Cumberland Spice
Apple
Origin & History
From Cumberland County, New Jersey. Elliott notes that the Blenheim Pippin was received in the West under the name Cumberland Spice, indicating confusion between the two varieties in that region. Warder observes it was not very extensively cultivated, for though sometimes excellent, it was not found to be a profitable sort.
Tree
Thrifty and fruitful (Coxe). Downing adds that the tree is upright, spreading, and productive.
Fruit
Size: Large (Coxe) to rather large (Thomas, Elliott), though Downing describes it as rather above medium.
Form: Varying from roundish conical to long conical, the tapering sides being nearly straight and not rounded (Thomas, Elliott). Coxe describes it as rather long, lessening towards the point. Warder characterizes it as rather oblong, contracted toward the eye, or ovate, regular, noting that sometimes the axis is inclined.
Skin: Pale to waxen yellow. Downing notes it rarely shows a blush; Thomas and Elliott describe a slight vermilion tinge near the base. The surface is sprinkled with brown dots (Downing) or black specks (Thomas, Elliott). Coxe describes the skin as full of clouds of black dots near the stem. Warder describes the dots as large, brown, and scattered. The skin is apt to shrivel after keeping some time.
Stem: Thomas and Elliott give the stem as half to three-fourths of an inch long. Coxe describes the stalk as short and thick, while Warder says it is generally long.
Cavity: Wide, slightly russeted (Thomas, Elliott). Coxe describes a small cavity around the stalk. Warder describes the cavity as deep and acute.
Calyx: Open (Thomas, Elliott). Warder describes the eye as large and partially closed.
Basin: Even (Thomas, Elliott). Warder describes it as shallow, regular or folded.
Flesh & Flavor: Coxe describes the flesh as remarkably white, tender, and easy of digestion. Downing agrees the flesh is white, tender, juicy, and of a pleasant subacid character. Thomas and Elliott describe it as yellowish white, breaking, and rather light, with a flavor of mild subacid and a peculiar and agreeable spiciness. Warder describes the flesh as yellow, tender, breaking, and juicy, with the flavor acid to sub-acid, rich, and aromatic.
Core & Seeds: The core is large and hollow (Coxe, Downing, Thomas, Elliott all agree). Warder describes the core as large, round, very open, and not touching the eye. Seeds numerous, large, and pointed (Warder).
Season
Coxe describes it as a fall and early winter fruit. Warder gives October to December. Downing gives December to February.
Uses
A table fruit (Coxe, Warder). Warder also lists it for kitchen use but notes it is not profitable.
Quality
Warder rates the quality as good to best, but uncertain. Downing rates it Good. Thomas describes it as of good quality. Elliott, copying Thomas's description but adjusting the rating, calls it good second-rate quality.
Subtypes & Variants
Not described in sources.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
View original book sources (5)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 57. CUMBERLAND SPICE.
This apple was brought from Cumberland county New-Jersey: It is a fine fall and early winter fruit for the table—the size is large, the form rather long, lessening towards the point; the colour a pale yellow; the stalk short and thick, with a small cavity around it; the flesh is remarkably white, tender, and easy of digestion; the pericarpium large and hollow; the skin full of clouds of black dots near the stem, apt to shrivel after keeping some time; the trees are thrifty and fruitful.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Cumberland Spice.
Origin New Jersey; not very extensively cultivated, for, though sometimes excellent, it is not found to be a profitable sort.
Fruit rather oblong, contracted toward the eye, or ovate, regular; sometimes the Axis is inclined; Surface pale yellow; Dots large, brown, scattered.
Basin shallow, regular or folded; Eye large, partially closed.
Cavity deep, acute; Stem generally long.
Core large, round, very open, not touching the eye; Seeds numerous, large, pointed; Flesh yellow, tender, breaking, juicy; Flavor acid to sub-acid, rich, aromatic; Quality good to best, but uncertain; Use, table, kitchen, not profitable; Season, October to December.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Cumberland Spice.
From Cumberland Co., N. J. Tree thrifty, upright, spreading, productive.
Fruit rather above medium, roundish conic, pale yellow, rarely with a blush, sprinkled with brown dots. Flesh white, tender, juicy, and pleasant subacid; apt to shrivel. Good. Core large and hollow. December to February.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Cumberland Spice. The Blenheim Pippin has been received at the West as this variety. In absence of fruit to examine, we copy Thomas's description: "Rather large, varying from roundish conical to long conical, the tapering sides being nearly straight and not rounded; color, waxen yellow, with a slight vermillion tinge near the base, and with black specks on the surface; stalk, half to three-fourths of an inch long; cavity, wide, slightly russeted; calyx, open; basin, even; flesh, yellowish white, breaking, rather light; core, hollow; flavor, mild sub-acid, with a peculiar and agreeable spiciness; of good second-rate quality."
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Cumberland Spice. Rather large, varying from roundish conical to long conical, the tapering sides being nearly straight and not rounded; color waxen yellow, with a slight vermilion tinge near the base, and with black specks on the surface; stalk half to three-fourths of an inch long; cavity wide, slightly russeted; calyx open, basin even; flesh yellowish white, breaking, rather light; core hollow; flavor mild sub-acid, with a peculiar and agreeable spiciness, of good quality.