Drap d'Or
Apple
Drap d'Or
Origin / History
An old French variety. Warder notes that some uncertainty exists among cultivators regarding its identity. Downing distinguishes this apple — the Vrai Drap d'Or of the old Duhamel (pl. xii, Fig. 4) — from the Drap d'Or of Lindley, of Noisette, and of most French authors, which is quite a small apple, and also from the Drap d'Or of Knoop, which is small, bright yellow, firm, and crisp. Elliott notes that some have said it is identical with "Cooper," but he does not recognize it as such.
Tree
Downing: straggling, unproductive, moderately vigorous. Elliott: strong grower, with wide, broad foliage, and a moderate bearer.
Fruit
Size and Form
Large. Globular but variable, ranging from conical-truncate to oblate (Warder); roundish oblate (Downing, Lowther); roundish, flattened (Elliott).
Stem and Cavity
Stem long, inclined, yellow or red, angular (Warder); short (Elliott). Cavity wide and wavy, brown (Warder); wide, open (Elliott).
Calyx and Basin
Eye/calyx small, closed (Warder); small, half closed (Elliott). Basin wide and plaited (Warder); shallow, plaited (Elliott).
Skin
Surface smooth, pale waxen yellow, rarely blushed (Warder); smooth, yellow or dead gold color, with distinct small brown dots or specks (Downing); dull yellow or gold color, with distinct brown or russet specks (Elliott); yellow skin (Lowther).
Flesh and Flavor
Pale yellow, breaking, fine-grained, juicy; flavor sub-acid, aromatic (Warder). Crisp, juicy, mild subacid (Downing). Yellowish white, mild, sub-acid, not fine-grained, tender, juicy, well flavored (Elliott). Quality good to best (Warder); good (Downing); very good (Lowther).
Core and Seeds
Core large, regular, closed, clasping; seeds numerous, angular, long (Warder). Core with open, hollow capsules; seeds short, ovate, dark reddish brown (Elliott).
Season
August and September (Warder); August to October (Downing, Elliott); summer (Lowther).
Uses
Market, kitchen, and table (Warder); primary use family (Lowther). Warder notes that for the table its place is supplanted by the Primate, Dyer, and others.
Subtypes / Variants
Downing notes there are two or three apples under this name:
- One is similar in size to the above, but the tree is of stronger growth, dropping its fruit before mature; the fruit is rather coarse, spongy, with flesh quite inferior.
- The Drap d'Or of Knoop is small, bright yellow, firm, and crisp.
Other
Lowther reports the variety from 2 stations in the Northern Division, 5 stations in the Central Division, and 2 stations in the Southern Division, with an asterisk on each division count indicating the variety is reported in more than one division.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 4 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois, Oregon
- 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
- Henderson Luelling / Traveling Nursery (historical recall) , Oregon — 1904
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (4)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Drap d'Or.
VRAI DRAP D'OR. — [Duhamel.]
This is an old French variety, respecting which there is some uncertainty among cultivators.
Fruit large, globular, but variable, being conical-truncate to oblate; Surface smooth, pale waxen yellow, rarely blushed.
Basin wide, plaited; Eye small, closed.
Cavity wide, wavy, brown; Stem long, inclined, yellow or red, angular.
Core large, regular, closed, clasping; Seeds numerous, angular, long; Flesh pale yellow, breaking, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic; Quality good to best; Use, market, kitchen, table; Season, August, September.
For the table its place is supplanted by the Primate, Dyer and others.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Drap d'Or.
Fennouillet Jaune. Vrai Drap d'Or. Embroidered Pippin. Bay Apple. Pomme de Caractere. Bonne de Mai.
Tree straggling, unproductive, moderately vigorous.
This is distinct from the Drap d'Or of Lindley, and of Noisette, and most French authors, which is quite a small apple; but it is the Vrai Drap d'Or of the old Duhamel, pl. xii. Fig. 4.
Fruit large, roundish oblate. Skin smooth, yellow or dead gold color, with distinct small brown dots or specks. Flesh crisp, juicy, mild subacid. Good. August to October.
There are two or three apples under this name — one is similar in size to the above, but the tree is of stronger growth, dropping its fruit before mature, which is rather coarse, spongy. Flesh quite inferior.
Another variety, the Drap d'Or of Knoop, is small, bright yellow, firm and crisp.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Drap d'Or is large, roundish oblate in form, with yellow skin. Quality is very good. Primary use is family. Season is summer. It was reported by 2 stations in the Northern Division, 5 stations in the Central Division, and 2 stations in the Southern Division; the asterisk on each division count indicates the variety is reported in more than one division.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)DRAP D'OR.
Vrai Drap d'Or, | Bay Apple, Early Summer Pippin, of some. | Bonne du Mai.
This is, by some, said to be identical with "Cooper." We do not yet so recognize it. Tree, strong grower, wide, broad foliage, moderate bearer.
Size, large ; form, roundish, flattened ; color, dull yellow or gold color, with distinct brown or russet specks ; stem, short ; cavity, wide, open ; calyx, small, half closed ; basin, shallow, plaited ; flesh, yellowish white, mild, sub-acid, not fine-grained, tender, juicy, well flavored ; core, with open, hollow capsules ; seeds, short, ovate, dark reddish brown. August to October.