Excel

Apple

Origin & History

Originated in Sharon, Connecticut.

Tree

A strong grower. Downing describes it as "a good bearer"; Elliott calls it "productive."

Fruit

Size: Downing and Thomas describe the fruit as large. Elliott describes it as medium.

Form: Oblate conic (Downing). Roundish flattened (Elliott). Oblate, ribbed (Thomas).

Skin: Yellowish, marbled, splashed, and shaded with red, with some nettings and patches of russet (Downing). Marbled and splashed with red, with light gray dots (Elliott). Red on yellow (Thomas).

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Deep (Elliott).

Calyx: Closed (Elliott).

Basin: Not described in source.

Flesh & Flavor: Yellow, tender, juicy, brisk, subacid (Downing). Yellow, tender, juicy, sub-acid (Elliott). Rich, sub-acid (Thomas).

Core & Seeds: Core large.

Quality: Good to very good (Downing). "Very good" (Elliott).

Season

December to February. Thomas gives simply "Winter."

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes & Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture entry is a variety-characteristic table row only:

Excel........................  L  obe  yr  VG  b  W

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

View original book sources (4)

Excel.

Origin, Sharon, Conn. A strong grower and a good bearer. Fruit large, oblate conic, yellowish, marbled, splashed, and shaded with red, some nettings and patches of russet. Flesh yellow, tender, juicy, brisk, subacid. Core large. Good to very good. December to February.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Excel........................ L obe yr VG b W

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

Excel. From Sharon, Conn. Tree, strong grower, productive. Fruit, medium, roundish flattened, marbled and splashed with red, light gray dots : cavity deep ; calyx, closed ; flesh, yellow, tender, juicy, sub-acid ; "very good ;" core, large. December, February.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Excel. Large, oblate, ribbed, red on yellow; rich, sub-acid. Winter. Conn.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)