Holland Pippin

Origin / History

Origin unknown. Holland Pippin is an old variety which has long been in cultivation in New York and adjoining states (Beach). Hedrick notes that it has been grown in America over a century, with its culture extending from the Atlantic westward to Michigan and Indiana. Coxe (1817) records that it appears to be the same as Prince's Large Pippin of New-York, is called Vanduyn's Pippin in some parts of Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, called the Summer Pippin in Morris County, and was erroneously called the Golden Pippin by many who attended the Philadelphia market (the true Golden Pippin being a very small apple imported from England).

There has been persistent historical confusion between Holland Pippin and two other varieties:

• Versus Fall Pippin: Holland Pippin and Fall Pippin are of the same origin (Downing) and have frequently been confounded in the books (Downing, Warder, Thomas, Hedrick). The two are nevertheless distinct. Downing (1848, quoted by Beach) summarized the differences: "The Holland Pippin, though considerably resembling this apple in the growth of the tree, and size and shape of the fruit, is a totally distinct apple from the Fall Pippin. In fact, while the Fall Pippin is one of the best autumn table apples (at least in this district), the Holland Pippin is of very inferior quality for dessert, and is, in fact, only a cooking apple. As a kitchen fruit, however, it is one of the most valuable summer fruits we know — for it bears regularly and well, comes into use at the beginning of August, and continues fit for pies, tarts, and sauce, until October, when the Fall Pippin begins to ripen. The Holland Pippin is fit for use while the skin is quite green, but the Fall Pippin, not until it turns quite yellow. Finally, the stalk of the Holland Pippin is short, and set in a wide cavity, while that of the Fall Pippin is large, and set in a cavity often narrow, and comparatively shallow." Hedrick reiterates these distinctions: Holland Pippin is a culinary fruit while Fall Pippin is a choice dessert apple; Holland Pippin is the earlier, going out of season soon after Fall Pippin begins to ripen; Holland Pippin is the greener fruit, Fall Pippin being fit to use only when golden yellow; Holland Pippin's stalk is short and set in a wide cavity, while Fall Pippin's is long and set in a narrow cavity. Elliott similarly notes Holland Pippin is "more regular round, stem shorter, cavity not as deep, more broad and open; calyx smaller, and basin not as wide" than Fall Pippin. Thomas declares it "Wholly distinct from the Fall Pippin."
• Versus Holland Winter: Beach notes that two varieties have been in cultivation in New York under the name Holland Pippin — one is a winter apple in season from late autumn to April or May (described elsewhere as Holland Winter), the other (the subject of this entry) begins to ripen earlier than Fall Pippin and is in season during September and October. Hedrick distinguishes them by season: Holland Pippin is a fall apple while Holland Winter is in season in winter.
• Versus the Western "Holland": Warder notes that the Holland as grown in Western New York and through the West (derived from New York) is "entirely different" from the Fall Pippin and belongs to a different class. His description (which gives a markedly inferior fruit, see Fruit/Flavor below) may represent this western strain.

Holland Pippin is grown to a limited extent for market and appears to be more valued for this purpose in certain portions of the Hudson valley than in other sections of the state (Beach). It is still listed by nurserymen but is not being planted to any considerable extent (Beach). Warder reports it was "Not seen in the southern counties of the States north of the Ohio River."

Tree

Tree large or moderately large, vigorous (Beach, Hedrick); Coxe describes it as growing "very vigorously, handsome and spreading, with uncommonly large shoots and leaves." Form spreading or roundish/round-topped (Beach, Hedrick). Hardy or nearly so, healthy, pretty long-lived, and generally quite productive, yielding moderate to heavy crops biennially or sometimes annually (Beach). Hedrick notes that the trees of Holland Pippin and Fall Pippin are much the same in habit and both are exceptionally satisfactory. Elliott notes the tree resembles that of Fall Pippin.

Twigs: Medium to long, curved, stout; internodes medium (Beach).

Bark: Dark brown, heavily coated with gray scarf-skin; pubescent (Beach).

Lenticels: Scattering, small to medium, oval, not raised (Beach).

Buds: Medium size, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent (Beach).

Leaves: Uncommonly large (Coxe).

Fruit

Size: Very large; usually large or very large, sometimes medium, pretty uniform in size and shape (Beach, Hedrick, Thomas, Downing, Lowther). Coxe notes the size is "very large, it generally weighs a pound." Warder simply says "large."

Form: Sources give somewhat varying descriptions. Coxe: "the form is rather long than flat." Warder: "regular, conic, rather oblate." Downing: "roundish, a little more square in outline than the Fall Pippin, and not so much flattened, though a good deal like it, a little narrowed next the eye." Thomas: "roundish, somewhat oblong, and flattened at the ends, sometimes slightly oblate." Beach: "roundish often decidedly flattened at the end varying to oblate conic, obscurely ribbed." Hedrick: "round or oblate-conic, obscurely ribbed." Lowther: "flat." Elliott notes it is more regular round than Fall Pippin.

Stem / Stalk: Short (Coxe, Downing, Elliott, Hedrick). Coxe: "the stalk is short." Downing: "Stalk half an inch long, thick, deeply sunk." Warder: "Stem medium to long." Thomas: "stalk variable in length, usually short." Beach: "Stem medium to short, usually rather slender." Hedrick: "stem short, usually slender."

