Fall Harvey
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Fall Harvey
Origin / History
Fall Harvey originated in Essex County, Massachusetts (Warder, Thomas, Budd-Hansen; Downing notes it is "highly esteemed in that neighborhood"). Warder's specimen was obtained from Zanesville, Ohio. Elliott identifies it as a native of Massachusetts. The variety is documented in pomological literature beginning with Manning (1838) and Downing (1845), and was included in the American Pomological Society Catalogue in 1869. Beach notes the fruit is similar in general appearance to Fall Pippin "but less desirable where that variety can be grown," and Downing likewise remarks, "We do not think it comparable to the Fall Pippin." According to Hoskins (cited in Beach), it is hardy in Northern Vermont, where it has proved an excellent annual bearer, and he considers it valuable for all Northern New England and Canada.
Tree
Sources disagree on productivity and vigor. Elliott states it is "not productive." Thomas describes it as a "moderate or poor bearer." Hovey and Cole (cited in Beach) call it a vigorous grower and a good bearer. Hoskins (cited in Beach) reports it as an excellent annual bearer in Northern Vermont. Cole (cited in Beach) observes that the fruit is "fine and fair but not first-rate, and rather apt to fall, or to rot on the tree." Beach notes that in the nursery, Fall Harvey may be easily known from Fall Pippin by its yellow and more slender shoots (citing Hovey).
Fruit
Size: Large (all sources).
Form: Roundish, a little flattened (Downing, Budd-Hansen); roundish-oblate, nearly regular (Thomas); oblate, irregular (Warder); roundish, slightly oblate, regular or somewhat ribbed at the base, crown large, slightly oblique (Beach); roundish oblate (Lowther); roundish flattened (Elliott). Obscurely ribbed or irregular about the stalk/stem (Downing, Budd-Hansen).
Stem: Rather slender, an inch long (Downing); slender, one inch long (Thomas); slender (Elliott); rather slender, medium to long (Budd-Hansen); long to medium (Warder); short, stout or rather slender (Beach).
Cavity: Wide, deep (Downing, Budd-Hansen); deep (Elliott); moderate (Thomas); wide, wavy, green (Warder, Budd-Hansen); rather shallow to deep, wide, uneven (Beach).
Calyx / Eye: Closed, small (Downing, Budd-Hansen); eye medium, closed (Warder); calyx small to large, closed (Beach).
Basin: Rather shallow, corrugated (Downing); rather shallow, wide, corrugated, leather-cracked (Budd-Hansen); wide, regular, leather-cracked (Warder); medium in size, furrowed (Thomas); narrow to rather wide, shallow, wrinkled (Beach).
Skin: Pale straw yellow (Downing, Budd-Hansen); yellow or pale yellow (Warder); pale yellow (Thomas); greenish yellow, with scattered brown dots (Elliott); greenish yellow (Lowther); smooth, pale yellow to deep yellow, sometimes blushed (Beach); surface smooth (Warder). Sources agree the skin is yellow, showy (Beach).
Dots: Minute, gray, distinct (Warder); a few scattered dots (Downing); few, scattered, gray, distinct (Budd-Hansen); scattered brown dots (Elliott); small, gray or russet (Beach).
Flesh / Flavor: Yellow, breaking; flavor rich, acid (Warder); white, juicy, crisp, with a rich, good flavor (Downing); whitish, juicy, crisp with a rich good flavor (Budd-Hansen); white, mild sub-acid, juicy (Elliott); fine-grained, juicy, good, mild sub-acid flavor (Thomas); whitish or tinged with yellow, a little coarse, crisp, juicy, rich subacid, with high flavor (Beach). Quality is rated "good" (Lowther, Warder — though Warder qualifies "only good, but valuable for the kitchen"), "good to very good" (Downing, Budd-Hansen), "very good" (Elliott), and "very good quality" (Beach).
Core / Seeds: Core wide or globular, regular, closed, not meeting the eye (Warder); core regular, closed, not meeting (Budd-Hansen); core large, abaxile (Beach). Seeds medium, pointed and defective (Warder); medium, pointed, defective (Budd-Hansen); medium size, acute, short, plump (Beach).
Season
October (Warder); October and November (Downing, Elliott, Budd-Hansen); October to December (Beach); early autumn (Lowther).
Uses
Valuable for the kitchen (Warder). Primary use is market (Lowther).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther reports Fall Harvey is recorded by 2 stations in the Northern Division, 2 stations in the Central Division, and 2 stations in the Southern Division, with the asterisk on each division count indicating the variety is reported as adapted to more than one division. Beach records that one source (Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 1901) treats "Fall Pippin" as an erroneous synonym for Fall Harvey, reflecting the historical confusion between the two varieties noted by Downing and Beach.
