THE FOX-WHELP APPLE.

"Cider for strength and a long-lasting drink is best made of the Fox-whelp of the Forest of Deane, but which comes not to be drunk till two or three years old."—(Appendix to Evelyn's "Pomona." Edit. 1706).

The Fox-whelp Apple is the favourite cider Apple of Herefordshire. Its origin and its singular name are alike obscure.

The earliest record we have of the Fox-whelp is by Evelyn in his "Pomona," which is an Appendix to the "Sylva" concerning fruit trees in relation to cider." This was first published in 1664, and at that time and long after, the great Apple of Herefordshire was the Red-streak. The Fox-whelp is disposed of in a few words—"Some commend the Fox-whelp." Ralph Austen, who wrote in 1653, makes no mention of it when he says, "Let the greatest number of fruit trees not onely in the orchards but also in the feilds be Pear-maines, Pippins, Gennet-Moyles, Red-streaks, and such kinds as are knowne by much experience to be especiall good for cider." Neither is any notice taken of it by Dr. Beale in his "Herefordshire Orchards, written in an epistolary address to Samuel Hartlib, Esq.," in 1656.

The first notice of it after Evelyn is by Worledge in 1676, who merely says, "The Fox-whelp is esteemed among the choice cider fruits." In Evelyn's time it seems to have been regarded as a native of Gloucestershire, for Dr. Smith in the "Pomona" when writing of "the best fruit (with us in Gloucestershire)" says, "the cider of the Bromsbury Crab and Fox-whelp is not fit for drinking till the second year, but then very good and in the quotation at the head of this paper "A person of great experience" calls it "the Fox-whelp of the Forest of Deane."

Its great merit as a cider apple seems to have been quickly recognised, but its cultivation up to this period could not have been on an extensive scale or it would have been more generally known. Even Philips in his celebrated poem entitled "Cyder" seems as ignorant of its existence as most of the writers on orchards were at that period. A highly appreciative notice of it is found in a letter to a friend written by Hugh Stafford of Pynes in Devonshire, Esq., bearing date 1727. He says, "This is an Apple long known, and of late years has acquired a much greater reputation than it had formerly. The fruit is rather small than middle-sized, in shape long, and all over of a dark red colour. I have been told by a person of credit that a hogshead of cider from this fruit has been sold in London for or eight guineas, and that often a hogshead of French wine has been given in exchange for the same quantity of Fox-whelp. It is said to contain a richer and more cordial juice than even the Red-streak itself, though something rougher if not softened by racking. The tree seems to want the same helps as the Red-streak to make it grow large. It is of Herefordshire extraction." Mr. Knight in the "Pomona Herefordiensis," published in 1811, also thought it "certainly a true Herefordshire Apple," and this of late, has been the prevalent belief, derived probably from the opinion of the two last named writers.

The merit of its production thus rests with the Forest of Dean, on the authorities we have given, but there is no record of the origin of its singular name. It may readily be supposed however that the stray seedling sprung up near a fox's earth, and thus when it had shown its character it obtained its name. Some devoted admirers think they see in the eye of this Apple a distinctive resemblance to the physiognomy of a young fox, but here surely the name has guided the imagination. Wherever the young seedling may have grown, the brilliant colour of its fruit would render it conspicuous, and its rough peculiar flavour with a judge of Apples would proclaim its merit. It is probable that a fox-hunter found and named it, and certainly none appreciate more highly than fox-hunters the merits of its cider.

Description.—The fruit is roundish, inclining to conical or ovate, with an uneven outline, caused by several obtuse ribs on the sides, and which terminate in ridges round the eye; in good specimens one side is generally convex, while the other is flattened. Skin beautifully striped with deep bright crimson and yellow; on the side next the sun it is more crimson than it is on the shaded side, where the yellow stripes are more apparent. Eye very small, set in a narrow, shallow, and plaited basin; segments short, somewhat erect, and slightly divergent. Calyx-tube funnel-shaped. Stamens marginal. Stalk three-quarters of an inch long, obliquely inserted by the side of a fleshy swelling, which pushes it on one side and gives it a curving direction. Flesh yellow tinged with red, tender, and with a rough and acid flavour. Cells of the core wide open. It belongs to group 10 of Dr. Hogg's New Classification of Apples.

The surface of the Fox-whelp Apple is usually marked by small dark coloured, circular scabs or patches, which are thought by some growers to be characteristic of the Fox-whelp, but this is not so. The round patches are formed by the microscopic fungus, Spiloccea pomi, and are commonly to be found on the apples of very aged trees of all kinds of fruit. Like all fungus growths this is much more abundant in some seasons than in others.

The coloured plate of the Foxwhelp Apple was drawn from fruit grown on the estate of W. H. Apperley, Esq., of Withington. The trees are believed to have been planted by one of his ancestors about the year 1690, and are still in fruitful vigour.

