THE HAWLEY APPLE.

Hawley. Magazine of Horticulture, vol. xiii. p. 535. Dows or Douse of some American Collections.

The Hawley apple, though yet but little known out of its native locality, will undoubtedly become one of the most popular of our fall varieties. It has a combination of excellent qualities : first, its large size, often measuring twelve inches in circumference ; second, its uniform handsome shape, and freedom from specks or blemishes ; third, its fine deep lemon yellow skin; fourth, its remarkably tender and high flavored flesh ; and, lastly, its productiveness, vigorous growth, &c. All these properties are rarely possessed by a single kind, and hence its superiority over many others.

This fine apple was introduced to notice by Gen. E. W. Leavenworth, of Syracuse, N. Y. In the fall of 1846, he sent us some remarkably fine specimens of the fruit, with an account of its origin. From his letter it appears that, about a century ago, Mr. Matthew Hawley removed from Milford, Conn., to New Canaan, in Columbia Co., N. Y., and, as usual with every settler at that time, took with him a lot of apple seeds, from which he raised and planted an orchard of seedling trees on his farm in that place. The Hawley was one of these seedling trees. The farm afterwards passed into the hands of his son Daniel, and was, in 1846, owned by Thomas Hawley, the son of Daniel. For about forty years, it has been well known and cultivated in the neighborhood of its locality, as well as by eminent orchardists in Onondaga and Cayuga counties. The original tree has been dead about twenty years. Scions were obtained from it by the uncles of Mr. Leavenworth, through whom he became acquainted with this apple, and generally made known its excellence.

The tree is a good grower, forms a fine round and rather loose head, and bears abundant crops. Its season is the last of September, just before the Fall Pippin, which it somewhat resembles in shape and general appearance.

Tree. — Vigorous, upright, somewhat spreading, branching low, and forming a handsome head ; annual shoots rather slender.

Wood. — Clear reddish chestnut, dotted with minute grayish specks, rather slender, short-jointed, and very downy at the ends ; old wood, light chestnut brown ; buds, small, short, broad, and flattened.

Leaves. — Medium size, oblong-ovate, thin, with prominent nerves, downy beneath, wavy, and finely and very sharply serrated; petioles, rather short, half an inch long, moderately stout.

Flowers. — Medium size ; petals, cupped.

Fruit. — Large, about three and a half inches broad, and three deep : Form, roundish, rather broad, flattened, somewhat ribbed at the base, and narrowing little towards the crown : Skin, fair, smooth, with an oily touch, pale green, becoming of a rich lemon yellow when mature, and covered with small scattered russet specks : Stem, medium length, about three quarters of an inch long, straight, rather slender, and inserted in a deep, broad, and uneven cavity : Eye, medium size, nearly closed, and moderately sunk in a small, slightly furrowed basin : Flesh, yellow, fine, soft, and very tender : Juice, abundant, pleasantly acid, rich, brisk, high flavored, and excellent: Core, large, nearly closed: Seeds, medium size, broad.

Ripe in September, and in eating through October.

— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)

Hawley.

Douse, | Dow's.

Native of Columbia Co., N. Y. Much resembles Fall Pippin, but larger, and ripens earlier, and is invariably affected with dry rot in all soils. Fruit, large, roundish, flattened conical, yellowish green to yellow, with few brown dots ; stem, slender ; cavity, wide ; calyx, small, partly closed ; basin, medium, slightly plaited ; flesh, yellowish white, tender, juicy, sub-acid. October, sometimes in September.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Hawley.

Originated in Columbia County, New York. Tree vigorous, with a round spreading head; Shoots stout, olive. Fruit large, regular, oblate or slightly conic; Surface waxy yellow, rarely shaded or blushed, becomes oily or greasy when kept. Basin rather wide, wavy; Cavity wide, sometimes folded; Stem short, medium and long. Core regular, closed, scarcely clasping the eye; Seeds generally imperfect; Flesh yellowish-white, very tender, fine grained, juicy; Flavor very pleasant, mild sub-acid, rich; Season August to September; an amateur's fruit.

— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)

Hawley.

Origin, Columbia Co., N. Y. Tree vigorous, and bears annually.

Fruit large, roundish oblate conic. Skin fine yellow, somewhat waxen or oily, and considerably dotted. Stalk short, inserted in a rather deep cavity. Calyx small, nearly closed, in a moderate, somewhat furrowed basin. Flesh whitish, very tender, juicy, rich, mild subacid. Ripe September.

A fruit of very good quality, but as it soon decays, its value is thereby much depreciated.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Hawley. (Dowse.) Quite large, roundish, slightly conical, sometimes nearly round, with a broad obtuse apex, and slightly flattened, smooth; pale green becoming yellow, sometimes a very faint orange cheek; stalk one-half to one inch long, slender; cavity wide, deep, acute, sometimes slightly obtuse; basin deep, slightly furrowed; flesh yellowish white, fine-grained, quite tender, with a mild, rich, sub-acid, fine flavor. Ripens at mid-autumn. Shoots of rather slow growth. Origin, Columbia County, N. Y. Liability to dry rot and water-core has rendered it of little value. Fig. 372.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

HAWLEY.

