Clarke
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Clarke
Origin/History
Originated with J. N. Clarke, Naples, Ontario County, N.Y. (Downing; Beach). The variety was introduced circa 1868, with early notice in the rural press, and subsequently described by Downing (1869) and Leroy (1873). It has been grown to a limited extent locally in some portions of Central New York. By the time of Beach's account (1905), it was rarely propagated. Beach cites references including Rural N.Y. 19:375 (1868), Downing (1869:127), Leroy (1873:221, with figure), Burrill and McCluer (Ill. Sta. Bul. 45:317, 1896), Powell and Fulton (U.S. B.P.I. Bul. 48:39, 1903), and Beach and Clark (N.Y. Sta. Bul. 248:115, 1904).
Tree
Tree large to medium, vigorous (Beach). Form upright spreading to roundish, rather dense (Beach). Downing describes the top as open — in conflict with Beach's characterization of the form as rather dense.
Bearing habit: Downing states the tree is annually productive; Beach describes it as a reliable biennial cropper when mature, not coming into bearing very young. These accounts conflict directly. The tree is hardy, healthy, and long-lived (Beach).
Twigs short, curved, stout; internodes medium. Bark brownish and olive-green, lightly mottled with scarf-skin, slightly pubescent. Lenticels scattering, medium size, oblong, slightly raised. Buds medium to large, broad, acute, free, slightly pubescent (Beach).
Fruit
Size: Medium or above (Downing); medium to large, averaging above medium (Beach).
Form: Downing describes the fruit as roundish inclining to conic, slightly angular. Beach gives a broader characterization: roundish oblate to oblate conic or to oblong conic, usually faintly ribbed, unsymmetrical; not very uniform in shape. The two sources differ on the dominant form tendency.
Stem: Short (Downing); short to medium in length, slender (Beach).
Cavity: Narrow, rather deep (Downing); acuminate, deep, rather narrow to moderately wide, usually partly russeted and often with narrow, broken, outspreading russet rays (Beach).
Calyx: Small, closed; segments slightly recurved (Downing). Small to rather large, closed or slightly open (Beach). Calyx tube cone-shaped (Beach).
Basin: Small, a little corrugated (Downing); rather shallow to moderately deep, rather narrow, obtuse to moderately abrupt, slightly furrowed and wrinkled (Beach). The sources differ on basin depth, with Downing characterizing it as small and Beach giving a wider range of depth.
Skin: Pale whitish yellow, shaded, striped and splashed with light and dark crimson, few gray dots (Downing). Beach's account presents a more variable picture: skin thin, smooth, waxy, pale whitish-yellow or greenish, often faintly shaded with orange-red or sometimes blushed with crimson; under some conditions the fruit develops but a slight blush or none. Dots numerous, small, pale or russet, often submerged (Beach). Downing's description of heavy crimson striping and splashing contrasts with Beach's characterization of variable, often faint coloring.
Flesh/Flavor: White, tender, juicy, sprightly, vinous, subacid; very good (Downing). Whitish, firm, moderately fine, crisp, tender, juicy, rather sprightly subacid; good to very good (Beach). Both agree on tenderness, juiciness, and sprightly subacid character. Downing adds the descriptor "vinous," not used by Beach. Beach adds "firm" and "moderately fine, crisp."
Core/Seeds: Core medium to rather large, abaxile; cells open; core lines slightly clasping. Carpels broadly roundish, mucronate, slightly tufted. Seeds medium to rather large, moderately wide, plump, obtuse to acute, slightly tufted, rather light brown (Beach). Not described by Downing.
Season
October–November (Downing). October to January; some portion of the fruit may keep till spring, but by January it begins to deteriorate in flavor and quality (Beach).
Uses
Very good for dessert (Beach). Not a good commercial variety, being too tender and too easily bruised (Beach).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The variety is sometimes called Clarke Beauty (Beach).
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Clarke.
A new variety originated with J. N. Clarke, Naples, N. Y., who states it a strong grower, with an open top, and annually productive.
Fruit medium or above, roundish inclining to conic, slightly angular, pale whitish yellow, shaded, striped and splashed with light and dark crimson, few gray dots. Stalk short, slender. Cavity narrow, rather deep. Calyx small, closed. Segments slightly recurved. Basin small, a little corrugated. Flesh white, tender, juicy, sprightly, vinous, subacid. Very good. October, November.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)CLARKE.
REFERENCES. 1. Rural N. Y., 19:375. 1868. 2. Downing, 1869:127. 3. Leroy, 1873:221. fig. 4. Burrill and McCluer, Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:317. 1896. 5. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:39. 1903. 6. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:115. 1904.
SYNONYMS. CLARKE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Clarke Beauty.
This variety has been grown to a limited extent locally in some portions of Central New York. It is not a good commercial variety, being too tender and too easily bruised. It is very good for dessert. It is sometimes called Clarke Beauty. The tree is hardy, healthy and long-lived. It does not come into bearing very young but when mature is a reliable biennial cropper.
Historical. Originated with J. N. Clarke, Naples, Ontario county, N. Y. (1, 2). It is now rarely propagated.
TREE.
Tree large to medium, vigorous. Form upright spreading to roundish, rather dense. Twigs short, curved, stout; internodes medium. Bark brownish and olive-green, lightly mottled with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent. Lenticels scattering, medium size, oblong, slightly raised. Buds medium to large, broad, acute, free, slightly pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium to large, averaging above medium. Form roundish oblate to oblate conic or to oblong conic, usually faintly ribbed, unsymmetrical; not very uniform in shape. Stem short to medium in length, slender. Cavity acuminate, deep, rather narrow to moderately wide, usually partly russeted and often with narrow, broken, outspreading russet rays. Calyx small to rather large, closed or slightly open. Basin rather shallow to moderately deep, rather narrow, obtuse to moderately abrupt, slightly furrowed and wrinkled. Skin thin, smooth, waxy, pale whitish-yellow or greenish, often faintly shaded with orange-red or sometimes blushed with crimson; under some conditions the fruit develops but a slight blush or none. Dots numerous, small, pale or russet, often submerged. Calyx tube cone-shape. Core medium to rather large, abaxile; cells open; core lines slightly clasping. Carpels broadly roundish, mucronate, slightly tufted. Seeds medium to rather large, moderately wide, plump, obtuse to acute, slightly tufted, rather light brown.
Flesh whitish, firm, moderately fine, crisp, tender, juicy, rather sprightly subacid, good to very good. Season October to January; some portion of the fruit may keep till spring but by January it begins to deteriorate in flavor and quality.