The provincial name for the apple is still "Kempster's Pippin," a lasting monumental tribute and inscription to him who first planted the Kernel from whence it sprung."
Description.—Fruit, large, being generally three inches wide, and two and a half high; globular and somewhat flattened, broader at the base than the apex, regularly and handsomely shaped. Skin, yellow, with a tinge of dull red next the sun, and streaked with deeper red. Eye, large and open, with short stunted segments, placed in a round, broad, and rather deep basin. Tube funnel shaped: stamens medium. Stalk, short and stout, rather deeply inserted, and scarcely extending beyond the base. Flesh, yellow, crisp, juicy, sweet and pleasantly acid. Cells of the core, open or closed: cell-walls roundish obovate.
A very valuable and highly esteemed apple, either for dessert or culinary purposes, but strictly speaking more suitable for the kitchen than the parlour, except for its very handsome appearance in size, and shape, and colour. It is in season from November to February.
The Blenheim Orange has a strong and vigorous habit of growth and forms a large and very beautiful standard. This is the best and most profitable form of its growth, and when it becomes fullgrown it usually bears regular and abundant crops; it is however apt even then, to bear well only on alternate years. As a dwarf or an espalier it does not bear so regularly, or so well.
The plate represents not only the fruit when fit to gather from the tree, with the leaves and blossom, but also shews the rich ripe tints it assumes when it takes the place of honour on the Christmas dinner table.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Blenheim Pippin. Blenheim. Blenheim Orange. Woodstock Pippin. Northwick Pippin. Kempster's Pippin. An old variety, originated at Woodstock, in Oxfordshire, England. Tree a strong and vigorous grower, a regular and abundant bearer. Fruit large, roundish oblate, conical, yellowish, becoming deep orange, stained on the sunny side with dull and dark red stripes. Stalk short and stout, in a deep cavity. Calyx large, open, in a deep broad basin. Flesh yellow, breaking, very sweet, pleasant. Good. October, December.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)BLENHEIM.
REFERENCES. 1. Turner, London Hort. Soc. Trans., 3:322. 1819. 2. Forsyth, 1824:134. 3. Pom. Mag., 1:No. 28. 1828. col. pl. 4. Ronalds, 1831:61. fig. 5. London Hort. Soc. Cat., 1831:No. 104. 6. Kenrick, 1832:72. 7. Floy-Lindley, 1833:29. 8. Downing, 1845:81. 9. Horticulturist, 1:389. 1847. 10. Thomas, 1849:144. 11. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:29. 1851. 12. Elliott, 1854:167. 13. Hooper, 1857:19. 14. Lucas, Ed., Ill. Handb. Obstk., 1:515. 1859. 15. Warder, 1867:713. 16. Regel, 1:461. 1868. 17. Berghuis, 1868:No. 61. col. pl. 18. Tilt. Jour. Hort., 7:166. 1870. 19. Downing, 1872:3 app. 20. Leroy, 1873:139. fig. 21. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1875:6. 22. Lauche, 1882:No. 36. col. pl. 23. Bensel, Rural N. Y., 42:65. 1883. 24. Hogg, 1884:24. 25. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:288. 26. Can. Hort., 15:40, 72, 111, 124, 156, 188, 206. 1892. 27. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:235. 28. Can. Hort., 16:113, 299. 1893. 29. Bredsted, 2:157. 1893. 30. Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 1:24. 1894. 31. Gaucher, 1894:No. 8. col. pl. 32. Gard. and For., 9:15. 1896. 33. Bunyard, Jour. Roy. Hort. Soc., 1898:354. 34. Amer. Gard., 19:344. 1898. 35. Can. Hort., 24:353. 1901. figs. 36. Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 8:6. 1901. figs. 37. Eneroth-Smirnoff, 1901:197. 38. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Bul., 37:40. 1901. 39. Budd-Hansen, 1903:51. 40. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:113. 1904.
SYNONYMS. Belle d'Angers (31). BLENHEIM (20, 23, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40). Blenheim (5, 18, 19). BLENHEIM ORANGE (1, 2, 4, 6, 13, 15, 26, 28, 32, 33). Blenheim Orange (3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 24, 31, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40). BLENHEIM PIPPIN (3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 30, 38). Blenheim Pippin (6, 20, 26, 28, 31, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40). BLENHEIMSRENETT (37). Blooming Orange (18, 19, 31). Dredge's Fane (31). Dutch Mignonne, err. (18, 19). Gloucester Pippin (31). GOLDREINETTE VON BLENHEIM (14, 22, 31). Goldreinette von Blenheim (20). Imperatrice Eugenie (31). Kempster's Pippin (18, 19, 20, 24, 31, 32). LORD NELSON (incorrectly in some nursery catalogues). Lucius Apfel (31). Northampton (31). Northwick Pippin (5, 18, 19, 20, 24, 31). Orange Blenheim (31). Orange Pippin (31). Perle d'Angleterre (31). Prince of Wales (31). Pomme de Blenheim (31). Reinette de Blenheim (31). Ward's Pippin (31). Woodstock (2, 35, 36). Woodstock Pippin (3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 24, 31, 34).
Fruit large to very large, yellow, more or less washed and striped with red, attractive in appearance and of excellent quality. The commercial season in the southeastern portions of the State is October. In Western New York it comes into season with the Twenty Ounce and keeps into early winter (31). Often specimens of it may be kept much later. Macoun gives its season in Ontario as November and December (28). The fruit is desirable both for home and market uses but the variety is usually unsatisfactory for commercial planting because it is not a good keeper, is variable in season and commonly suffers considerable loss in drops and culls. In some locations, however, it is considered a good profitable variety.