REFERENCES. 1. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 13:112, 535. 1847. fig. 2. Cultivator, 4:114. 1847. fig. 3. Leavenworth, Horticulturist, 2:27. 1847. fig. 4. Cultivator, 5:246. 1848. 5. Cole, 1849:112. fig. 6. Thomas, 1849:156. fig. 7. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:48. 1851. col. pl. No. 24, fig. 8. Hovey, 2:39. 1851. col. pl. and fig. 9. Barry, 1851:284. 10. Horticulturist, 7:484. 1852. 11. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1852. 12. Mag. Hort., 19:68. 1853. 13. Elliott, 1854:137. 14. Mag. Hort., 20:241. 1854. 15. Downing, 1857:82. 16. Gregg, 1857:44. fig. 17. Hooper, 1857:43. 18. Horticulturist, 13:481. 1858. 19. Warder, 1867:410. fig. 20. Leroy, 1873:375. fig. 21. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:240. 22. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:296. 1901.

SYNONYMS. Douse (3, 5, 8, 10, 13, 20). Dows (1, 3, 8, 13, 20). Dowse (2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 16, 20, 22). HAWLEY (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22). Howley (20).

Hawley is a very large apple of the Fall Pippin type in color, size and form. When the color is fully developed it is a handsome yellow. Season September and October. It is of delicious dessert quality and desirable for the home orchard but not well adapted for market because the tree is not very productive and the fruit often is scabby and sometimes it water-cores and rots at the core. The tree is a moderate grower in the nursery but in the orchard it is rather vigorous, medium in size to large, hardy and rather long-lived. It does not come into bearing very young. When mature it bears quite regularly but is usually a light or moderate cropper.

Historical. Originated on the farm of Mr. Mathew Hawley, New Canaan, N. Y., about 1750, from seeds which Mr. Hawley obtained from Milford, Conn. (1, 3). The original tree lived nearly a century. The variety gradually became disseminated throughout New York state. It has long been known in cultivation in different parts of the state, particularly in Columbia, Onondaga, Cayuga, Tompkins, Seneca and Monroe counties. It is now rarely listed by nurserymen and is seldom planted.

FRUIT.

Fruit large or very large, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form nearly globular to somewhat oblate or slightly conic, sometimes inclined to elliptical, more or less distinctly ribbed. Stem medium in length, rather slender. Cavity acute to nearly obtuse, deep, wide and with outspreading russet rays. Calyx below medium to rather large, partly closed; lobes often separated at base, reflexed, wide, acute. Basin moderately deep to deep, medium to wide, very abrupt, often decidedly furrowed. Skin fair, smooth, waxy, rather thin, pale green deepening to yellow as it matures, sometimes showing a faint brownish blush, with scattering russet dots and flecks especially toward the cavity. Calyx tube large, wide, cone-shape, yellow or brownish. Core below medium to above; cells closed; core lines meeting. Carpels rather flat, tufted, roundish, emarginate. Seeds few, obtuse. When well developed they are medium in size, but often some are abortive. Flesh tinged with yellow, soft, very tender, rather fine-grained, juicy, rich, mild subacid, very good especially for dessert. Season September to November or later.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

HAWLEY. Douse. Few apples surpass Hawley in appearance and quality of fruit. The fruits are large, of the Fall Pippin type, made in a similar mould, and have a color of the same pleasing commingling of green and gold. But it is in quality that they become quite preeminent, being characterized by tenderness, crispness, juiciness and fineness of flesh, and richness of flavor. Hawley can be as readily characterized by its faults as by its merits: the apples cannot be kept long, are frequently water-cored or rotten at the core; the trees are unproductive; and fruit and foliage are susceptible to the scab-fungus. Hawley originated from seeds planted by Mathew Hawley, New Canaan, New York, about 1750. It is to be found in all apple regions where there are fruit-growers of New York ancestry. Tree large, vigorous, hardy, long-lived, susceptible to fungi, comes in bearing late, moderately productive. Fruit large or very large, uniform in size and shape, globular, oblate or conic, sometimes elliptical, ribbed; stem medium in length, slender; cavity acute, deep, wide and with outspreading russet rays; calyx large, partly closed; lobes often separated at the base, reflexed, wide, acute; basin deep, medium to wide, very abrupt, often furrowed; skin smooth, waxy, thin, pale green deepening to yellow, sometimes showing a faint brown blush, with scattering russet dots and flecks especially toward the cavity; calyx-tube large, wide, cone-shape, yellow or brown; core medium; cells closed; core-lines meeting; carpels flat, tufted, round, emarginate; seeds few, obtuse, medium in size, often abortive; flesh yellow, soft, tender, fine-grained, juicy, rich, mild subacid; very good; September to November or later.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)

Planted Spring 1890. Tree a vigorous and upright grower and constant bearer. Fruit large, roundish, oblong. Skin greenish yellow. Flesh whitish, juicy, crisp, tender, rich, mildly sub-acid, quality very good. Season September.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)