Early Red Margaret

Apple

Editor's Note

Per Bunyard, Early Red Margaret is a distinct solid-red sport of Margaret/Red Juneating, of similar shape but "not so good as Red Juneating" — pale greenish-yellow with a dull brown-red flush, not striped. Most other 19th-century authors (Downing, Elliott, Lindley, Thomas) used "Early Red Margaret" interchangeably with Margaret; their descriptions reference stripes, indicating they were describing the striped Margaret variety, and have been filed under Margaret. Only Bunyard's description (below) is of the distinct solid-red sport.

Early Red Margaret

Origin/History

A very old English variety. (Budd & Hansen)

Tree

Growth is slender and moderate in vigor. Budd & Hansen describe Early Red Margaret as a moderate bearer; Bunyard, by contrast, rates it very fertile. Both sources agree growth is moderate overall.

Fruit

Size

Below medium (Budd & Hansen). Bunyard gives dimensions of 2¼ inches by 2¼ inches and rates it medium.

Form

Roundish ovate, somewhat conical, angular toward the basin (Budd & Hansen). Bunyard describes the shape as round, conical, tapering to the eye — consistent with the conical form but not noting the angularity.

Stem

Short and stout (Budd & Hansen). Bunyard specifies stout, approximately one-quarter inch, and protruding from the cavity.

Cavity

Small and shallow (Budd & Hansen).

Calyx

Prominent, half open (Budd & Hansen). Bunyard describes the eye as open, set in a narrow ribbed basin.

Basin

Narrow, very shallow, corrugated, with small knobs around the eye (Budd & Hansen). Bunyard confirms the basin is narrow and ribbed.

Skin

The two sources conflict on the coloration of the skin, which is critical for identification. Budd & Hansen describe the ground color as greenish yellow, nearly covered with dark red stripes, with a brighter red on the sunny side — a heavily striped appearance. Bunyard describes the color as pale greenish-yellow with a dull brown-red flush, explicitly noting the fruit is not striped. This discrepancy may reflect different strains, growing conditions, or seasons of observation, but both versions should be considered when identifying this variety.

Dots are gray and russet, distinct (Budd & Hansen). Bunyard describes the skin as smooth and greasy.

Flesh and Flavor

Greenish white in color (both sources agree). Budd & Hansen characterize the flesh as brisk, juicy, pleasant, rich, and a refreshing subacid, rating it good. Bunyard describes the flesh as tender but the flavor flat, rating it not as good as Red Juneating.

Core and Seeds

Core closed; cells roundish ovate or obovate, axile; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median. (Budd & Hansen)

Season

Budd & Hansen place the season in July, immediately following the early harvest period, and note the fruit is best gathered a few days before it fully ripens on the tree, as it quickly becomes mealy once ripe. Bunyard gives the season as early August, and classing it as dessert.

Uses

Dessert (Bunyard). The fruit is good quality when freshly picked but deteriorates rapidly to a mealy texture; it should be gathered slightly before full tree-ripeness (Budd & Hansen).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Margaret, Early Red
Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 6 catalogs (1886–1913) from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois

Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
Glen St. Mary Nurseries (G.L. Taber , Proprietor), Glen St. Mary , Florida — 1893
Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913

View original book sources (2)

Margaret, Early Red.—A very old English variety, of slender growth; a moderate bearer; fruit good when freshly picked, but soon becomes mealy. It is desirable to gather it a few days before it ripens on the tree.

Fruit below medium, roundish ovate, somewhat conical, angular toward basin; surface greenish yellow, nearly covered with dark red stripes, brighter red on sunny side; dots gray, russet, distinct; cavity small, shallow; stem short, stout; basin narrow, very shallow, corrugated, with small knobs around the eye; calyx prominent, half open; segment long, broad, erect convergent. Core closed; cells roundish ovate, or obovate, axile; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; flesh greenish white, brisk, juicy, pleasant, rich, refreshing subacid, good. July, immediately after early harvest.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

EARLY RED MARGARET. Dessert, early August, medium, 2¼ by 2¼, round, conical, tapering to eye. Colour, pale greenish-yellow with dull brown-red flush, not striped. Skin, smooth, greasy. Flesh, tender, greenish white, flavour flat, not so good as Red Juneating. Eye, open in a narrow ribbed basin. Stem, stout, quarter-inch, protruding. Growth, moderate, very fertile.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Early Red Eve Margaret Margaret, Early Red Red Margaret Southern Striped June Striped June Margaret Red Stripe