Origin Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It found its way into the London nurseries about the year 1818 (24). Although it has long been known in portions of New York and adjacent states and in Canada in no part of this region has it assumed very great commercial importance.
TREE.
Tree large, vigorous, productive, bearing its fruit singly and evenly distributed. Form upright spreading. Twigs very stout. Bark clear, light reddish-brown becoming dark.
FRUIT.
Fruit usually large or above medium. Form roundish oblate to roundish inclined to conic, usually pretty regular and symmetrical, sometimes a little furrowed at the apex. Stem short to medium. Cavity below medium to rather large, rather narrow to wide, moderately deep to deep, acute to acuminate, usually symmetrical, sometimes compressed or lipped, covered with russet which often extends beyond the cavity. Calyx large or very large; segments flat, separated at base plainly exposing the yellowish tube beneath; lobes obtuse. Basin large, broad, shallow and obtuse to deep and abrupt, somewhat furrowed and slightly wrinkled. Skin moderately thin and tough, deep yellow overspread with a rather dull pinkish-red, in highly colored specimens developing a deep and rather bright red somewhat roughened in places with netted capillary russet lines. Dots numerous, small or conspicuously large and russet. Prevailing effect rather attractive red and yellow. Calyx tube short, very wide, cone-shape. Stamens median to somewhat basal. Core medium or below, axile or somewhat abaxile; cells often unequally developed, closed or partly open; core lines meeting. Carpels flat, tufted, emarginate. Seeds few and frequently abortive, irregular, often not plump, long, acute to acuminate, tufted. Flesh tinged with yellow, rather firm, moderately juicy, crisp, moderately fine grained or a little coarse, somewhat aromatic, agreeable sprightly subacid, becoming rather mild subacid, good to very good; excellent either for dessert or culinary use.
Season. It is at its best from October to December but often may be kept until midwinter or later.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Blenheim (Blenheim Pippin, Blenheim Orange).—An old variety from Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England; tree of strong, vigorous growth, a regular and abundant bearer.
Fruit large, roundish oblate, slightly conical, very regular; surface very smooth, yellow, becoming deep orange, shaded with solid dull brown red, obscurely streaked darker red on sunny side, sometimes mixed with russet; dots obscure, few, russet, small; cavity regular obtuse, with large patch of radiating russet; stem short, stout; basin medium, regular, smooth; calyx open, large; segments short, small.
Core open; cells large, roomy, obovate, axile; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; flesh yellow, juicy, peculiar mild spicy subacid, good. October to December.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)WOODSTOCK PIPPIN. Dessert or culinary, till April, large, fairly large, 3 by 2½, round, flattened, fairly regular. Colour, pale yellowish-green with rarely a faint flush. Flesh, crisp, yellow, juicy, rather acid. Eye, open, in a shallow, wide basin, slightly plaited. Stem, short and thick in a moderately deep regular, russeted cavity. Growth, strong, rather spreading; fertility, poor. Leaf, large, round, sharply pointed, curved serrate, held down, flat. Origin, uncertain. Generally considered by pomologists as identical with Blenheim Orange, but is distinct from that in many respects.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Blenheim Orange", pp. 38–38]
BLENHEIM ORANGE. Ronalds p. 31. F., Reinette de Blenheim ; G., Goldreinette von Blenheim. (Kempster's Pippin, Northwick Pippin.) Culinary or dessert, November to January, 3¼ by 2¾, medium to fairly large, flattened, round, regular. Colour, yellow, flushed and striped dull red and fine russet. Flesh, crisp, yellow, sub-acid, with a characteristic flavour. Eye, large, open, in a broad even basin. Stem, medium in a rather deep even cavity. Growth, vigorous, spreading ; fertile when aged. Makes a large flat headed tree. Leaf, large, broad, very dark, flat, sharply serrate. Origin, raised at Woodstock, near Blenheim, by Mr. Kempster. It came into notice about 1818, in the neighbourhood of London. There are doubtless many seedlings now in cultivation which closely resemble this fine variety, but are not quite identical. One of the best all round apples grown, cooking excellently, and of fine quality and texture for dessert.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1890. Tree a vigorous and spreading grower, and only a moderate bearer. Fruit large, roundish, conical. Skin greenish yellow, with a dull red cheek. Flesh yellowish, crisp, breaking, moderately juicy, very pleasant and of high flavour, quality very good. Season October and November.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Fruit Catalogue (1901) (1901)A highly esteemed variety with a good cropping habit. Excellent flavor. Fruits medium size, fine grain. An old favorite apple.
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)large and handsome, and productive, one of the best cooking apples, keeps well when stored in cool dry quarters, rich flavour and fine quality. Oct. to April
medium size, brownish red skin and fine flavour, fine, rich-looking fruit, very fine flavour Oct. to Feb. Aug. & Nov.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)A good culinary sort. Raised by W. Messey of Wolverton, and put in commerce in 1839.
Medium to large, roundish, dull orange-red. Sweet and of excellent flavour. Excellent for both culinary and table use. (H, B.T., P.)
Autumn; Syn. Oct. Pale, large, roundish yellow, cooks well, fine fragrant; very profitable. A good bearer for commercial purposes.