Cooper.

This delicious apple was introduced into the West with the cions that were brought to the early Putnam nursery at the mouth of the Muskingum river in 1796. Though a general favorite from its beauty, its fine texture, and exquisite flavor, this variety does not appear to have been so widely spread as others very inferior to it. Though occurring on the original Putnam list, and therefore an eastern variety, it does not appear to have been recognized by cultivators in the older States, and there are those in the West who claim that it is of French origin.

Fig. 87.—COOPER.

The tree has a stout, upright growth, which becomes spreading with age, when the limbs stand at a right angle with the trunk; they are frequently defaced with marks of diseased action that are called canker. The twigs are reddish and rather slender; the leaves are pale green, large, broad.

Fruit large, globular-oblate, regular, sometimes unequal, light; Surface smooth, pale waxen-yellow, with a little mixed scarlet and very distinctly marked carmine; Dots scattered, minute.

Basin regular, abrupt, deep; Eye small, closed.

Cavity wide, regular, green; Stem medium, green.

Core small, closed, just meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, plump, short, dark; Flesh pale yellow, fine-grained, tender, almost melting, juicy; very mild sub-acid, aromatic; of first quality for table, kitchen or market (too good for drying, but makes a superior article of snits); Season September and October.

— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)

Cooper.

Beauty Red. Lady Washington.

Origin unknown; supposed to be an old Eastern variety, as yet unrecognized. Thrives well at the West, and much esteemed there by many. Growth vigorous, upright, and productive.

Fruit large, roundish oblate, sides unequal. Color greenish yellow, with a few stripes and splashes of bright red, thickly sprinkled with brown dots. Flesh tender, juicy, vinous, with a pleasant but not high flavor. Good. October to December.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

COOPER.

REFERENCES. 1. Horticulturist, 1:339, 484. 1847. 2. Mag. Hort., 13:105, 200. 1847. 3. Cole, 1849:114. fig. 4. Thomas, 1849:147. 5. Barry, 1851:283. 6. Horticulturist, 6:181. 1851. 7. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:104. 1851. fig. 8. Elliott, 1854:127. 9. Gregg, 1857:41. 10. Hooper, 1857:26, 106, 109. 11. Downing, 1857:130. 12. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 13. Warder, 1867:428. fig. 14. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:290. 15. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:237. 16. Budd-Hansen, 1903:67.

SYNONYMS. Beauty Red (8, 11). COOPER (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16). Lady Washington (8, 11). Seek-No-Further of some, erroneously (8).

Fruit large, uniform, very attractive, rather light yellow indistinctly streaked with mixed red, mild subacid or nearly sweet, season October to December. The tree is very vigorous, upright spreading. Not recommended for planting in New York.

Historical. This is an old variety of unknown origin. In 1796 it was introduced from Connecticut into Ohio where it has been much esteemed (2). Evidently it has never been cultivated to any considerable extent in this State and is now practically unknown to New York fruit growers.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Cooper is large in size, roundish oblate in form, and green-red in color. Quality is good. Primary use is market. Season is early autumn. Northern Division: 1 reporting station (variety also reported in more than one division); Central Division: not reported; Southern Division: not reported.

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

Cooper.

Beauty Red, | Lady Washington, | Seek-no-further, of some erroneously.

An Eastern variety, recovered at West, where it was brought in 1796 ; its identity with any variety now known East, is not established ; hence we must continue under its present name. Growth, upright, stout ; branches at right angles; wood, reddish, "subject to canker;" a good bearer, maturing its fruit nearly all at the same time. Succeeds best on rich limestone clay.

Fruit, large, often very large ; roundish flattened, greenish yellow, with stripes and blotches of pale red ; calyx, closed ; basin, deep ; stem, slender, short ; cavity, deep ; flesh, yellowish, not fine grained, crisp, juicy ; "very good." September, but often keeps to November.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Cooper. Rather large, round oblate, sides unequal; greenish yellow and pale red; stalk slender, deep set; basin deep; flesh crisp, juicy, pleasant, but not very high flavor. Mid-autumn. Cultivated in Central Ohio.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Cooper.—Origin unknown; supposed to be some old Eastern variety; by some thought to be from France; tree vigorous, productive.

Fruit large, roundish oblate, regular, sometimes unequal; surface pale waxen yellow, with a few stripes and splashes of bright mixed scarlet and very distinctly marked carmine; dots few, minute, brown; cavity wide, regular, green; stem medium, green; basin regular, abrupt, deep; calyx small, closed. Core small, closed, meeting; seeds numerous, plump, short, dark; flesh pale yellow, tender, juicy, vinous, mild aromatic subacid, good to very good. September and October.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)