The form of the fruit varies according to the age of the tree, and this is the case with most varieties. The sections are taken from fruit grown by John Bosley, Esq., of Lyde, and exhibit the result of successive graftings from one graft taken originally from one of the old trees of the Fox-whelp. Fig. 1 represents a fruit from a tree which is the result of four successive graftings, the scions being taken in each instance from the tree grafted the previous year; and Fig. 2 is that from a tree which has had the grafting repeated five times. The outline, Fig. 3, at the end of this paper is from an apple grown at Credenhill in the orchard of F. W. Herbert, Esq.

A Fox-whelp Apple of good size and colour, grown in the year 1876, yielded 7·4 drachms of a strongly acidulated juice with its own flavour, and of the specific gravity of 1068; and others of smaller size gave drachms of juice with a specific gravity of 1074. Mr. Knight gives the higher specific gravity of 1076 to 1080, which perhaps might be due to a more favourable year.

Analysis.—The following analysis of the juice of the Fox-whelp, grown in the year 1877, has been specially made for these pages, by Mr. G. H. With, F.R.A.S., in the Laboratory of the Experimental Garden at Hereford:—

Fox-whelp Apple.

Density of fresh juice . . . . . . . 1.068 Density after 24 hours . . . . . . . 1.070

In 100 parts by weight of juice. Sugar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.400 Tannin, Mucilage, Salts, &c. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.500 Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77.100 100.—

It must be stated however that the absence of sun and the great rainfall of the summer of 1877, made it a most unfavourable season for the growth of any fruit in perfection.

The home of the Fox-whelp Apple, be its origin what it may, is in the deep clay loam of the Old Red Sandstone in the central districts of Herefordshire, and especially in the valleys of the rivers Lugg and Froome. The chief orchards are to be found in the villages of Lugwardine, Westhide, Withington, Lyde, Moreton, Sutton, Wistaston, Marden, Bodenham, Burrup, Wellington-on-the-Lugg; and those of Weston Beggard, Yarkhill, Tarrington, Stoke Edith, Stretton Grandison, Eggleton, the Froomes, the Cowarnes, and the other villages on the Froome, are seldom without a few old trees, of the Fox-whelp Apple.

The broad valley of the Wye does not generally present so good and rich a soil. The river has been so erratic in days gone by, that large beds of gravel and marl are to be met with in all directions, and the orchards of repute therefore are only to be found on the rising slopes of the valley out of the river's reach. There are many excellent orchards from King's Caple and Holme Lacy by Credenhill to Kinnersley, Sarnesfield, Dilwyn, and the Weobley district; the Fox-whelp may be found in any of them, and wherever it is found, it is treasured greatly for its valuable fruit.

The Fox-whelp Apple tree is upright and handsome in growth where age has not rendered it rugged and gnarled. It is a slow growing tree and a shy capricious bearer, and this may perhaps partly explain why fruit growers should prefer to propagate those sorts which grow more freely and are more certain croppers. The tree is hardy, and its fruit is in great demand. There is yet a want of young trees generally, for, be the reason what it may, grafts of late years have not succeeded well. The orchardists however have only to apply themselves to the cultivation of the Fox-whelp, and resolutely determine to perpetuate this precious variety, when the same success will crown their efforts in the future, which followed those of their predecessors in the past.

The Fox-whelp cider when pure is of great strength, and always has a peculiar aroma, so marked that it can be detected directly the cork is drawn from the bottle. In taste it is generally rough and strong, with a peculiar vinous musky flavour, which gives its aroma. In ordinary seasons, unless made with great care, it is not sweet enough to be acceptable to strangers, and the taste which enjoys its peculiar flavour fully, must in such circumstances, perhaps, be acquired; but in a favourable year—a year of sunshine and genial showers, when the fruit has been ripened to perfection—happy is he who has a good hit of it. If he carries it well through the process of fermentation and keeps the flavour of the fruit, and its sweetness too, he has cider in perfection—a cider that will sell readily in its own district at a guinea a dozen; and a cider moreover, that will unquestionably improve in quality for some three or four decades of years. It will not all be sold, however, for it is the pleasure and pride of the cider-growers of Herefordshire to have always ready for a friend a bottle of good Fox-whelp cider of a good year.

The juice of the Fox-whelp Apple is, however, most used to give strength and flavour to the cider of mixed fruit, and when this is well made it is perhaps more generally popular than the very strong and pure Fox-whelp. A cider of this kind, excellent in quality, can be got at 1s. a bottle from the growers. The Fox-whelp cider has the character of changing colour very quickly on exposure to the air, and even at the table if not drunk quickly the dusky greenish tint will show itself. Some other strong ciders have also this peculiarity, which is certainly not a virtue.

The Fox-whelp, beyond all question, is the most valuable cider apple, and by intelligent perseverance in propagating it, it will long continue to be so.

[For all the varieties of the Fox-whelp: the "New" the "Fastern" the "Red" and a description of their several merits, see Plate VIII.]

— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)