Golden Ball

[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — Hansen (1902) gives two Golden Ball entries. The first describes a tree received from Ohio by R. P. Speer of Cedar Falls, Iowa. The second states that the name is also borne by Hyde's King of the West, introduced by Rev. D. M. Hyde near Winona, Ohio. That Ohio origin conflicts with the Connecticut origin given by Elliott and Downing. Hansen's fruit is medium, regular, white-fleshed, and long-stemmed, and may be a different apple carried under the same name. His details are included below and attributed to him.]

Origin / History

Elliott calls the origin of Golden Ball "somewhat in doubt," but probably Connecticut, whence it has been largely distributed East. Downing gives the origin as Connecticut. Warder calls it "a favorite Maine apple," and Thomas says it is cultivated chiefly in Maine.

Hansen describes a Golden Ball from a tree received from Ohio by R. P. Speer of Cedar Falls, Iowa. A second Golden Ball entry in Hansen says the name was also known as Hyde's King of the West, introduced by Rev. D. M. Hyde near Winona, Ohio, "over thirty years ago."

Tree

Hardy, very hardy according to Thomas. A vigorous grower, forming a large round head, with large, glossy, rich green foliage (Elliott). Requires a rich, strong, heavy soil (Elliott).

Bearing moderate (Downing) to poor (Thomas): the trees do not bear well while young but improve as they advance in years (Elliott). Warder alone calls it productive.

Fruit

Size: Large, often quite large (Thomas); Hansen alone gives medium. Liable to vary in size and fairness (Thomas).

Form: Round to roundish, ribbed or somewhat ribbed, narrowing to the eye (Elliott), remotely conical (Thomas). Hansen gives round and regular.

Stem: Short (Elliott, Thomas) to medium (Warder) or long (Hansen). Stout according to Elliott, slender according to Thomas.

Cavity: Broad or wide (Elliott, Hansen), shallow, often lipped, sometimes almost flat (Hansen); Warder calls it narrow. Fine green rays or furrows radiate from the center of the cavity (Thomas).

Calyx: Closed (Warder, Hansen); half closed (Elliott). Eye large (Warder). Tube conical; stamens basal (Hansen).

Basin: Shallow to very shallow; wide and slightly ribbed (Hansen). Warder alone gives it deep, abrupt, and folded.

Skin: Smooth; rich yellow, fine yellow, or golden yellow, greenish yellow according to Warder. Sometimes a faint blush near the stalk (Elliott).

Dots: Few, distinct, with white bases (Warder), rough (Elliott). Hansen calls them obscure, numerous, minute, and white, with large white bases.

Flesh and flavor: Yellowish, white according to Hansen. Tender, crisp (Downing), juicy. Subacid, rich, aromatic (Thomas); "nearly acid, perfumed" (Elliott). Quality "good" (Warder, Downing, Hansen, Lowther).

Core and seeds: Core medium (Elliott), open. Indistinct and clasping according to Warder; meeting, with cells elliptical, abaxile, entire, according to Hansen. Seeds large and plump (Elliott), long, pointed, flattened (Hansen); Warder calls them defective.

Season

The recorded season runs from early autumn to March. Most authors make it a winter apple, ripening late in autumn and keeping through winter, December to March, which Warder qualifies as "in the North." Elliott gives October to December, and Lowther alone early autumn.

Uses

Esteemed for cooking: "exceeding valuable for cooking" (Elliott), "excellent for cooking" (Thomas). Table, kitchen, and market (Warder); family use (Lowther).

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Elliott warns that the Belle Bonne of Lindley "is quite another fruit, and should not be confounded with this."