Gloucester White
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin & History
Originated in Gloucester County, Virginia (Downing). Coxe reported it was much cultivated in the lower counties of Virginia, from whence he procured it "as an apple of high reputation." Warder described it as a Virginia apple highly prized by Coxe for its qualities as a cider fruit, noting that he had not seen the fruit himself and instead quoted Coxe's description in full.
Tree
Very thrifty, hardy, and vigorous, of a regular and beautiful form, and very productive (Coxe). Downing concurs: vigorous and very productive.
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Shape not very uniform, varying from an oblong to a flat form (Coxe). Downing describes it as roundish oblate. Elliott describes it as roundish oblong.
Stem: Of ordinary length, inserted in a cavity of medium depth (Coxe).
Cavity: Medium depth (Coxe).
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Moderately deep (Coxe describes the "crown" as moderately deep).
Skin: Bright yellow with clouds of black spots (Coxe, Elliott). Downing describes simply as "fine yellow" without mentioning spots. Elliott uses the term "black patches."
Flesh & Flavor: Yellow, rich, breaking, and juicy; of a fine flavor as a table apple, and producing cider of an exquisite taste (Coxe). Downing describes the flesh as yellow, juicy, crisp, pleasant, subacid, and rates it "Good." Elliott, in contrast, describes the flesh as breaking and dry — conflicting with both Coxe and Downing on juiciness.
Core & Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Ripens about the first of October (Coxe), with Downing and Elliott extending the season through November. The fruit soon falls after ripening and is then fit for cider (Coxe). Does not keep long (Coxe).
Uses
A delicious table apple while in season (Coxe). Produces cider of an exquisite taste (Coxe). Warder specifically highlights Coxe's esteem for it as a cider fruit.
Subtypes & Variants
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.
— 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.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Gloucester White. American ; medium, roundish oblong, bright yellow, black patches ; flesh, breaking, dry. October and November.