Drap d'Or
Apple
Origin and History
An old French variety, respecting which there is some uncertainty among cultivators (Warder). 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 (Downing). Elliott notes that this variety is, by some, said to be identical with "Cooper," but does not recognize that identification.
Tree
Sources disagree on growth habit. Downing describes the tree as straggling, unproductive, and moderately vigorous. Elliott describes it as a strong grower with wide, broad foliage and a moderate bearer.
Fruit
Size: Large.
Form: Warder describes the fruit as globular but variable, being conical-truncate to oblate. Downing describes it as roundish oblate. Elliott describes it as roundish, flattened.
Stem: Sources conflict — Warder describes the stem as long, inclined, yellow or red, and angular. Elliott describes it as short.
Cavity: Wide. Warder adds wavy and brown. Elliott describes it as wide and open.
Calyx: Warder describes the eye as small and closed. Elliott describes the calyx as small, half closed.
Basin: Plaited. Warder describes it as wide and plaited. Elliott describes it as shallow and plaited.
Skin: Smooth, yellow or dead gold color, with distinct small brown dots or russet specks. Warder specifies pale waxen yellow, rarely blushed.
Flesh and Flavor: Sources disagree on texture. Warder describes the flesh as pale yellow, breaking, fine-grained, and juicy, with sub-acid, aromatic flavor. Elliott describes the flesh as yellowish white, mild, sub-acid, not fine-grained, tender, juicy, and well flavored. Downing describes it as crisp, juicy, mild subacid. Quality rated good to best (Warder) and good (Downing).
Core and Seeds: Sources differ. Warder describes the core as large, regular, closed, and clasping, with seeds numerous, angular, and long. Elliott describes the core with open, hollow capsules, and seeds short, ovate, and dark reddish brown.
Season
August to October. Warder gives the narrower range of August to September.
Uses
Market, kitchen, and table (Warder). For the table its place is supplanted by the Primate, Dyer, and others (Warder).
Subtypes and Variants
Downing notes there are two or three apples under this name. One is similar in size to the principal variety, but the tree is of stronger growth, dropping its fruit before mature, which is rather coarse, spongy, with flesh quite inferior. Another variety, the Drap d'Or of Knoop, is small, bright yellow, firm and crisp.
Other
The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914) lists this variety in a coded table:
Description absent; variety present in variety-characteristic table.
Drap d'Or..... L | rob | y | VG | f | S | 2* | 5* | 2*
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1904) from Oregon
- Henderson Luelling / Traveling Nursery (historical recall) , Oregon — 1904
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..... L | rob | y | VG | f | S | 2* | 5* | 2*
— 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.