Borsdorf
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Borsdorf
[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — the Agassiz station entry describes a vigorous tree with fruit above medium size, oblong and conical, ripening in September. Every other source describes a winter apple, small to medium or above in size, roundish, roundish oval, or oblate, so the entry may describe a different variety. Its details are kept below with attribution.]
Origin / History
A German apple, a very old sort (Hedrick), and one of the earliest varieties recorded by the Continental authors. The Herefordshire Pomona, and Hogg as quoted by Beach, say it is believed to have originated either at a village of Misnia called Borsdorf or at a place of the same name near Leipsic. Cordus mentions it in 1561 as cultivated in Misnia, highly esteemed for its sweet and generous flavor and for the pleasant perfume which it exhales. Hogg, as Beach quotes him, says this circumstance "has no doubt given rise to the synonym 'Reinette de Misnie.'" Hedrick writes more guardedly that "some believe it to be the apple mentioned by Cordus in 1561." Bunyard says it has been cultivated in Germany since the sixteenth century. Wittichius, in his "Methodus Simplicium," credits it with the power of dispelling epidemic fevers and madness.
The Herefordshire Pomona calls it, "above all others, the most highly esteemed in Germany," and records that Diel called it the "Pride of the Germans." Downing calls it "a small celebrated German Apple." According to Forsyth, it was such a favorite with Queen Charlotte that she had a considerable quantity imported from Germany for her own private use; Hogg's version, as Beach quotes it, says the imports came "annually." Bunyard identifies her as the wife of George III and says the fruit was imported into England for her. The Herefordshire Pomona and Hogg say it "does not seem to have been known in this country before the close of the last century." It was first grown in the Brompton Park Nursery in 1785. In Herefordshire it "has not got beyond the garden of the amateur" (Herefordshire Pomona), and Bunyard calls it "a worthless fruit in this country, except in very warm seasons."
It was introduced into America from Germany, "probably about 1830" (Hedrick); Hansen's trees were received from Russia. Beach calls it "valued in many parts of Europe as a dessert fruit of first quality." He adds that, though introduced many years ago, it "has not won recognition either in the home orchards or in commercial orchards." He does not recommend it for planting in New York state "because it is less desirable here than other wellknown varieties." Hedrick says it is considered a first-class dessert apple in Europe "but in America falls far short of this rank." Because of its hardiness and productiveness, he writes, "the variety may well be planted in northern regions."
Tree
Very hardy and very productive or prolific, fertile. Vigor runs from moderately vigorous (Beach) to a free grower that "attains the largest size" (Herefordshire Pomona); the Agassiz station calls it a vigorous grower. Growth compact (Bunyard); head roundish and dense. Branches long, rather slender, with numerous small laterals. Twigs short, straight, slender; internodes short. Bark dull reddish-brown, quite pubescent. Lenticels inconspicuous, scattering, very small, oblong. Buds small, narrow, acute, free, quite pubescent (Beach).
Leaves medium in size and rather broad (Beach), or rather small, oval, held out flat, curved serrate (Bunyard).
Not subject to canker. The bloom is very hardy and withstands the night frosts of spring better than most other varieties. Grafted on the paradise stock it may be grown as an open dwarf or an espalier (Herefordshire Pomona). Planted at the Agassiz station in British Columbia in spring 1894.
Fruit
Size: Small to below medium in most accounts; Elliott calls it medium and Hansen medium or above, and the Agassiz entry gives above medium. Bunyard measures it 2 by 1¾. Pretty uniform in size and shape (Beach).
Form: Roundish oval, narrowing at the eye (Elliott, Downing), or roundish oblate to oblate (Herefordshire Pomona, Beach). The Herefordshire Pomona finds it rather narrower at the apex than the base, "handsomely and regularly formed, without ribs or other inequalities." Beach calls it somewhat ribbed, sides slightly unequal. Hansen gives roundish, truncated, unequal; Bunyard round-square, regular; the Agassiz entry oblong, conical.
Stem: Slender, Hansen alone calling it thick. Short (Herefordshire Pomona, Hansen), or long to very long and often inclined obliquely (Beach).
