Crow Egg
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Crow Egg
Origin/History
Crow Egg is an old variety, now practically obsolete, still occasionally found in very old orchards as of the early twentieth century. It appears in print as early as 1832 (Kenrick), and is subsequently referenced by Downing (1857), Warder (1867), and Burrill and McCluer (Illinois Station Bulletin 45:318, 1896). Beach (1905) notes that some esteem it highly for dessert use, while Downing characterizes the quality as not very good.
Tree
Moderately vigorous. Form upright spreading; top roundish, open; branches long, slender, crooked. Twigs medium in size, curved, slender; internodes very short. Bark reddish-brown, streaked with scarf-skin, slightly pubescent. Lenticels numerous, very small, oblong. Buds small, plump, obtuse, deeply set in the bark. Leaves medium in size, narrow. Old trees are productive.
Fruit
Size
About medium.
Form
Downing describes the form as oblong oval. Beach gives it as roundish to oblong or ovate.
Stem
Long, slender.
Cavity
Obtuse to sometimes acute, shallow, medium in width, symmetrical or obscurely furrowed, bright green or sometimes with outspreading russet.
Calyx
Small to medium, closed.
Basin
Small, shallow, narrow, somewhat abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled.
Skin
Tough, nearly smooth, bright pale yellow or greenish, sometimes with a faint bronze blush. Downing describes the color as greenish yellow. Dots numerous, very small but conspicuous, russet.
Flesh and Flavor
Whitish, firm, crisp, tender, rather juicy, sweet, agreeably flavored. Beach rates it good to very good. Downing describes the flesh as tender and sweet but rates the overall quality as not very good.
Core and Seeds
Core large, abaxile; cells usually symmetrical and open; core lines clasping the funnel cylinder or meeting when the tube is conical. Calyx tube rather small, funnel-shaped or cone-shaped. Stamens median. Carpels ovate, nearly smooth. Seeds numerous, rather light brown, flat, acute to acuminate.
Season
October and November.
Uses
Dessert. Some esteem the variety highly for this purpose (Beach).
Subtypes/Variants
Downing (1900) notes a distinct variety also called Crow Egg in Kentucky, of conical form, yellow, striped with dull red. Stem short. Flesh yellow, compact, subacid. Rated Good. Season December and January. This Kentucky form differs substantially from the primary variety in form, skin color and striping, stem length, flesh color and flavor profile, and season, and should be treated as a separate entity when encountered.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1912) from Washington
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Crow Egg. An old variety of not very good quality, oblong oval, long stem, greenish yellow, tender, sweet, large core. October, November. There is also another Crow Egg in Kentucky, of conical form, yellow, striped with dull red. Stem short. Flesh yellow, compact, subacid. Good. December, January.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)CROW EGG.
REFERENCES. 1. Kenrick, 1832:43. 2. Downing, 1857:211. 3. Warder, 1867:716. 4. Burrill and McCluer, Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:318. 1896.
SYNONYMS. CROW EGG (2). CROW'S EGG (1, 3, 4). Egg Jop? (2).
A sweet apple which is still occasionally found in very old orchards but is now practically obsolete. Some esteem it highly for dessert. Downing calls it not very good in quality (2). The old trees are productive.
TREE. Tree moderately vigorous. Form upright spreading; top roundish, open; branches long, slender, crooked. Twigs medium in size, curved, slender; internodes very short. Bark reddish-brown, streaked with scarf-skin, slightly pubescent. Lenticels numerous, very small, oblong. Buds small, plump, obtuse, deeply set in the bark. Leaves medium in size, narrow.
FRUIT. Fruit about medium in size. Form roundish to oblong or ovate. Stem long, slender. Cavity obtuse to sometimes acute, shallow, medium in width, symmetrical or obscurely furrowed, bright green or sometimes with outspreading russet. Calyx small to medium, closed. Basin small, shallow, narrow, somewhat abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled. Skin tough, nearly smooth, bright pale yellow or greenish sometimes with faint bronze blush. Dots numerous, very small but conspicuous, russet. Calyx tube rather small, funnel-shape or cone-shape. Stamens median. Core large, abaxile; cells usually symmetrical and open; core lines clasping the funnel cylinder or meeting when the tube is conical. Carpels ovate, nearly smooth. Seeds numerous, rather light brown, flat, acute to acuminate. Flesh whitish, firm, crisp, tender, rather juicy, sweet, agreeably flavored, good to very good. Season October and November.