Hague Pippin
Apple
Hague Pippin
Origin/History
The two sources give conflicting accounts of origin. Warder (1867) credits Lewis Jones of Wayne County, Indiana, as the introducer, describing the variety as a believed seedling. Downing (1900) credits Samuel Hague of Centreville, Indiana, with origination in 1816. As Centreville is the county seat of Wayne County, the geographic accounts are compatible; the variety name itself points to Hague as the originator. Warder adds the assessment "Worthy of attention."
Tree
Hardy, vigorous grower and productive. Young shoots strong, light reddish brown, slightly downy. (Downing.)
Fruit
Size: Large (Warder); medium to large (Downing).
Form: Roundish, oblong, cylindrical, truncate (Warder); roundish conical (Downing). The two sources differ on form — Warder's description emphasizes cylindrical elongation and a truncate end, while Downing describes a conical taper.
Stem: Short to medium, curved (Warder); short (Downing).
Cavity: Deep, acute, regular, russeted brown. (Warder.)
Calyx: Medium, closed. (Warder.)
Basin: Medium, regular. (Warder.)
Skin: Smooth. Ground color greenish yellow (Warder) or pale yellow (Downing), shaded more or less with red, striped and splashed with deep red, and mostly covered with that red wash (Downing). Dots numerous or scattered, large, distinct, yellow (Warder); described by Downing as light dots thickly sprinkled over the surface.
Flesh and Flavor: The sources conflict materially here. Warder describes the flesh as yellow, tender, fine-grained, and juicy, with flavor sub-acid, aromatic, and rich, rating quality very good to best. Downing describes it as yellowish, rather coarse, crisp, and moderately juicy, with flavor mild subacid, rating it simply Good.
Core: Large, heart-shaped, regular, closed or open, clasping. (Warder; Downing concurs on large.)
Seeds: Numerous, short, pointed, plump. (Warder.)
Season
December to February (Warder); January and February (Downing). A mid-to-late winter keeper.
Uses
Table and market. (Warder.)
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Hague.
Introduced by Lewis Jones, Wayne County, Indiana. Believed to be a seedling.
Fruit large, roundish, oblong, cylindrical, truncate; Surface smooth, greenish yellow, shaded more or less with red, striped and splashed deep red; Dots numerous or scattered, large, distinct, yellow.
Basin medium, regular; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity deep, acute, regular, brown; Stem short to medium, curved.
Core large, heart-shaped, regular, closed or open, clasping; Seeds numerous, short, pointed, plump; Flesh yellow, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic, rich; Quality very good to best; Use, table, market; Season, December to February. Worthy of attention.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Hague Pippin.
Originated in 1816, by Samuel Hague, Centreville, Ind. Tree hardy, vigorous grower, and productive. Young shoots strong, light reddish brown, slightly downy.
Fruit medium to large, roundish conical, pale yellow, mostly covered, shaded, splashed and striped with red, thickly sprinkled with light dots. Stalk short. Flesh rather coarse, yellowish, crisp, moderately juicy, mild subacid. Core large. Good. January, February.