Bullock's Pippin
Apple
Bullock's Pippin
Origin/History
Bullock's Pippin is of American origin. Elliott (1865) notes it as particularly well-suited to the rich soils of Southern Ohio, Indiana, and the Southwest. Thomas (1903) records only a cross-reference — "Little Pearmain. See Bullock's Pippin." — with no independent description, establishing "Little Pearmain" as a period name for this variety.
Tree
The tree is ultimately of only medium size, with a round regular head and erect, rather slender shoots. It is admirably suited to the rich soils of Southern Ohio, Indiana, and the Southwest (Elliott).
Fruit
Size: Elliott (1865) describes the fruit as small to medium. Lowther (1914) records size as large — a direct conflict with Elliott's assessment.
Form: Roundish ovate, tapering much toward the eye (Elliott). Lowther (1914) records form as "re" (abbreviation not expanded in source).
Stem: Slender (Elliott).
Cavity: Narrow, regular (Elliott).
Calyx: Small, closed (Elliott).
Basin: Shallow, sometimes furrowed (Elliott).
Skin: Color varies markedly by climate and soil. Grown in the South, the fruit is almost entirely covered with russet. In the North, on sandy soils, it presents a warm, rich yellow with only marblings of russet. Generally the color is a rich golden yellow, overspread with soft russet, with a marbling of red in sun (Elliott). Lowther (1914) characterizes the color as yellow-red.
Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish, tender, juicy, almost buttery, delicate, and sprightly (Elliott). Lowther (1914) rates quality as best.
Core/Seeds: Core large for the size of the fruit. Seeds full, ovate pyramidal (Elliott).
Season
December to March in the North; November to January in the South (Elliott). Lowther (1914) records season as "i" (abbreviation not expanded in source).
Uses
Both kitchen and market (Lowther). The flesh character described by Elliott — buttery, delicate, sprightly — is consistent with a dessert-quality fruit.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther (1914) records regional presence across three divisions: Northern Division — 4 reports (variety reported in more than one division); Central Division — 12 reports (variety reported in more than one division); Southern Division — 1 report (variety reported in more than one division), indicating the variety was most widely grown and reported in the Central Division. Elliott (1865) lists "Fall Winesap" as an erroneous synonym applied to this variety.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Bullock's Pippin (3): size large; form re; color yellow-red; quality best; use both kitchen and market; season i; Northern Division 4* (variety reported in more than one division), Central Division 12* (variety reported in more than one division), Southern Division 1* (variety reported in more than one division).
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)BULLOCK'S PIPPIN.
American Golden Russet, Sheepnose,
Golden Russet, * Little Pearmain,
Hunt's Russet, Fall Winesap, erroneously.
American. Tree, ultimately of only medium size, with a round regular head, shoots erect, rather slender, admirably suited to rich soils of Southern Ohio, Indiana, the South-west, etc., etc. Grown South, the fruit is almost entirely covered with russet; North, on sandy soils, it is a warm, rich yellow, with only marblings of russet.
Size, small to medium; form, roundish ovate, tapering much toward the eye; color, generally rich golden yellow, overspread with soft russet, and in sun, a marbling of red; stem, slender; cavity, narrow, regular; calyx, small, closed; basin, shallow, sometimes furrowed; flesh, yellowish, tender, juicy, almost buttery, delicate, sprightly; core, large for size of fruit; seeds, full, ovate pyramidal. December to March. November to January, South.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Little Pearmain. See Bullock's Pippin.