Gideon—originated by the late Peter M. Gideon, Excelsior, Minnesota—Fruit large, roundish oblong conical, regular, slightly ribbed; surface a clear yellowish white, with faint bronze blush, an attractive color; dots white, suffused, numerous, minute, distinct; cavity wide, medium deep; stem medium to long; basin wide, shallow, somewhat corrugated; calyx closed. Core large, half open, clasping; cells obovate, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; seeds few, large, flattened, long, pointed; flesh white, juicy, brisk subacid, good. Late fall.

— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)

Gideon. Large, oblate conical; light yellow; stem long, slender; basin narrow, shallow; calyx medium; cavity narrow, deep; flesh yellowish white, tender, juicy, sub-acid, good. Autumn. Fig. 483. Minnesota.

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

GIDEON.

REFERENCES. 1. Gideon, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1885:26. 2. Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1886:233. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1889:6. 4. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:239. 5. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 13:580. 1894. 6. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 4:2. 1897. figs. 7. Waugh, Vt. Sta. Bul., 61:30. 1897. figs. 8. Am. Gard., 22:132. 1901. figs. 9. Me. Sta. An. Rpt., 18:83. 1902. 10. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:51. 1902. fig. 11. Budd-Hansen, 1903:88. fig. 12. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:42. 1903. 13. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:44. 1903. 14. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:121. 1904.

SYNONYMS. Gideon (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14). Gideon White (14).

Fruit decidedly attractive in general appearance being of good size, clear waxen yellow often with a bright pinkish blush but it is deficient in quality and apt to be defective in that the flesh becomes withered and discolored about the core as soon as the fruit reaches maturity. It is not a good variety for holding in cold storage as it stands heat poorly before going into storage and when in storage goes down quickly. In ordinary storage it is inferior to Hubbardston in keeping qualities, being in season from October to December or possibly later (14). The tree is of an exceptionally fine habit in the nursery, and in the orchard it is an upright vigorous grower, very hardy and healthy, comes into bearing young and yields full crops biennially or nearly annually. It is not recommended for planting in New York except it be as a stock upon which to topwork less hardy varieties.

Historical. Originated by Peter M. Gideon, Excelsior, Minn., from crab seed. The following is his statement of its parentage. "The Gideon is a seedling of the small crab; the seed came from Boston, where the tree was surrounded in the orchard by Blue Pearmain. I consider the tree a cross between those two. The tree resembles Blue Pearmain; seed was taken from the crab" (1).

TREE.

Tree medium to large, vigorous or moderately vigorous. Form at first upright but becoming spreading and open. Twigs short, curved, stout with large terminal buds; internodes medium. Bark brown mingled with some olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; heavily pubescent. Lenticels quite numerous, medium to small, oblong, slightly raised. Buds prominent, large, broad, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.

FRUIT.

Fruit usually above medium to large, uniform in size. Form roundish conical or somewhat ovate, sometimes inclined to oblong, angular. Stem long to below medium, slender. Cavity acute or somewhat acuminate, deep, broad to medium in width, sometimes lightly russeted. Calyx small, closed; lobes medium in length, rather narrow, acute, reflexed. Basin small to medium, sometimes oblique, shallow or very shallow, narrow to medium in width, rather obtuse, somewhat wrinkled, usually with narrow but not prominent ridges.

Skin rather thin, glossy, clear pale waxen yellow, sometimes with beautiful pink blush on exposed cheek. Dots light, submerged, inconspicuous, except where the skin is blushed. Calyx tube short, narrow, often funnel-shape with very short, truncate cylinder. Stamens marginal to median. Core medium size, axile or abaxile; cells closed or open; core lines meeting the limb or clasping the cylinder. Carpels round to broadly ovate or elliptical, emarginate, tufted. Seeds rather large, irregular, medium in width, rather long, not very plump, acute to acuminate, tufted, light brown. Flesh whitish or tinged with yellow, of rather soft loose texture, a little coarse, crisp, juicy, brisk subacid to mild subacid, fair to good.

Season October.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Gideon. — Originated by the late Peter M. Gideon, Excelsior, Minnesota.

Fruit large, roundish oblong conical, regular, slightly ribbed; surface a clear yellowish white with faint bronze blush, an attractive color; dots white, suffused, numerous, minute, distinct; cavity wide, medium deep; stem medium to long; basin wide, shallow, somewhat corrugated; calyx closed. Core large, half open, clasping; cells obovate, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; seeds few, large, flattened, long, pointed; flesh white, juicy, brisk subacid, good. Late fall.

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

GIDEON. Gideon White. The clear waxen yellow color, heightened by a bright pinkish blush, makes the fruits of Gideon beautiful; but the quality is not good, and the flesh passes rapidly from maturity to decay. The greatest assets of the variety are hardiness, vigor, and fruitfulness. It is of value only where less hardy varieties cannot be grown. Gideon was grown by Peter Gideon, Excelsior, Minnesota, about 1880 from a seed of a crab-apple which was thought to have been fecundated by pollen of Blue Pearmain. Tree medium to large, vigorous, upright becoming spreading and open. Fruit medium to large, uniform in size, round-conic or ovate, sometimes oblong, angular; stem long, slender; cavity acute, deep, broad, sometimes russeted; calyx small, closed; lobes narrow, acute, reflexed; basin small, sometimes oblique, shallow, narrow, obtuse, wrinkled, usually with narrow ridges; skin thin, glossy, waxen yellow, with pink blush on exposed cheek; dots light, submerged, inconspicuous, except where the skin is blushed; calyx-tube short, narrow, often funnel-shape with very short, truncate cylinder; stamens marginal; core axile or abaxile; cells closed or open; core-lines meeting the limb or clasping the cylinder; carpels round, broadly ovate, or elliptical, emarginate, tufted; seeds large, irregular, long, acute, tufted, light brown; flesh yellow, soft, coarse, crisp, juicy, subacid; fair to good; October.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)

Planted Spring 1895. Tree a strong grower, and an early and free bearer. Fruit above medium size, oblong, conical. Skin clear bright yellow, with a blush on the sunny side. Flesh white, crisp, juicy, pleasantly acid, fruit often water-cored soon after ripening. Season late Autumn.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)