Gloucester White
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Gloucester White
Origin / History
Gloucester White is an American apple of Virginia, with its origin given by Downing as Gloucester County, Virginia. Coxe (1817) reported it "much cultivated in the lower counties of Virginia, from whence I procured it, as an apple of high reputation." Warder (1867) wrote that this Virginia apple "was highly prized by Coxe for its qualities as a cider fruit." Warder had not seen the fruit himself and reproduced Coxe's description in full.
Tree
Tree vigorous and very productive. Coxe calls it very thrifty and hardy, of a regular and beautiful form.
Fruit
Size: Medium, Coxe's "middling size."
Form: Not very uniform, varying from an oblong to a flat form (Coxe); roundish oblong (Elliott) to roundish oblate (Downing).
Stem: Of the ordinary length (Coxe).
Cavity: Of medium depth (Coxe).
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Moderately deep. Coxe's term is "the crown."
Skin: Bright or fine yellow when ripe, with clouds of black spots or black patches.
Dots: Not described in source.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellow, rich, breaking or crisp, pleasant, subacid. Coxe and Downing call it juicy, while Elliott calls it dry. Coxe calls it "of a fine flavour as a table apple" and, "while in season, … a delicious table apple"; Downing rates it "Good."
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October and November. Coxe gives ripening about the first of October, after which the fruit soon falls; it does not keep long.
Uses
Dessert and cider. Eaten as a table apple while in season. Coxe says it produces "cider of an exquisite taste," and that the fruit is fit for cider once it falls after ripening.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 23. GLOUCESTER WHITE.
This apple is of a middling size; of a shape not very uniform, varying from an oblong to a flat form: the colour when ripe, is a bright yellow, with clouds of black spots: the flesh is yellow, rich, breaking, and juicy; of a fine flavour as a table apple, and producing cider of an exquisite taste. The stalk is of the ordinary length, inserted in a cavity of medium depth, the crown is moderately deep: the time of ripening is about the first of October, after which the fruit soon falls and is fit for cider. It does not keep long, but while in season, is a delicious table apple, the tree is very thrifty, hardy and vigorous; of a regular and beautiful form, and very productive. It is much cultivated in the lower counties of Virginia, from whence I procured it, as an apple of high reputation.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Gloucester White. American ; medium, roundish oblong, bright yellow, black patches ; flesh, breaking, dry. October and November.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Gloucester White.
This Virginia apple was highly prized by Coxe for its qualities as a cider fruit. Not having seen it, his description is quoted:
"This apple is of middling size, of a shape not very uniform, varying from oblong to flat; the color when ripe is a bright yellow, with clouds of black spots; the flesh is yellow, rich, breaking, and juicy; of a fine flavor as a table apple, and producing cider of an exquisite taste. The stalk is of the ordinary length, inserted in a cavity of medium depth; the crown is moderately deep. The time of ripening is about the first of October, after which the fruit soon falls and is fit for cider. It does not keep long, but while in season is a delicious table apple. The tree is very thrifty, hardy and vigorous, of a regular and beautiful form, and very productive. It is much cultivated in the lower counties of Virginia, from whence I procured it, as an apple of high reputation."
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Gloucester White. Origin, Gloucester Co., Va. Tree vigorous and very productive. Fruit medium, roundish oblate, fine yellow. Flesh yellow, juicy, crisp, pleasant, subacid. Good. October, November.