Cavity: Shallow to moderately deep or rather deep, somewhat or slightly russeted, lined with thin russet in the Herefordshire Pomona's account. Narrow and even (Herefordshire Pomona), or wide, obtuse, and often a little furrowed (Beach). Hansen calls it acuminate, usually with shallow green furrows extending out from the stem.
Calyx: Large or rather large, open or partly open. The Herefordshire Pomona gives long reflexed segments, and Beach says the calyx is usually partly open; Hansen alone calls it closed. Calyx tube short, wide, cone-shape or urn-shape, with a fleshy projection of the pistil into its base; stamens marginal to median (Beach).
Basin: Shallow or rather shallow and wide in most accounts, obtuse, somewhat ridged and slightly wrinkled (Beach). Hansen gives narrow, shallow, regular, usually with faint wrinkles. The Herefordshire Pomona alone calls it rather deep, round, and pretty even.
Skin: Pale yellow, pale waxen yellow, or milky yellow, shining (Herefordshire Pomona), with a red cheek or flush next the sun. The red varies: bright red (Herefordshire Pomona), full red (Downing), rather dull light scarlet partly washing the yellow (Beach), dull red (Bunyard). The skin is lightly marked with russet in slight veins, slight traces of delicate yellowish gray russet, or a light sprinkling. Beach adds that it is often streaked with russet and marked with inconspicuous capillary netted russet lines. Hansen describes the surface as light green, sparsely striped and splashed red, with mixed red on the sunny side; the Agassiz entry gives yellow with faint streaks of red.
Dots: Strewed over the skin, yellowish on the sunny side and brownish in the shade (Herefordshire Pomona). Beach gives scattering, often large and irregular, gray or russet; Hansen alone calls them minute and white.
Flesh and flavor: White to yellowish white or pale yellow, crisp to moderately crisp, juicy to moderately juicy. Texture ranges from very firm (Downing; firm, Bunyard) to rather tender or tender (Beach, Hansen). Hansen calls it fine grained and Beach rather coarse, while the Herefordshire Pomona calls it delicate.
Flavor subacid, brisk, sugary, rich, vinous, perfumed, and aromatic in the older accounts (Herefordshire Pomona, Downing). It is mild, pleasant subacid in Hansen's account, and Beach gives mild subacid "becoming nearly sweet, aromatic." The Agassiz entry calls it sprightly, and Bunyard "poor flavour." Verdicts run from "a dessert apple of the first quality" (Herefordshire Pomona) through "good to very good" (Hansen), "good" (Agassiz), and "fair to good" (Hedrick).
Core and seeds: Core medium to rather small, axile, closed or nearly so, core lines meeting (Beach); Hansen alone calls it wide open. Carpels broad, narrowing sharply towards the apex, nearly truncate at base, slightly emarginate (Beach). Seeds numerous, 13 to 19 (Hansen), medium to small, plump, acute, compactly filling the cells (Beach).
Season
Early winter. Most authors give November or December into January or February; Elliott closes the season at December. The Agassiz entry alone gives September.
Uses
A dessert or table apple.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 8 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 1 (1905)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- The Herefordshire Pomona (1876–1885)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920) — listed as BORSDORFER
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1886–1900) from Alabama
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886 — listed as Borsdorfer
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Borsdorfer
View original book sources (9)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)BORSDORFFER.
Borsdorff, King George the Third, | Queens.
Foreign. Medium, roundish oval, pale yellow, with red check; flesh, yellowish white, crisp, sub-acid. November, December.
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)
- BORSDORFFER.
[Syn.: Borstorff Hâtive; Queens Apple; Red Borsdorffer; Borsdorff; Postophe d'Hiver; Pomme de prochain; Reinette d'Allemagne; Blanche de Leipsic; Reinette de Misnie; Grand Bohemian Borsdorffer; Garret Pippin; King; King George; King George the Third]
This apple, above all others, is the most highly esteemed in Germany. Diel calls it the "Pride of the Germans." It is believed to have originated either at a village of Misnia, called Borsdorf, or at a place of the same name near Leipsic. According to Forsyth, it was such a favourite with Queen Charlotte, that she had a considerable quantity of them imported from Germany for her own private use.
