Golding
AppleGolding
Origin / History
Golding is an old American variety. Downing calls it "one of our finest American fruits" and says it "seems not to be generally known." He also calls it "a popular fruit where known." Beach reports Downing's 1857 account: the variety had been cultivated in Westchester and adjoining counties for more than fifty years, where it was considered profitable for market and superior for family use. Thomas gives it as the Golden Pippin of Westchester County.
Warder calls it "this fine fruit." He records that it "is believed to be American," is cultivated in parts of New York, and is "found to be profitable." He gives no description of his own, having mislaid his notes, and quotes Downing's.
The London Horticultural Society's Catalogue listed it under the name Golding in 1831. Kenrick published it as American Golden Pippin in 1835. The American Pomological Society's Catalogue carried it as American Golden Pippin in 1877 and as Golding in 1897, and Lyon's Michigan Station bulletin of 1894 used the name Golding.
Beach (1905) writes that "so far as we can learn Golding is now seldom or never planted in New York."
Tree
Growth strong, similar to that of Rhode Island Greening but less drooping, making a round, spreading head. Tree rather large, vigorous, hardy, and long-lived (Beach). Wood dark reddish and downy, with prominent flattened buds (Downing).
Does not bear young. Downing calls it "very productive when a little advanced." Beach calls it moderately productive, yielding moderate to heavy crops biennially.
Much subject to scab (Beach). Unless thorough treatment is given against insects and fungus diseases, a comparatively large percentage of the crop is apt to be unmarketable.
Fruit
Size: Medium to large; medium or above (Beach).
Form: Variable: oblate, globular, or conic, angular or ribbed. In Downing's later text, roundish oblate, inclining to conic, obscurely ribbed.
Stem: Short, stout to moderately stout, deeply set.
Cavity: Deep; large and deep in Downing's later text.
Calyx: Closed. Segments pointed, slightly recurved (Downing).
Basin: Irregular; in Downing's later text, broad, open, slightly corrugated.
Skin: Fine golden yellow, sometimes with a brownish blush in the sun or a shade of brownish red. Sometimes slightly netted with thin russet; Downing's later text says "often."
Dots: Few, gray, thinly sprinkled.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellowish to yellow, juicy, rich, aromatic. Downing's earlier description, quoted by Warder, calls it tender and nearly melting, "with a rich, refreshing, almost vinous, aromatic flavor." His later text calls it breaking and rather coarse, subacid, and Beach likewise finds it rather coarse, aromatic, and subacid. Downing rates it "very good." Beach calls it "excellent in quality for either dessert or culinary uses."
Core and seeds: Core rather large.
Season
November to February; early winter (Thomas).
Uses
Dessert, culinary, and market. Downing calls it one of the most profitable for orchard culture and marketing and "a superior Apple for family use." Beach writes that in some sections it is regarded as a pretty good commercial variety, particularly in portions of Eastern New York.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867) — listed as American Golden Pippin
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as American Golden Pippin
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as Golden Pippin, of Westchester County
View original book sources (5)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)American Golden Pippin.
GOLDEN PIPPIN, of Downing.—NEW YORK GREENING, &c.
Having mislaid my notes of this apple, I am obliged to quote Mr. Downing's description of this fine fruit, which is believed to be American; cultivated in parts of New York, and found to be profitable.
"Growth strong, similar to that of Rhode Island Greening, but less drooping, making a round, spreading head; does not bear young, but very productive when a little advanced, and a popular fruit where known."
"Form variable, oblate, globular or conic, angular or ribbed; Stem stout, short, inserted in a deep cavity; Calyx closed, set in an irregular basin; Skin fine golden yellow, thinly sprinkled with dots, sometimes slightly netted with thin russet; Flesh yellowish, tender, juicy, nearly melting, with a rich, refreshing, almost vinous, aromatic flavor; Core rather large; November to February."
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)American Golden Pippin.
Golden Pippin. New York Greening. Ribbed Pippin. Newtown Greening. Golding. Golden Apple.
This old Apple is one of our finest American fruits, and seems not to be generally known. It has been cultivated more than fifty years, and is considered one of the most profitable for orchard culture and marketing; it is also a superior Apple for family use. Growth strong, similar to R. I. Greening, but less drooping, making a round, spreading head; does not bear young, but very productive when a little advanced, and a popular fruit where known. Wood dark reddish, downy, with prominent flattened buds.
Fruit medium to large; form roundish oblate, inclining to conic, obscurely ribbed; color yellow, sometimes a brownish blush in sun, thinly sprinkled with gray dots, often slightly netted with thin russet. Stalk short, moderately stout. Cavity large, deep. Calyx closed. Segments pointed, slightly recurved. Basin broad, open, slightly corrugated. Flesh yellowish, breaking juicy, rather coarse, rich, aromatic, subacid. Core rather large. Very good. November to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Golden Pippin, of Westchester County. (American Golden Pippin, New York Greening.) Form variable, oblate, globular or conic, ribbed; skin golden yellow; stalk short, deeply set; basin irregular; flesh yellow, tender, juicy, with a rich, refreshing, aromatic flavor. Early winter. Tree spreading—very productive.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)GOLDING.
REFERENCES. 1. London Hort. Soc. Cat., 1831:No. 479. 2. Kenrick, 1835:64. 3. Downing, 1857:79. fig. 4. Mag. Hort., 30:162. 1864. 5. Warder, 1867:636. fig. 6. Thomas, 1875:226. 7. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1877:6. 8. Barry, 1883:342. 9. Lyon, Mich. Sta. Bul., 105:108. 1894. 10. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1897:13. 11. Budd-Hansen, 1903:92. fig. 12. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:125. 1905.
SYNONYMS. American Golden (12). AMERICAN GOLDEN PIPPIN (2, 4, 5, 7, 8). American Golden Pippin (3, 6, 10, 11, 12). Golden Apple (12). GOLDEN PIPPIN (3, of Westchester Co., 6). Golden Pippin (5, of Westchester Co., 8 and 12). GOLDING (1, 9, 10, 11, 12). Newtown Greening (3, 12). N. Y. Greening (3, 5, 6, 12). Ribbed Pippin (3, 12).
Fruit medium or above, yellow, sometimes with shade of brownish-red; flesh rather coarse, aromatic, subacid and excellent in quality for either dessert or culinary uses. It is much subject to scab and a comparatively large percentage of the crop is apt to be unmarketable unless thorough treatment is given to prevent injury from insects and fungus diseases. The tree is rather large, vigorous, hardy, long-lived and moderately productive yielding moderate to heavy crops biennially. In some sections it is regarded as a pretty good commercial variety particularly in portions of Eastern New York.
Historical. In 1857 Downing wrote (3) regarding this variety, that although it was one of the finest American fruits and an old variety, it was not generally known. It was said to have been cultivated in Westchester and adjoining counties for more than fifty years where it was considered profitable for market and superior for family use. So far as we can learn Golding is now seldom or never planted in New York.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Golding (American Golden Pippin). — An old American variety; tree of strong growth with round spreading top, not an early bearer, but very productive with age.
Golding.
Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate, inclining to conic, obscurely ribbed; surface yellow, sometimes a brownish blush in sun, often slightly netted with thin russet; dots few, gray; cavity large, deep; stem short, moderately stout; basin broad, open, slightly corrugated; calyx closed; segments pointed, slightly recurved. Core rather large; flesh yellowish, breaking juicy, rather coarse, rich, aromatic, subacid; very good. November to February.