Glory of the West

Origin / History

Glory of the West was raised at Ecklinville, four miles from Portaferry and eighteen miles from Belfast, Ireland, by a Scotch gardener named Logan, around 1820 (Bunyard; Herefordshire Pomona places the raising at "some 60 years since" before 1885, consistent with that date). It became extensively grown throughout the three kingdoms and was recognized as an excellent market variety (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard cites it in reference to the Herefordshire Pomona, p. 17, and gives its German name as Saemling aus Ecklinville.

Tree

A strong, vigorous grower and great bearer (Downing; Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard describes growth as vigorous and the tree as fertile. It is rather apt to canker in some soils (Bunyard).

Leaf (Bunyard only): Rather narrow, light green, flat, undulating, with shallow serrate or crenate margins.

Fruit

Size

Large (Herefordshire Pomona; Downing). Bunyard gives the measurement as approximately 3½ inches wide by 2½ inches deep and describes the fruit as "fairly large."

Form

Roundish and flattened, even in outline, but slightly angular around the eye (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing describes it as oblate and ribbed. Bunyard gives the form as round, flattened, and regular. The slight angularity noted by Herefordshire Pomona and the ribbing noted by Downing are not confirmed by Bunyard's characterization of the outline as regular.

Stem

Half an inch long, slender, not protruding beyond the flat base of the fruit (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard describes the stem as very short.

Cavity

Rather deep, veined with russet (Bunyard). Herefordshire Pomona describes the base of the fruit as flat, consistent with a shallow to moderate cavity.

Calyx / Eye

Large, with closed segments (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard likewise gives the eye as closed.

Basin

Deeply set and angular (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard describes the basin as deep and wide.

Skin

Bright, rather deep lemon color with a tinge of green (Herefordshire Pomona); Bunyard gives the ground color as pea green to yellow; Downing gives it as yellow. All three sources agree on a sun-exposed flush: crimson blush (Herefordshire Pomona), red in the sun (Downing), occasional red flush (Bunyard).

Russet dots are present across all sources, but their size is reported differently: Herefordshire Pomona describes them as large; Downing describes them as minute.

Flesh / Flavor

White and tender (Herefordshire Pomona; Bunyard); Downing gives the color as yellowish white. Texture described as full-grained and tender (Herefordshire Pomona), firm and juicy (Downing), and tender (Bunyard). Flavor brisk and acidulous (Herefordshire Pomona); brisk, slightly perfumed, and acid (Downing); acid (Bunyard).

Core / Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

Herefordshire Pomona: October to Christmas. Downing: October to December. Bunyard: September to November. All sources agree on October as a primary month; Herefordshire Pomona and Downing extend the season into December, while Bunyard places the close in November and the opening in September.

Uses

An excellent culinary apple (Herefordshire Pomona; Bunyard, who calls it "a most excellent cooker"). Well suited to market use and in Herefordshire Pomona's time extensively grown throughout the three kingdoms.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.