Hall
Apple
Hall
Origin / History
Originated on the grounds of Mr. Hall in Franklin County, North Carolina (Warder, Downing, Budd & Hansen, Elliott, Thomas). Warder notes the variety was being spread throughout the Western States as a fruit of great promise, having been introduced into the West by the venerable R. Ragan of Fillmore, Indiana. The specimens Warder described were sent by J. S. Downer of Elkton, Kentucky, from whom Warder also obtained his trees. Warder also records a conflicting account from Mr. J. P. Wilson of Olney, Illinois, who reported that the variety originated in Saline County, Illinois, with Jonathan Hall about forty years prior — though Warder appends a "[?]" indicating uncertainty about this account. Downing describes it as considered in North Carolina the best long-keeping dessert apple they cultivate. Thomas calls it a widely cultivated and highly esteemed Southern variety. Elliott recommends the variety be introduced Southwest as a dessert apple.
Tree
Tree of medium / moderate size and moderate growth, sufficiently thrifty, upright, hardy, very productive (Warder, Downing, Budd & Hansen, Thomas, Elliott). Downing notes the tree never attains a very large size. Shoots long, rather slender, reddish (Warder, Thomas); Downing describes the branches as long, slender, reddish brown, grayish. Wood remarkably firm (Warder, Downing). Elliott emphasizes the trees are very hardy.
Fruit
Size: Small (all sources); Thomas adds "rather small."
Form: Sources vary slightly. Warder: round, slightly conical, regular. Downing: oblate, slightly conic. Elliott: roundish flattened. Thomas: roundish, slightly oblate. Budd & Hansen: roundish oblate, slightly conical, regular.
Stem / Stalk: Long, slender (Warder, Budd & Hansen); slender, curved (Thomas); of medium length, slender, curved (Downing); slender (Elliott). Budd & Hansen specify long, slender, curved.
Cavity: Wide, regular, brown (Warder); wide, deep, regular (Budd & Hansen); round, deep, open (Downing); round, medium (Thomas); open (Elliott).
Calyx / Eye: Small, closed (Warder, Budd & Hansen); closed (Downing).
Basin: Shallow, wavy or plaited, leather-cracked (Warder); narrow, shallow, wavy, plaited, leather-cracked (Budd & Hansen); small, uneven (Downing — "generally in a small uneven basin"); small, plaited (Thomas); small (Elliott).
Skin / Surface: Surface smooth, yellow, covered with bright red, mixed and striped (Warder); skin smooth, thick, mostly shaded with crimson, and covered with various colored dots (Downing); surface smooth, greenish yellow, mostly covered with bright red and crimson, mixed and striped (Budd & Hansen); mostly red (Elliott); striped red on greenish yellow (Thomas); yellow with red (Lowther).
Dots: Numerous, large, yellow (Warder); various colored (Downing); many, large, yellow and russet (Budd & Hansen); many (Elliott); russet (Thomas).
Flesh / Flavor: Flesh yellow / yellowish, tender, fine-grained, juicy (Warder, Downing, Budd & Hansen, Elliott, Thomas). Flavor sub-acid, rich, agreeable (Warder); very rich, vinous, saccharine, aromatic (Downing); rich, vinous aromatic (Elliott); very rich, mild sub-acid, aromatic (Thomas); rich, aromatic subacid (Budd & Hansen). Quality almost best (Warder, Budd & Hansen); "best" (Elliott); very good (Downing, Lowther).
Core / Seeds: Core pyriform, regular, slightly open, clasping; seeds large, plump (Warder). Budd & Hansen: core slightly open, clasping; seeds large, plump.
Season
December to April (Warder, Downing, Budd & Hansen); January (Elliott); through winter (Thomas); winter (Lowther).
Uses
Table / dessert apple (Warder — "Use, table"; Downing — "best long-keeping dessert apple"; Elliott — "dessert apple"); family use (Lowther).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther records division reports of 11 and 7, each with asterisks indicating the variety is also reported in another division. Thomas references Fig. 420.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (6)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Hall.
HALL'S SEEDLING—HALL'S RED.
From Franklin County, North Carolina, and now being spread throughout the Western States as a fruit of great promise.
Tree medium size, sufficiently thrifty, upright, hardy, very productive; Shoots long, rather slender, reddish, wood firm. Introduced into the West by the venerable R. Ragan, of Fillmore, Indiana. The specimens from which the following description was made were sent by J. S. Downer, of Elkton, Kentucky, from whom also my trees were obtained. Mr. J. P. Wilson, of Olney, Ill., says, it originated in Saline County, of that State, with Jonathan Hall, about forty years ago. [?]
Fruit small, round, slightly conical, regular; Surface smooth, yellow, covered with bright red, mixed and striped; Dots numerous, large, yellow.
Basin shallow, wavy or plaited, leather-cracked; Eye small, closed.
Cavity wide, regular, brown; Stem long, slender.
Core pyriform, regular, slightly open, clasping; Seeds large, plump; Flesh yellow, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, rich, agreeable; Quality almost best; Use, table; Season, December to April.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Hall.
Hall's Seedling. Hall's Red. Jenny Seedling.
Origin, on the grounds of Mr. Hall, Franklin Co., N. C. Tree of moderate growth, hardy, upright, with long, slender, reddish brown, grayish branches, and remarkably firm wood. The tree never attains a very large size ; is very productive, and is considered in North Carolina the best long-keeping dessert apple they cultivate.
Fruit small, oblate, slightly conic. Skin smooth, thick, mostly shaded with crimson, and covered with various colored dots. Stalk of medium length, slender, curved, inserted in a round, deep, open cavity. Calyx closed, generally in a small uneven basin. Flesh yellowish, fine-grained, juicy, with a very rich, vinous, saccharine, aromatic flavor. Very good. December to April.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Hall: size small; color yellow with red; quality very good; use family; season winter; division reports 11 (asterisk indicates the variety is also reported in another division) and 7 (asterisk indicates the variety is also reported in another division).
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Hall. Hall's Red, | Jenny's Seedling. From North Carolina. Fruit small, roundish flattened, mostly red, with many dots ; stem, slender ; cavity, open ; basin, small ; flesh, yellowish, fine-grained, juicy, rich, vinous aromatic; "best." January. This variety should be introduced Southwest as a dessert apple. The trees are very hardy.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Hall.* Rather small, roundish, slightly oblate; striped red on greenish yellow, with russet dots; stalk slender, curved; cavity round, medium; basin small, plaited; flesh yellowish, fine-grained, with a very rich, mild sub-acid, aromatic flavor. Through winter. A widely cultivated and highly esteemed Southern variety. Growth moderate, upright, shoots slender, reddish. Fig. 420. Hardy. North Carolina.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Hall. — Origin, North Carolina; tree of moderate growth, upright, very productive.
Fruit small, roundish oblate, slightly conical, regular; surface smooth, greenish yellow, mostly covered with bright red and crimson, mixed and striped; dots many, large, yellow and russet; cavity wide, deep, regular; stem long, slender, curved; basin narrow, shallow, wavy, plaited, leather-cracked; calyx small, closed. Core slightly open, clasping; seeds large, plump; flesh yellow, fine-grained, tender, juicy, rich, aromatic subacid, almost best. December to April.