Champlain
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Champlain
Origin and History
The origin of this variety is unknown. It was exhibited before the Ohio Pomological Society by A. L. Benedict of Morrow County, Ohio, under the name "Paper apple." Benedict had obtained cions from Grand Isle, Vermont — part of the celebrated apple-growing region of Lake Champlain — where the variety was known as Champlain and had been introduced from Rhode Island without a name by a friend named Macomber. When a specimen was sent to J. J. Thomas, he thought it synonymous with the Primate; however, Jos. Newcomber, who grew both varieties side by side, assured Benedict that they were quite unlike, and that the Paper was much the better apple of the two (Warder).
In 1871 it was included in the American Pomological Society's Catalogue under the name Summer Pippin, but since 1897 it has been listed as Champlain. Nurserymen sometimes list this variety as Nyack, and sometimes as Summer Pippin, but seldom or never as Champlain. Old trees are frequently found in home orchards throughout New York State, though it is now seldom planted (Beach).
Tree
Size and vigor: Warder describes the tree as medium size, vigorous, and stocky. Beach characterizes it as medium to large and vigorous, with long and moderately stout branches — somewhat at odds with Warder's "stocky" characterization. Form: Upright spreading to roundish, open (Beach). Bearing: Comes into bearing rather young and is a reliable cropper, yielding good crops biennially or almost annually. Some find Champlain a profitable commercial variety, though it is usually grown for home use rather than for market (Beach). Benedict reported that the fruit never scabs nor rots on the tree, and that it was increasing in esteem as it became better known, being preferred to the Red Astrachan, ripening with it (Warder).
Twigs: Long to medium, straight, moderately stout; internodes long (Beach). Bark: Dull brown tinged with olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin, heavily pubescent (Beach). Lenticels: Scattering, medium size, oblong, slightly raised (Beach). Buds: Medium size, plump, obtuse, appressed, pubescent (Beach).
Fruit
Size: Warder gives "full medium"; Beach gives "medium to large, not very uniform in size or shape."
Form: Roundish, rather conical to ovate or somewhat oblong, irregularly ribbed; sides somewhat unequal (Beach). Warder additionally notes the fruit as globular and angular.
Stem: Warder describes the stem as long and slender. Beach gives medium to long, medium to rather thick — a conflict on thickness.
Cavity: Acuminate to acute, moderately shallow to deep, rather narrow to medium in width, sometimes furrowed, and usually lightly russeted (Beach). Warder describes the cavity as acute, wavy, and green.
Calyx: Small to medium, closed or slightly open (Beach). Warder gives the eye as small, long, and closed. Calyx tube: Conical to funnel-form, usually rather short but sometimes elongated (Beach). Stamens: Median to marginal (Beach).
Basin: Shallow to medium in depth, narrow, a little abrupt, nearly smooth (Beach). Warder describes it as small, abrupt, and folded.
Skin: Tender (Beach). Greenish-yellow or pale yellow (Beach); Warder describes the color as yellowish green. Often with a light crimson blush (Beach; Warder notes only "slightly blushed"). Surface smooth (Warder).
Dots: Beach describes them as numerous, small, russet or submerged. Warder describes them as minute and indented.
Core: Beach gives the core as large, axile to somewhat abaxile, with open cells; core lines clasp the funnel cylinder; carpels smooth, elongated ovate, not emarginate. Warder gives the core as medium, round, slightly open, clasping — a conflict on size (medium vs. large).
Seeds: Rather dark brown (Beach; Warder says "dark"), medium size, rather narrow and short, plump, sharp pointed, almost acuminate (Beach). Warder adds that seeds are numerous and angular.
Flesh: White, or with a slight tinge of yellow (Beach; Warder says white only). Rather fine, very tender, juicy (Beach). Warder adds fine-grained. Flavor sprightly, subacid (Beach); Warder adds aromatic and delicate. Quality good to very good (Beach); Warder rates it "best" and specifies "use, the dessert especially." Beach notes it is good for dessert and excellent for culinary use.
Season and Storage
Ripens in succession from late August through October; more than two pickings are required to secure the crop in good condition, neither too green nor too ripe (Beach). Warder gives the season as August–September. The fruit's tendency to ripen successively makes it suited to both early and late harvest within the same tree.
