Duchess of Oldenburg

OLDENBURG.

REFERENCES. 1. London Hort. Soc. Cat., 1831:No. 341. 2. Kenrick, 1832:64. 3. Manning, 1838:52. 4. Ives, Mag. Hort., 6:125. 1840. 5. Manning, Ib., 7:144. 1841. 6. Downing, 1845:82. 7. Cole, 1849:102. 8. Thomas, 1849:147. 9. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 16:495. 1850. fig. 10. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:34. 1851. 11. Barry, 1851:283. 12. Waring, 1851:28. 13. Elliott, 1854:131. 14. Hooper, 1857:30. 15. Gregg, 1857:42. 16. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 17. Barry, Horticulturist, 22:148. 1867. 18. Warder, 1867:431. 19. Todd, 1871:186. fig. 20. Leroy, 1873:148. fig. 21. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1876:6. 22. Ib., 6:97. 1880. 23. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1883:12. 24. Hogg, 1884:64. 25. Can. Hort. 11:221. 1888. 26. Hoskins, Rural N. Y., 47:646. 1888. 27. Dunlap, Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1889:23. 28. Can. Hort., 12:75, 110. 1889. 29. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 15:26. 1890. 30. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:294. 31. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:237. 32. Am. Gard., 14:519. 1893. 33. Can. Hort., 17:291. 1894. 34. Rural N. Y., 53:28. 1894. 35. Am. Gard., 17:519. 1896. 36. Bunyard, Jour. Roy. Hort. Soc., 1898:354. 37. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 6:8. 1899. figs. 38. Craig, Cyc. of Hort., 1901:1404. 39. Van Deman, Rural N. Y., 60:248. 1901. 40. Alwood, Va. Sta. Bul., 130:121. 1901. 41. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:302. 1901. 42. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:46. 1902. 43. Ib., 76:79. 1902. fig. 44. Dickens and Greene, Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:52. 1902. 45. Bruner, N. C. Sta. Bul., 182:21. 1903. 46. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:45. 1903. 47. Budd-Hansen, 1903:141. fig. 48. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:51. 1903. 49. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:136. 1904.

SYNONYMS. Barovski (20). Barowiski (20). Borovitsky (20, 37, 38). BOROWICKI (20). Borowitski (24). Borowitsky (43). Charlamowiski (24). Charlamowski d'Automne (20). Charlamowskircher Nalleoid (20). Charlamowsky (43). DUCHESS (27, 29, 32, 35, 37, 38, 43). DUCHESS OF OLDENBURG (3, 4, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 28, 31, 33, 36, 44). Duchess of Oldenburg (23, 41, 48, 49). DUCHESS OF OLDENBURGH (1, 2, 5, 9, 10, 14, 18). Duchesse d'Oldenbourg (20). DUTCHESS (13). DUTCHESS OF OLDENBERG (15). DUTCHESS OF OLDENBURGH (6, 7, 8). Dutchess of Oldenburgh (13). New Brunswick (34). OLDENBURG (23, 26, 39, 45, 48, 49). Oldenburg (35, 37). OLDENBURGH (30, 34). OLDENBURG, Duchess of (40, 42, 46, 47).

This Russian apple is known throughout the West either by the name Duchess, or by the full name Duchess of Oldenburg; the American Pomological Society has abbreviated the full name to Oldenburg, but this has not been generally accepted by Western fruit growers. In European nurseries it is propagated under the names of Charlamowsky and Borowitsky. It was early imported into the West, coming to this country by the way of England and it was the extreme hardiness of this variety in the early test winters that kept up the hopes of prairie orchardists in time of great discouragement and led to the importations of more varieties from Russia (42).

Oldenburg is one of the most valuable of the Russian apples thus far introduced into this country. It is of good size and attractive appearance. It is generally highly esteemed for home use on account of its excellent culinary qualities and with some fruit growers it has proved a very profitable variety for the commercial orchard. When properly grown and carefully handled it stands shipment pretty well and sells well for a variety of its season. In some few localities in Western New York it is grown in sufficient quantities so that it can be shipped in car lots to distant markets, but in very many places it is produced in greater quantities than the local markets can absorb and yet not in quantities large enough so that it can be economically shipped to distant markets. Since the fruit is quite perishable it does not stand heat well before shipment and goes down rather quickly, particularly if the weather is unfavorable. When sent to distant markets it should be shipped under ice. The fruit ripens in succession so that several pickings are required in order to secure the crop in prime marketable condition. It is in season during late August and September, but it may be used for culinary purposes before it is fully ripe. The tree is highly valued because of its great hardiness. It is vigorous when young but with age it becomes a rather moderate or slow grower. It is only moderately long-lived, but is a reliable cropper, yielding good crops biennially, often with lighter crops alternating. Generally speaking, the trees require good cultivation, thorough fertilizing and careful spraying in order to secure the best commercial results. The fruit hangs fairly well to the tree till it is ripe. It is quite uniform in size and quality, with but a small percentage of loss from unmarketable fruit.

