Day
AppleDay
Origin/History
Day, also known as Royal Pippin, is a native of Kentucky. Warder records it as received from Reuben Ragan. A grafted tree was planted at the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, British Columbia, in the spring of 1894.
Warder (1867) remarks that the variety is "not destined to take a very high rank."
Tree
At the Central Experimental Farm trial planting, the tree proved a vigorous grower. Not described in other sources.
Fruit
Size
Large, as noted consistently by all three sources.
Form
Round, somewhat conic and regular in outline (Warder; Downing). The Central Experimental Farm describes the form as round conical.
Stem
Medium length, clubbed (Warder). Not described in other sources.
Cavity
Deep, acute, green (Warder). Not described in other sources.
Calyx
Eye small, closed (Warder). Not described in other sources.
Basin
Shallow, folded (Warder). Not described in other sources.
Skin
Smooth (Warder). Ground color yellow (Warder; Downing), described as greenish yellow by the Central Experimental Farm. Overlaid with stripes, splashes, and mottling of color: Warder describes this overcolor as carmine; Downing and the Central Experimental Farm both describe it as bright red. Dots numerous and large, described as gray by Warder; the Central Experimental Farm describes many small white dots.
Flesh and Flavor
Flesh firm and breaking (Warder; Downing). Color described as yellowish white by Warder, white by Downing, and simply yellowish by the Central Experimental Farm. Warder characterizes the texture as granular; the Central Experimental Farm describes it as crisp and juicy, with no mention of granularity. Flavor subacid, as noted by all three sources.
Quality rated good by Warder and the Central Experimental Farm; Downing rates it poor.
Core and Seeds
Core wide, pyriform, slightly open, clasping. Seeds numerous, pointed, angular, dark (Warder). Not described in other sources.
Season
Warder and Downing both place the season in January. The Central Experimental Farm records it as late autumn — a notable discrepancy, likely reflecting the different climate conditions of the British Columbia trial site or a difference in local reckoning.
Uses
Kitchen use (Warder; Downing). Not specified by the Central Experimental Farm.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois
- 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 (3)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Day.
ROYAL PIPPIN.
From Reuben Ragan. Fruit large, round, somewhat conic, regular; Surface smooth, yellow, striped, splashed, mottled, carmine; Dots numerous, gray, large.
Basin shallow, folded; Eye small, closed.
Cavity deep, acute, green; Stem medium, clubbed.
Core wide, pyriform, slightly open, clasping; Seeds numerous, pointed, angular, dark; Flesh yellowish white, firm, breaking, granular; Flavor sub-acid; Quality good; Use, kitchen; Season, January. Not destined to take a very high rank.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Day. Royal Pippin. A native of Kentucky. Fruit large, round, somewhat conic, yellow striped, splashed, and mottled with bright red. Flesh white, firm, breaking, subacid. Poor. January. Kitchen use.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1894. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit large, round conical. Skin greenish yellow, with streaks and splashes of bright red, and many small white dots. Flesh yellowish, crisp, juicy, sub-acid, quality good. Season late Autumn.