Notes
The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (Lowther, 1914) lists this variety as "Champlain (Nyack)" with coded attributes suggesting medium size, robust habit, annual or yearly bearing, and good quality, consistent with the fuller descriptions above. The table coding is too abbreviated to supply additional identifying detail without the full legend key.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Champlain. — [Downing.] PAPER — PAPER-SKIN. This very delicate fruit was exhibited before the Ohio Pomological Society by A. L. Benedict, of Morrow County, as the Paper apple. He obtained the cions from the celebrated apple region, Grand Isle, Vermont, where it is sometimes called Champlain, and where it had been introduced from Rhode Island, without a name, by his friend Macomber. My friend Benedict informs me that "the growth of the tree is strong and stocky, and that the fruit never scabs nor rots on the tree. It is increasing in esteem as it becomes better known, and is preferred to the Red Astrachan, ripening with it. When sent to J. J. Thomas, he thought it synonymous with the Primate, but Jos. Newcomber, having both varieties growing side by side, assured me they were quite unlike, and that the Paper was much the better apple of the two." Tree medium size, vigorous, stocky. Fruit full medium, globular, rather conical, angular; Surface smooth, yellowish green, slightly blushed; Dots minute, indented. Basin small, abrupt, folded; Eye small, long, closed. Cavity acute, wavy, green; Stem long, slender. Core medium, round, slightly open, clasping; Seeds numerous, angular, dark; Flesh white, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic, delicate; Quality best; Use, the dessert especially; Season, August, September.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)CHAMPLAIN.
REFERENCES. 1. N. E. Farmer, 1853 (cited by 14). 2. Downing, 1857:128. 3. Warder, 1867:637. 4. Downing, 1869:368. fig. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1871:10. 6. Leroy, 1873:828. fig. 7. Thomas, 1875:197, 496. 8. Barry, 1883:334. 9. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:245. 10. Ib., 1892:250. 11. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1897:12. 12. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:290. 1901. 13. Budd-Hansen, 1903:61. 14. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul. 56:300. 1905.
SYNONYMS. Calkin's Pippin (4, 14). CHAMPLAIN (1, 2, 3, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14). Champlain (4, 6, 7, 8, 14). Geneva Pearmain (4, 6, 14). Haverstraw Pippin (4, 14). Large Golden Pippin (4, 6, 14). Nyack (9, 13). NYACK PIPPIN (9). Nyack Pippin (4, 14). Paper (3, 4, 6, 14). Paper-Skin (3, 14). Sourbough (13). Sour Bough (4, 6, 7, 14). SUMMER PIPPIN (4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 14). Summer Pippin (13, 14). Tart Bough (4, 6, 14). Underdunk (4, 6, 14). Vermont (14). Walworth (4, 6, 14).
Nurserymen sometimes list this variety as Nyack, and sometimes as Summer Pippin, but seldom or never as Champlain (9, 10). Fruit of good size, smooth and attractive for a greenish-yellow apple. It is good for dessert and excellent for culinary use. Since it ripens in succession from late August till October, more than two pickings are required to secure the crop in good condition, neither too green nor too ripe. The tree is a good grower, hardy, healthy, and moderately long-lived. It comes into bearing rather young and is a reliable cropper, yielding good crops biennially or almost annually. Some find Champlain a profitable commercial variety, but usually it is grown for home use rather than for market.
Historical. Origin unknown. In 1871 (5) it was included in the list of the American Pomological Society's Catalogue under the name Summer Pippin, but since 1897 it has been listed as Champlain (11). Old trees of it are frequently found in the home orchards throughout the state. It is now seldom planted.
TREE. Tree medium to large, vigorous with long and moderately stout branches. Form upright spreading to roundish, open. Twigs long to medium, straight, moderately stout; internodes long. Bark dull brown tinged with olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin, heavily pubescent. Lenticels scattering, medium size, oblong, slightly raised. Buds medium size, plump, obtuse, appressed, pubescent.
FRUIT. Fruit medium to large, not very uniform in size or shape. Form roundish, rather conical to ovate or somewhat oblong, irregularly ribbed; sides somewhat unequal. Stem medium to long, medium to rather thick. Cavity acuminate to acute, moderately shallow to deep, rather narrow to medium in width, sometimes furrowed and usually lightly russeted. Calyx small to medium, closed or slightly open. Basin shallow to medium in depth, narrow, a little abrupt, nearly smooth. Skin tender, greenish-yellow or pale yellow, often with a light crimson blush. Dots numerous, small, russet or submerged. Calyx tube conical to funnel-form, usually rather short but sometimes elongated. Stamens median to marginal. Core large, axile to somewhat abaxile; cells open; core lines clasp the funnel cylinder. Carpels smooth, elongated ovate, not emarginate. Seeds rather dark brown, medium size, rather narrow and short, plump, sharp pointed, almost acuminate. Flesh white or with slight tinge of yellow, rather fine, very tender, juicy, sprightly, subacid, good to very good. Season late August till October.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Champlain (Nyack)..... M rob yr G b