Forest Styre
AppleForest Styre
Origin/History
A cider fruit from Gloucestershire, England. Coxe (1817) describes it as "the most celebrated and extensively cultivated cider apple in England." Downing (1900) attributes its characteristics to Lindley.
Tree
Both sources agree the tree has a distinctly upright, willow-like growth habit. Coxe describes it as "remarkably beesom-headed, throwing out numerous straight luxuriant shoots, growing upwards from the crown, in the form of a willow pollard." The tree runs much to wood, and in deep soils grows to a great size before becoming fruitful. It suits sandy ground. Downing concurs: "upright, willow-like in growth."
Fruit
Size
The two sources conflict on size. Coxe reports the fruit as "above middling," noting that specimens in his own orchards were "as large as Newton Pippins, and remarkably fair." Downing, citing Lindley, describes the fruit as "small."
Form
Downing describes the fruit as "roundish oblate." Coxe does not specify the form.
Stem
Not described in source.
Cavity
Not described in source.
Calyx
Not described in source.
Basin
Not described in source.
Skin
Coxe describes the color as "a pale yellowish white," and characterizes the fruit as "pale rinded." Downing gives "pale yellow, blush in sun." Both sources agree on the pale yellow base color; Downing alone notes the sunny-side blush.
Flesh/Flavor
Both sources describe the flesh as firm. Coxe reports that "when fully ripe, [it is] of a fine flavour." Downing, citing Lindley, characterizes the flesh as "brisk acid." These characterizations are in some tension: Coxe's "fine flavour" when fully ripe may reflect eating-apple quality at peak ripeness, while Downing's "brisk acid" may reflect cider-maker's assessment.
Core/Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Coxe reports that by the end of September the fruit is ripe in England, with the middle of October being the common gathering time in ordinary years. Coxe records keeping specimens free from rot to the latter end of January, suggesting good storage potential.
Uses
Both sources identify Forest Styre primarily as a cider apple. Coxe also notes it is "a good eating apple." The cider it produces, particularly from a light rich soil, is described by Coxe as "rich, highly flavoured and of a good body," commanding in England a price frequently four times that of common sale cider. Coxe further notes a paradox: "the fruit is pale rinded, but produces a high coloured liquor." By Knight's experiments, the must of this variety outweighed all others except one new variety produced by crossing the Lulham Green and the Siberian Crab. Marshall observed that nearly one third more Forest Styre apples are required to produce a barrel of cider compared with common apples. Coxe considered specimens from his own orchards "highly estimable for late cider," based on their keeping quality through January.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 18. STYRE.
This is the most celebrated and extensively cultivated cider apple in England; and is also a good eating apple: the size is above middling, the colour of a pale yellowish white; the flesh is firm, and when fully ripe, of a fine flavour: the cider when produced from a light rich soil, is rich, highly flavoured and of a good body; its price in England is frequently four fold that of common sale cider—the fruit is pale rinded, but produces a high coloured liquor. The tree is of a singularly beautiful growth, remarkably beesom-headed, throwing out numerous straight luxuriant shoots, growing upwards from the crown, in the form of a willow pollard, running much to wood, and in deep soils, growing to a great size before it becomes fruitful: it suits sandy ground: by the end of September it is ripe in England, generally the middle of October is in common years the time of gathering—by Mr. Knights experiments, the must outweighed all others except that of a new variety, produced by mixing the Lulham Green, and Siberian Crab: Marshall states, that nearly one third more of Styre apples are required to produce a barrel of cider, compared with common apples.
The Styres growing in my orchards, are as large as Newton Pippins, and remarkably fair; I have kept several of them free from rot to the latter end of January from this experiment, I should venture to pronounce them highly estimable for late cider.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Forest Styre. Styre. Iltire. A cider fruit, from Gloucestershire, England. Tree upright, willow-like in growth. Fruit small, roundish oblate, pale yellow, blush in sun. Flesh firm, brisk acid. (Lind.)