Burlington Pippin
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
BURLINGTON PIPPIN
Origin / History
Origin unknown, supposed by Downing to be Burlington, Vermont. Hansen gives its origin near Burlington, Iowa, and calls it "a small local variety of excellent quality."
Tree
Tree hardy, vigorous, forming a round rather spreading head. A good bearer annually of fair fruit of uniform size and excellent quality (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Small to medium or above. Medium or above, of uniform size (Downing); medium (Lowther); small (Hansen).
Form: Oblate, slightly conic, slightly angular (Downing); regular, roundish, truncated, cylindrical (Hansen).
Stem: Short (Hansen); medium, slender (Downing).
Cavity: Broad, deep, with slight russet (Downing); wide, shallow, regular (Hansen).
Calyx: Closed.
Basin: Medium, slightly plaited (Downing); wide, deep, folded (Hansen).
Skin: Pale whitish yellow, shaded and mottled with light red, with stripes and broken splashes of dark red (Downing); greenish yellow with a shade of pale red on the sunny side (Hansen). Color yellow-red (Lowther).
Dots: A few, light and grayish (Downing); whitish, many, with a dark dot in the center (Hansen).
Flesh and flavor: Quite white, sometimes a little stained next the skin, half fine, tender, juicy, pleasant mild subacid and a little vinous (Downing); yellow, tender, mild subacid, rich (Hansen). Quality "excellent" (Downing, of the fruit; Hansen, of the variety); Hansen also says "very good," as does Lowther.
Core and seeds: Core medium (Downing); small (Hansen).
Season
October to January (Downing); winter (Hansen, Lowther).
Uses
Both kitchen and market (Lowther).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther reports no stations in the Northern, Central, or Southern Divisions.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914) — listed as Burlington (Pippin)
- Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902) — listed as Burlington
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Burlington
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as Burlington
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)BURLINGTON PIPPIN.
Town House.
Origin unknown, supposed to be Burlington, Vermont; tree hardy, vigorous, forming a round rather spreading head; a good bearer annually of fair fruit of uniform size and excellent quality.
Fruit medium or above, oblate, slightly conic, slightly angular; skin pale whitish yellow, shaded and mottled with light red, with stripes and broken splashes of dark red, and a few light and grayish dots; stalk medium, slender; cavity broad, deep, slight russet; calyx closed; basin medium, slightly plaited; flesh quite white, sometimes a little stained next the skin, half fine, tender, juicy, pleasant mild subacid, and a little vinous; core medium. October, January.
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Burlington—Originated near Burlington, Iowa, a small local variety of excellent quality—Fruit small, regular, roundish, truncated, cylindrical; surface greenish yellow, with a shade of pale red on sunny side; dots whitish, many, with dark dot in centre; cavity wide, shallow, regular; stem short; basin wide, deep, folded; calyx closed. Core small; flesh yellow, tender, mild subacid, rich, very good. Winter.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Burlington (Pippin): size medium; form fle; color yellow-red; quality very good; use both kitchen and market; season winter. No stations are reported in the Northern, Central, or Southern Divisions.