It is one of the earliest recorded varieties of the Continental authors. It is mentioned by Cordus in 1561, as being cultivated in Misnia. He also informs us it is highly esteemed for its sweet and generous flavour, and for the pleasant perfume which it exhales. Wittichius, in his "Methodus Simplicium," attributes to it the power of dispelling epidemic fevers and madness! It does not seem to have been known in this country before the close of the last century. It was first grown in the Brompton Park Nursery in 1785.
Description.—Fruit; below the medium size, roundish oblate, rather narrower at the apex than the base, handsomely and regularly formed, without ribs or other inequalities. Skin; shining, pale waxen yellow in the shade, and bright red next the sun; it is strewed with dots which are yellowish on the sunny side and brownish in the shade, and marked with veins and slight traces of delicate, yellowish gray russet. Eye; large and open, with long reflexed segments, placed in a rather deep, round, and pretty even basin. Stalk; short and slender, inserted in a narrow, even, and shallow cavity, which is lined with thin russet. Flesh; white with a yellowish tinge, crisp, and delicate, brisk, juicy, and sugary; and with a rich, vinous, and aromatic flavour.
The Borsdorffer is a dessert apple of the first quality; in season from November to January.
The tree is a free grower and very hardy, not subject to canker and attains the largest size. The bloom is also very hardy, and withstands the night frosts of spring better than most other varieties. It is very prolific. If grafted on the paradise stock it may be grown as an open dwarf, or an espalier. This variety in Herefordshire has not got beyond the garden of the amateur.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)BORSDORFFER.
Bursdorff. King George the Third. Queen's. Reinette Bâtarde. Edler Winter Borsdorffer. Bursdorffer. Garret Pippin. King. Le Grand Bohemian Borsdorffer. Reinette de Misnie.
A small celebrated German Apple.
Fruit roundish oval, narrowing at the eye. Skin pale yellow, with a full red cheek, sprinkled with a little russet. Flesh yellowish white very firm and crisp, with a rich, brisk, perfumed flavor. November to February.
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Borsdorf—Origin, Germany; trees received from Russia—Fruit medium or above, roundish, truncated, unequal; surface light green, sparsely striped and splashed red, with mixed red on sunny side; dots minute, white; cavity acuminate, usually with shallow green furrows extending out from the stem; stem short, thick; basin narrow, shallow, regular, usually with faint wrinkles; calyx closed. Core wide open; seeds numerous, 13 to 19; flesh white, juicy, fine grained, tender, mild, pleasant subacid, good to very good. Use table. Winter.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Borsdorff. Small, roundish-oval, yellow with a red cheek; flesh firm, crisp, rich, brisk, perfumed. Early winter. German.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)BORSDORF.
REFERENCES, 1. Ronalds, 1831:26. 2. Cat. Hort. Soc. London, 1831. 3. Kenrick, 1833:72. 4. Downing, 1845:99. 5. Thomas, 1849:178. 6. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:72. 1851. 7. Elliott, 1858:167. 8. Berghuis, 1868: col. pl. No. 73. 9. Downing, 1872:103. 10. Leroy, 1873:150. 11. Montreal Hort. Soc., 7:156. 1881. 12. Hogg, 1884:26. 13. Hoskins, U. S. Pom. Rpt., 1886:279. 14. Hoskins, Garden and Forest, 3:516. 1890. 15. Budd, Ia. Sta. Bul., 19:541. 1892. 16. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:235. 17. Bredsted, 1893:301. 18. Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:315. 1896. 19. Munson, Me. Sta. An. Rpt., 12:73. 1896. 20. Can. Hort., 20:412. 1897. 21. Eneroth-Smirnoff, 1901:173. 22. Munson, Me. Sta. An. Rpt., 18:83, 86. 1902 (also Bul. 82). 23. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:38. 1903. 24. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:113. 1904.
SYNONYMS. BORSDORF (6). BORSDORFER (3, 8, 14, 21). BORSDORFER (12). Borsdorff (7). BORSDORFF (5). BORSDORFFER (2). BORSDORFFER (1, 6, 7, 18). Borsdorffer (5). EDELBORSDORFER (8). King George the Third (7). KING GEORGE THE THIRD (1). Queen's (7).
A German variety, which is valued in many parts of Europe as a dessert fruit of first quality. The tree is very hardy and very productive. Although it was introduced into this country many years ago, it has not won recognition either in the home orchards or in commercial orchards. It is not recommended for planting in New York state because it is less desirable here than other wellknown varieties.