Book Sources
Described in 7 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1849–1850) from Massachusetts
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
- Azell Bowditch (Nursery / Fruit Catalog) , Boston , Massachusetts — 1850
View original book sources (7)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Fall Harvey. Origin Essex County, Massachusetts. Specimen from Zanesville, Ohio. Fruit large, oblate, irregular; Surface smooth, yellow or pale yellow; Dots minute, gray, distinct. Basin wide, regular, leather-craked; Eye medium, closed. Cavity wide, wavy, green; Stem long to medium. Core wide or globular, regular, closed, not meeting the eye; Seeds medium, pointed and defective; Flesh yellow, breaking; Flavor rich, acid; Quality only good, but valuable for the kitchen; Season, October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Fall Harvey.
A fine large fall fruit from Essex Co., Mass., highly esteemed in that neighborhood. We do not think it comparable to the Fall Pippin. Fruit large, roundish, a little flattened, obscurely ribbed or irregular about the stalk, which is rather slender, an inch long, set in a wide, deep cavity. Calyx closed, small, in a rather shallow corrugated basin. Skin pale straw yellow, with a few scattered dots. Flesh white, juicy, crisp, with a rich, good flavor. Good to very good. October and November.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)FALL HARVEY.
REFERENCES. 1. Manning, 1838:48. 2. Downing, 1845:84. 3. Cole, 1849:117. 4. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 15:537. 1849. fig. 5. Thomas, 1849:155. 6. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:47. 1851. col. pl. No. 74 and fig. 7. Barry, 1851:284. 8. Elliott, 1854:132. 9. Gregg, 1857:42. 10. Warder, 1867:482. 11. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1869. 12. Hoskins, Amer. Gard., 15:272. 1894. 13. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:296. 1901. 14. Budd-Hansen, 1903:79.
SYNONYMS. FALL HARVEY (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14). Fall Harvey (13). Fall Pippin erroneously (13). HARVEY (13).
Fruit large, yellow, showy, similar in general appearance to Fall Pippin but less desirable where that variety can be grown. According to Hoskins (12) it is hardy in Northern Vermont and has there proved an excellent annual bearer. He considers it valuable for all Northern New England and Canada. Cole (3) observes that the fruit is "fine and fair but not first-rate, and rather apt to fall, or to rot on the tree." Elliott (8) says that it is not productive but Hovey (4) and Cole (3) call it a vigorous grower and a good bearer. In the nursery it may be easily known from Fall Pippin by its yellow and more slender shoots (4).
FRUIT (2, 3, 4, 10). Fruit large. Form roundish, slightly oblate, regular or somewhat ribbed at the base; crown large, slightly oblique. Stem short, stout or rather slender. Cavity rather shallow to deep, wide, uneven. Calyx small to large, closed. Basin narrow to rather wide, shallow, wrinkled. Skin smooth, pale yellow to deep yellow, sometimes blushed. Dots small, gray or russet. Core large, abaxile. Seeds medium size, acute, short, plump. Flesh whitish or tinged with yellow, a little coarse, crisp, juicy, rich subacid, with high flavor, very good quality. Season October to December.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Fall Harvey is a large apple of roundish oblate form, with greenish yellow skin. Quality is good. Primary use is market. Season is early autumn. It is reported by 2 stations in the Northern Division, 2 stations in the Central Division, and 2 stations in the Southern Division; the asterisk on each division count indicates the variety is reported as adapted to more than one division.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Fall Harvey.
Native of Mass. Not productive. Fruit, large, roundish flattened, greenish yellow, with scattered brown dots ; stem, slender ; cavity, deep ; flesh, white, mild sub-acid, juicy ; "very good." October and November.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Fall Harvey. Large, roundish-oblate, nearly regular; pale yellow; stalk slender, one inch long; cavity moderate; basin medium in size, furrowed; flesh fine-grained, juicy, good, mild sub-acid flavor. Moderate or poor bearer. Essex County, Mass.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Fall Harvey.—Origin, Essex Co., Massachusetts.
Fruit large, roundish, a little flattened; obscurely ribbed or irregular about the stem; surface pale straw yellow; dots few, scattered, gray, distinct; cavity wide, deep, wavy, green; stem rather slender, medium to long; basin rather shallow, wide corrugated, leather-cracked; calyx small, closed. Core regular, closed, not meeting, seeds medium, pointed, defective; flesh whitish, juicy, crisp with a rich good flavor, good to very good. October and November.