Blushed Calville

Origin/History

Blushed Calville is of Russian origin. It has been noted as hardy and desirable in northern apple-growing regions (Hansen, S.D. Sta. Bul., 1902). As fruited at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station, the tree does not come into bearing very young and is not very productive; it is not recommended for planting in that state (Beach).

Tree

Tree rather small, moderately vigorous, with short, stout branches. Form upright spreading, open. Twigs medium in length, curved and stout, with large terminal buds; internodes long. Bark brownish mingled with olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent. Lenticels scattering, medium in size, round, slightly raised. Buds prominent, large, broad, plump, acute, free, slightly pubescent. (Beach)

Not described in source. (Thomas)

Fruit

Size and Form: Beach describes the fruit as medium to large, fairly uniform in shape and size, roundish conical, ribbed, with sides unequal. Thomas describes it as medium, roundish oblate. These sources conflict on both the size range and the form: Beach gives roundish conical with ribs, Thomas gives roundish oblate.

Stem: Usually long and slender (Beach). Not described in source (Thomas).

Cavity: Beach describes the cavity as acute to acuminate, rather narrow to moderately wide, moderately deep, sometimes russeted. Thomas describes the cavity as large and oblique. These accounts conflict on size and orientation.

Calyx: Large, closed or open (Beach). Not described in source (Thomas).

Basin: Beach describes the basin as medium in width and depth to wide and deep, a little abrupt, wrinkled. Thomas describes the basin as narrow and corrugated. These accounts conflict on width.

Skin: Light green or yellowish, sometimes blushed (Beach). Yellow, blushed on one side (Thomas). The sources agree on the yellow/blushed character; Beach additionally notes the skin can appear light green.

Calyx Tube: Broad, cone-shaped (Beach). Not described in source (Thomas).

Stamens: Median (Beach). Not described in source (Thomas).

Core and Seeds: Core very large, abaxile; cells wide open; core lines clasping. Seeds medium in size, acute. (Beach) Not described in source (Thomas).

Flesh and Flavor: Beach describes the flesh as whitish, firm, rather coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, subacid, and fair to good in quality. Thomas describes the flesh as reddish white, fine-grained, sub-acid, and good in quality. The sources conflict on flesh color (whitish vs. reddish white) and texture (rather coarse vs. fine-grained). Both agree on the sub-acid flavor character.

Season

Early summer (Beach). August, following Yellow Transparent (Thomas). Thomas's attribution of August is consistent with Beach's "early summer" characterization depending on region.

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Thomas references a figure (Fig. 395) in The American Fruit Culturist. Beach references a figure in Hansen (S.D. Sta. Bul. 76:32, 1902). The variety appears in multiple northern-region trial reports from the 1880s–1900s, cited under the synonyms Calville Krasmui and designation 22 M.