Historical. Hogg states (12) that, "It is believed to have originated either at a village of Misnia, called Borsdorf or at a place of the same name near Leipsic. According to Forsyth it was such a favorite with Queen Charlotte that she had a considerable quantity of them annually imported from Germany for her own private use. It is one of the earliest recorded varieties of the continental authors, but does not seem to have been known in this country before the close of the last century. It was first grown in the Brompton Park Nursery in 1785. It is mentioned by Cordus, in 1561, as being cultivated in Misnia, which circumstance has no doubt given rise to the synonym 'Reinette de Misnie.' "
TREE. Tree moderately vigorous; branches long, rather slender, with numerous small laterals. Form roundish, dense. Twigs short, straight, slender; internodes short. Bark dull reddish-brown, quite pubescent. Lenticels inconspicuous, scattering, very small, oblong. Buds small, narrow, acute, free, quite pubescent. Leaves medium in size, rather broad.
FRUIT. Fruit below medium to small. Form oblate, somewhat ribbed, sides slightly unequal, pretty uniform in size and shape. Stem long to very long, slender, often inclined obliquely. Cavity moderately shallow to rather deep, wide, obtuse, often a little furrowed and somewhat russeted. Calyx rather large, usually partly open. Basin usually rather shallow, wide, and obtuse, somewhat ridged and slightly wrinkled. Skin yellow, partly washed with rather dull light scarlet and often marked with streaks of russet and inconspicuous capillary netted russet lines. Dots scattering, often large and irregular, gray or russet. Calyx tube short, wide, cone-shape or urn-shape, with a fleshy projection of the pistil into its base. Stamens marginal to median. Core medium to rather small, axile, closed or nearly so; core lines meeting. Carpels broad, narrowing sharply towards the apex, nearly truncate at base, slightly emarginate. Seeds numerous, medium to small, plump, acute, compactly filling the cells. Flesh whitish, tinged slightly with yellow, rather coarse, moderately crisp, rather tender, moderately juicy, mild subacid, becoming nearly sweet, aromatic. Season November to February.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)BORSDORFER. Her. Pom., 3. F., Borsdorfer ; G., Edelborsdorfer. (King George III., Queen Charlotte's Apple, etc., etc.) Dessert, December to February, small, 2 by 1¾, round-square, regular. Colour, milky yellow with dull red flush, slight russet veins. Flesh, firm, juicy, pale yellow, poor flavour. Eye, usually open in a shallow wide basin. Stem, slender, in a moderately deep cavity, slightly russeted. Growth, compact ; fertile. Leaf, rather small, oval, held out flat, curved serrate. Origin, German, where it has been cultivated since the sixteenth century. Imported into England for Queen Charlotte, wife of George III. Recorded by Cordus in 1561. A worthless fruit in this country, except in very warm seasons.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)BORSDORF. Borsdorfer. Borsdorf is considered a first-class dessert apple in Europe, but in America falls far short of this rank. The tree, however, is very hardy and productive, and because of these characters the variety may well be planted in northern regions. It was introduced into America from Germany, probably about 1830. It is a very old sort, and some believe it to be the apple mentioned by Cordus in 1561. Tree moderately vigorous, round, dense; branches long, slender, with numerous small laterals. Leaves broad. Fruit medium to small, oblate, somewhat ribbed, sides unequal, uniform in size and shape; stem long, slender, often inclined obliquely; cavity shallow to deep, wide, obtuse, often furrowed and russeted; calyx large, partly open; basin shallow, wide and obtuse, ridged and wrinkled; skin yellow, partly washed with dull light scarlet and often marked with streaks of russet and inconspicuous capillary-netted russet lines; dots scattering, large and irregular, gray or russet; calyx-tube short, wide, cone-shape, with a fleshy projection of the pistil into its base; stamens marginal; core small, axile, closed; core-lines meeting; carpels broad, narrowing sharply towards the apex, truncate at base, emarginate; seeds numerous, small, plump, acute, compactly filling the cells; flesh yellow, coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, mild, subacid, aromatic; fair to good; November to February.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1894. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit above medium size, oblong, conical. Skin yellow, with faint streaks of red. Flesh white, crisp, moderately juicy, sprightly, quality good. Season September.