Bush
Apple
Bush Apple
Origin / History
Originated in Centre County, Pennsylvania, apparently a seedling from the farm of Christian Dale, near Boalsburg, Pa. Introduced through W. G. Waring of Tyrone, Pennsylvania, who supplied specimens to Warder and considered it one of the best apples of its season. Elliott likewise attributes it to Boalsburg, Pa. Illustrated in Warder as Fig. 196.
Tree
Described by W. G. Waring (via Warder) as vigorous, hardy, thrifty, and regularly productive. Not further described in other sources.
Fruit
Size: The sources differ: Warder describes the fruit as large; Downing as rather above medium; Elliott as medium.
Form: Warder describes the fruit as round and regular. Downing gives oblate inclining to conical; Elliott likewise oblate conical. (Warder's "round" may reflect a particular specimen or a different interpretive standard.)
Skin: Smooth and waxy (Warder). Ground color yellow — described as waxy yellow (Warder), light yellow (Downing), or greenish yellow (Elliott). A faint blush appears occasionally (Warder) or in the sun (Downing). Elliott does not note a blush.
Dots: The sources conflict: Warder describes the dots as minute and rare; Downing records brown dots without further qualification; Elliott describes russet dots near the crown.
Stem: Long, slender, yellow (Warder). Not described in Downing or Elliott.
Cavity: Deep, wavy, brownish (Warder). Not described in other sources.
Calyx: Medium to small, closed (Warder); small (Elliott). Not described in Downing.
Basin: Wavy (Warder); deep and plaited (Elliott). Not described in Downing.
Core: Warder describes it as medium, round, rather open, and meeting the eye, with few, plump, dark seeds. Downing describes the core as small. Not described in Elliott.
Flesh / Flavor: Whitish to white, tender and fine-grained (Warder) or rather firm (Downing). Juicy (Warder). Flavor mild subacid, agreeable (Warder; confirmed by Downing as mild subacid).
Quality: Very good (Warder, Elliott); nearly very good (Downing). Warder and Waring jointly regard it as one of the best apples of its season.
Season
August and September (Warder); September (Downing and Elliott).
Uses
Not described in sources beyond the quality and flavor assessments above.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in sources.
Other
Not described in sources.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (3)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Bush.
Received from W. G. Waring, Tyrone, Pennsylvania. Supposed to be a seedling of Centre County. "Tree vigorous, hardy, thrifty, regularly productive," — [W. G. W.]
Fig. 196.— BUSH.
Fruit large, fair, round, regular; Surface smooth, waxy yellow, occasionally a faint blush; Dots minute, rare.
Basin wavy; Eye medium to small, closed.
Cavity deep, wavy, brownish; Stem long, slender, yellow.
Core medium, round, rather open, meeting the eye; Seeds few, plump, dark; Flesh whitish, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor mild sub-acid, agreeable; Quality very good; Season August and September.
Mr. Waring considers it one of the best of the season, in which opinion I unite.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Bush.
Origin, farm of Christian Dale, near Boalsburg, Centre Co., Pa. Rather above medium, oblate inclining to conical, light yellow, faint blush in the sun, brown dots. Flesh white, rather firm, mild subacid. Nearly very good. Core small. September.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Bush.
Native of Boalsburg, Pa. Size, medium, oblate conical ; greenish yellow, russet dots near the crown : calyx, small ; basin, deep plaited : flesh, "very good." (W. D. B.)