Historical. This is one of the four pioneers among Russian apples in America, the other three being Alexander, Tetofsky and Red Astrachan (38). These four varieties were imported by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society from the London, England, Horticultural Society about 1835. Oldenburg was brought to England from Russia about twenty years prior to that date. It was tested by Robert Manning, Superintendent of the Test Garden of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society at Salem who published the following description in 1838 (3): "A valuable and handsome apple said to be of Russian origin. The size is middling, form round and rather flat; skin of a beautiful yellow, striped with red; flavor very pleasant and good. It bears well and ripens in September and October." In 1850 Hovey wrote, "Mr. Manning, we believe, first proved the Duchess of Oldenburg and gave a brief account of it in his Book of Fruits. Since then it has been considerably disseminated, and though yet far from being common is to be found in many fine collections of fruit" (9). Later it became disseminated throughout the Middle West and Northwest where it proved to be much superior in hardiness to Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening, Northern Spy and other varieties which have been commonly cultivated in this state. Its ability to withstand severe climates encouraged the importation of other Russian sorts some of which have proved valuable in the northern portion of the apple belt. Oldenburg is commonly listed by nurserymen (31) and its planting both in home orchards and in commercial orchards is increasing in this state.

TREE. Tree medium in size. Form at first upright spreading but eventually roundish. Twigs moderately long, curved, slender; internodes long. Bark dark brown, lightly mottled with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small to medium, oblong, not raised. Buds medium size, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent.

FRUIT. Fruit medium to large, averaging above medium, uniform in size and shape. Form roundish oblate to oblate, regular, symmetrical. Stem short to sometimes medium, moderately slender. Cavity acute to acuminate, deep, broad, usually partly covered with greenish-russet. Calyx medium to rather large, usually closed; lobes rather broad, acute. Basin moderately deep to deep, wide, abrupt, smooth or with small mammiform protuberances. Skin moderately thick, tender, smooth, pale greenish-yellow or pale yellow, almost covered with irregular splashes and stripes of bright red mottled and shaded with crimson. Dots scattering, small, light colored. Prevailing effect red striped; attractive. Calyx tube moderately long, rather wide, funnel-shape with broad truncate cylinder or approaching urn-shape. Stamens median. Core medium to rather large, axile; cells symmetrical, closed or slightly open; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly ovate, slightly emarginate. Seeds medium to rather large, wide, obtuse to acute, moderately plump, dark brown. Flesh tinged with yellow, rather firm, moderately fine, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid, aromatic, good to very good for culinary purposes. It has too much acidity for a good dessert apple. Season late August and September.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Oldenburg

The Oldenburg, generally called the Duchess of Oldenburg, is a Russian apple. In European nurseries is called Charlmowsky and Borowitsky. It was brought to this country from England, and because of its extreme hardiness became popular with the settlers on the prairies of Illinois, Iowa, and other north central states where the winters are severe. It is of good size, attractive in appearance, and is one of the most valuable Russian varieties ever brought to this country. It ripens in the northern states about the last of August and the first of September, and is generally highly esteemed for home use on account of being a good cooker. The fruit is perishable and does not stand shipment well, but when carefully handled it may be considered a fair commercial variety for its season.

The tree is vigorous and hardy, but inclines to slow growth with age. Its form is at first upright, spreading; but later becomes roundish; twigs moderately long, curved, slender, with dark brown bark.

Fruit medium to large, average above medium, uniform in size and shape. Form roundish to oblate, regular, symmetrical. Skin moderately thick, tender, smooth, pale greenish yellow or pale yellow, almost covered with irregular splashes and stripes of bright red mottled and shaded with crimson; prevailing effect, red striped. The flesh is tinged with yellow, rather firm, moderately fine, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid, aromatic.

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)