Hewe's Virginia Crab

Origin / History

Coxe satisfactorily traces the origin of this apple to Virginia, where in his time trees nearly one hundred years old were standing in the orchard of a respectable inhabitant of that State, from whom he obtained the information. Warder likewise records the variety as being "from Virginia," and notes it as "a famous cider apple, found in all extensive and good cider orchards."

Tree

The tree is of small size. Coxe describes the wood as hard and tough, never breaking with the load of fruit usually produced every second year; such is the hardiness of this fruit that in its bearing year it resists the frosts which frequently cut off other apples. Warder describes the growth as slender, but making a large, spreading top, immensely productive in alternate years, and long lived. Downing likewise calls it "a prodigious bearer," and "very hardy, though of small size."

Twigs: Slender (Warder).

Foliage: Coxe notes that the leaves, though small, are of luxuriant growth. Warder describes the foliage as sparse.

Fruit

Size: Very small. Coxe calls it "of very small size"; Downing gives "about an inch and a half in diameter"; Warder, Lowther, and Downing all agree on its small dimensions. Coxe notes that the size of the fruit may be increased by liberal manuring and good cultivation — he reports having hauled from one to three and four loads of meadow or river mud round many hundreds of his trees, with the best effect, in the increase both of the size and quantity of the fruit.

Form: Coxe describes the form as "nearly round"; Downing as "nearly round"; Warder as "round, somewhat flattened, regular"; Lowther as "flat-round."

Stem / Stalk: Long and thin (Coxe); long and slender (Downing); long, red (Warder).

Cavity: Deep, regular (Warder). Not otherwise described.

Calyx / Eye: Small, closed (Warder).

Basin: Shallow (Warder).

Skin / Surface: Coxe describes the skin as "a dull red, mixed with faint streaks of greenish yellow, and numerous small white spots." Downing gives "dull red, dotted with white specks, and obscurely streaked with greenish yellow." Warder describes the surface as "mixed, striped, purplish red on yellow," with dots numerous, large, pale or fawn. Lowther codes the color as "yt" (yellow).

Flesh / Flavor: Coxe describes the flesh as "singularly fibrous and astringent"; the juice, although acid and austere to the taste when mixed with the flesh, becomes sweet and highly flavoured when expressed from the pulp in the perfect maturity of the fruit. In pressing, the flesh separates from the liquor, which runs through the finest flannel like spring water; in this state it may be transported a great distance to the cellar of the dealer, before the commencement of the fermentation. It is not practicable to express the juice sufficiently from the pomace in one operation of the press; it is therefore usually returned to the vat, and serves to make water cider of a very superior quality. Downing similarly describes the flesh as "fibrous, with an acid, rough, and astringent flavor, and, when ground, runs clear and limpid from the press, and ferments very slowly." Warder records the flesh as "firm, yellowish and greenish, juicy"; the flavor as "acid, rich"; the must is very heavy; quality best for cider. Lowther rates quality as "good."

Core / Seeds: Core round, regular, open, clasping; seeds large, pointed (Warder).

Season

Warder gives the season as November to January. Lowther gives "early autumn."

Uses

Primarily a cider apple. Downing notes that the Virginia Crab makes a very high-flavored dry cider, which, by connoisseurs, is thought unsurpassed in flavor by any other, and retains its soundness a long time. The Virginia Crab is often mixed with rich pulpy apples, to which it imparts a good deal of its fine quality. Coxe's own practice was to mix the crab pomace in the vat with that of strong rich cider apples, which makes an improved liquor, by being strained through and absorbing much of the fine liquor of the crab. Warder notes the apple is also useful for cooking, except on account of its small size; the rich and piquant acid makes it a particularly desirable ingredient in mince-pies. Lowther codes the use as "C" (cider).

Geographic adaptation (Lowther): Northern Division — 15* stations reporting; Central Division — 4* stations reporting. The asterisks indicate the variety is reported as adapted to more than one of the three divisions of the American Pomological Society.

Subtypes / Variants

Roane's White Crab (Downing): A sub-variety of the foregoing, about the same size, with a yellow skin. It makes a rich, strong, bright liquor, and keeps throughout the summer, in a well-bunged cask, perfectly sweet.

Beely's Crab (Warder): In Kentucky there is a variety of this apple known as Beely's Crab, with fruit of similar characters, but the tree is a better grower.

Other

Not described in source.