Cavity: Coxe says the fruit "is very deeply indented at both ends" (referring to both cavity and basin). Warder: "Cavity medium, acute, regular, brown." Downing implies a deep cavity ("Stalk … deeply sunk"). Thomas: "cavity wide, acute." Elliott: "cavity not as deep, more broad and open" (compared with Fall Pippin). Beach: "Cavity acute or sometimes acuminate, medium in width to broad, moderately shallow to deep, usually covered with thick outspreading russet." Hedrick: "cavity acute, medium in width, shallow, usually covered with thick outspreading russet." Downing also notes the cavity is wide (in the quoted 1848 comparison).

Calyx / Eye: Warder: "Eye medium, closed." Downing: "Calyx small, closed, moderately sunk in a slight plaited basin." Elliott: "calyx smaller" (than Fall Pippin). Beach: "Calyx pubescent, medium to small, closed or partly open; lobes rather long, acute." Hedrick: "calyx pubescent, small, closed or partly open; lobes long, acute." Hedrick adds: "calyx-tube wide, broadly conical; stamens median."

Basin: Coxe: "very deeply indented at both ends." Warder: "Basin narrow, medium depth, regular." Downing: "slight plaited basin." Thomas: "basin slightly plaited." Elliott: "basin not as wide" (compared with Fall Pippin). Beach: "Basin usually rather shallow but varying to moderately deep, medium in width to rather narrow, abrupt to somewhat obtuse, ridged and wrinkled." Hedrick: "basin shallow to deep, narrow, abrupt to obtuse, ridged and wrinkled."

Skin: Coxe: "smooth and fair—of a clear, pale greenish yellow." Warder: "Surface dull yellowish-green, rarely bronzed; Dots minute." Downing: "greenish yellow or pale green, becoming pale yellow when fully ripe, washed on one side with a little dull red or pale brown, with a few scattered, large, greenish dots." Thomas: "greenish yellow, becoming pale yellow or whitish yellow, with a brownish red cheek." Beach: "Skin thin, tough, nearly smooth, rather pale yellow or greenish with more or less of a brownish-red blush which is conspicuously marked with large, irregular, areolar dots. Dots numerous, large and small, often submerged and greenish." Hedrick: "skin thin, tough, smooth, pale yellow with brownish-red blush which is conspicuously marked with large irregular, areolar dots; dots numerous, large and small, often submerged." Lowther: "greenish yellow." Hedrick (in distinguishing it from Fall Pippin) emphasizes it is the greener fruit of the two, fit for use while the skin is quite green.

Flesh / Flavor: Sources diverge sharply on flavor and quality.

• Coxe (favorable): "the flesh pale yellow, juicy, tender, sprightly, and finely flavoured."
• Warder (unfavorable): "Flesh yellowish-white or greenish-white, breaking, coarse-grained, juicy; Flavor quite acid, not rich, not agreeable; Quality only fair; Use cooking only."
• Thomas: "flesh nearly white, rather acid, with a moderate flavor."
• Downing rates the apple "Good" overall (no separate flesh description beyond skin).
• Hedrick: "flesh white, coarse-grained, crisp, tender, very juicy, brisk subacid; good to very good."

The pomological consensus (Downing, Beach, Elliott, Hedrick, Thomas, Warder) regards it as principally or only a cooking apple of inferior dessert quality, while Coxe found it "very popular … used both for eating and cooking." (See Origin/History above for the Downing quotation on its inferior dessert quality but excellent kitchen use.) Lowther rates quality "good." Elliott considered it esteemed for cooking but thought it surpassed by Gravenstein for that purpose.

Core / Seeds: Warder: "Core medium, regular, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, sometimes imperfect." Hedrick: "core large, abaxile; cells unsymmetrical, open; core-lines meeting or clasping; carpels broad, narrowing toward base and apex, emarginate, tufted; seeds narrow, acute."

Season

Coxe: ripens in October, and keeps well as a fall apple. Warder: October to December at the North. Downing: begins to fall from the tree and is fit for pies about the middle of August, and from that time to the first of November is one of the very best kitchen apples. Beach: in season during September and October; the crop ripens unevenly — some apples ripen early and are correspondingly short-lived while others ripen later and keep correspondingly later; it varies greatly in keeping qualities in different seasons, some years keeping well till late fall or early winter. Hedrick: September to October. Elliott: fitted for cooking in August. Thomas: ripens early and mid-autumn, but is a good cooking apple some weeks previously. Lowther: early autumn.

Uses

Both eating and cooking, and very popular as a market apple (Coxe). The dominant later view is that it is a culinary fruit only — used for pies, tarts, and sauce (Downing) — and of inferior quality for dessert (Downing, Warder, Beach, Hedrick, Elliott, Thomas). Thomas calls it "An excellent culinary sort." Lowther lists its use as "both kitchen and market." Holland Pippin is grown to a limited extent for market and is more valued for this purpose in certain portions of the Hudson valley than elsewhere in New York (Beach). When kept free from scab its general appearance is good for a green apple (Beach). Elliott thought it esteemed for cooking but surpassed by Gravenstein.

Subtypes / Variants

Beach notes that two varieties have been in cultivation in New York under the name Holland Pippin: a winter apple (Holland Winter, in season late autumn to April or May) and the fall apple that is the subject of this entry. Warder distinguishes a strain "as grown in Western New York, and through the West, as derived from the former State," which he describes as entirely different from the Fall Pippin and gives the markedly inferior characteristics quoted under Flesh/Flavor above.

Other

Lowther's regional distribution (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture): "N. Div.: 3 (reported in more than one division). C. Div.: 4 (reported in more than one division). S. Div.: 2 (reported in more than one division)."