Cobham
AppleCobham
Origin / History
Cobham originated in Kent, England. According to Bunyard, it was raised in Sittingbourne by a Mr. Pope around 1790 and was introduced to wider notice about 1828. The variety was highly esteemed in Kent (Downing, citing the variety under the name "Pope"). Bunyard notes that by 1920 it was little grown, and was "hardly equal to Blenheim Orange, as stated by Dr. Hogg."
Tree
Downing describes the tree as hardy, vigorous, and productive, and as an early and abundant bearer. Bunyard characterizes the growth as stout and moderate in vigor, and the tree as very fertile.
Leaf: Rather large, roundish, dark, flat, and sharply curved-serrate (Bunyard).
Fruit
Size
Sources disagree slightly on size. Downing's Cobham entry gives "medium to large"; Bunyard gives medium, with measurements of 3⅛ inches by 2⅜ inches.
Form
Sources differ on form. Downing's primary Cobham entry gives "roundish oblate." Downing's separate entry for the same variety under the name "Pope" gives "roundish oblate conical." Bunyard gives "roundish-square, uneven."
Stem
Rather short, set in a wide russet cavity (Bunyard).
Cavity
Wide, russeted (Bunyard).
Calyx
Eye closed (Bunyard).
Basin
Shallow and uneven (Bunyard).
Skin
Sources disagree on color, likely reflecting different degrees of sun exposure and ripeness at time of observation:
- Downing (Cobham entry): dull yellowish green, with faint red in the sun and some light russet.
- Downing (Pope entry): clear yellow, with patches of green, dark dots, and streaks of red in the sun.
- Bunyard: golden-yellow with a brown-red flush and faint red stripes.
Flesh and Flavor
- Downing (Cobham entry): pale yellow, crisp, saccharine, aromatic.
- Downing (Pope entry): yellowish, sugary, juicy, rich, and excellent.
- Bunyard: firm, yellow, juicy, and of good flavour.
Core and Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Sources disagree somewhat on the season window. Downing's Cobham entry gives November–December. Downing's Pope entry gives November to March. Bunyard gives December to February.
Uses
Dessert (Bunyard).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 4 catalogs (1900–1913) from England, Illinois
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900 — listed as Cobham, or Pope's
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Cobham.
From Kent, England. Tree hardy, vigorous, and productive.
Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate, dull yellowish green, faint red in the sun, some light russet. Flesh pale yellow, crisp, saccharine, aromatic. November, December. (Lind.)
[Additional entry in this volume: "Pope", pp. 334–334]
Pope. Pope's Apple. This is described by Hogg as originating in Kent, England, and there highly esteemed. The tree an early and abundant bearer. Fruit large, roundish oblate conical, clear yellow, with patches of green, dark dots and streaks of red in the sun. Flesh yellowish, sugary, juicy, rich, and excellent. November to March.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)COBHAM. (Pope's Golden Ducat.) Dessert, December to February, medium, 3⅛ by 2⅜, roundish-square, uneven. Colour, golden-yellow with brown-red flush and faint red stripes. Flesh, firm, yellow, juicy and of good flavour. Eye closed in a shallow, uneven basin. Stem, rather short in a wide russet cavity. Growth, stout, moderate, very fertile. Leaf, rather large, roundish, dark, flat, sharply curved serrate. Origin, said to have been raised in Sittingbourne, by a Mr. Pope, about 1790. Introduced to notice about 1828. It is now little grown, and hardly equal to Blenheim Orange, as stated by Dr. Hogg.