Horse

Origin / History

Origin supposed to be North Carolina (Downing, Thomas, Budd & Hansen); Elliott states the origin is unknown. A southern favorite, much liked by its western cultivators, especially as a useful family apple (Warder); valued at the South and West as a summer cooking and drying apple (Thomas, Elliott). Warder notes his specimens were received from Mr. S. W. Westbrooke, Greensboro', North Carolina. Downing observes: "There is said to be another Horse Apple, ripening a month or more later; we have not examined it."

Tree

Vigorous, an annual, early and abundant bearer (Downing); vigorous, productive, and an early annual bearer (Budd & Hansen); tree vigorous, productive (Thomas). Valuable for drying and culinary purposes. Young wood light reddish brown (Downing).

Fruit

Size

Medium to large (Elliott); large (Warder, Downing, Thomas, Budd & Hansen).

Form

Sources give varying form descriptions:

• Roundish conical, little irregular (Elliott)
• Round, somewhat conical, truncated, uneven (Warder, first description)
• Round, somewhat flattened, regular (Warder, second description — the Westbrooke specimens)
• Roundish, sometimes tinged with red (Downing)
• Varying from oblate to round, ribbed (Thomas)
• Roundish oblate to roundish oval, ribbed, uneven (Budd & Hansen)

Stem

Short (Elliott, Thomas); medium to long (Warder first description, Budd & Hansen); short, slender (Warder second description).

Cavity

Shallow (Elliott, Thomas); deep, acute, wavy, brown (Warder first description); deep, acute, wavy, russeted (Budd & Hansen); wide, wavy (Warder second description).

Calyx / Eye / Basin

Basin narrow (Elliott); basin shallow (Thomas); basin abrupt, folded, with eye medium, closed (Warder first description); basin regular, abrupt, with eye small, closed, very long, calyx reflexed (Warder second description); basin abrupt, plaited, corrugated, calyx closed (Budd & Hansen).

Skin / Surface

Greenish yellow to orange, with blush in the sun, and russet lines about the stem (Elliott); surface yellow, with dots scattered, indented, large, gray and greenish (Warder first description); surface smooth, greenish-yellow, blushed, with dots scattered, white (Warder second description); yellow, sometimes tinged with red, and small patches of russet (Downing); yellow (Thomas); surface yellow, sometimes shaded with red, with small russet patches; dots few, sunken, large, gray and greenish (Budd & Hansen).

Flesh / Flavor

• Yellow, coarse, acid (Elliott)
• Yellow, breaking, fine, juicy; flavor sub-acid; quality good (Warder first description)
• White, fine-grained, tender, juicy; flavor sub-acid, mild; quality pretty good (Warder second description)
• Yellow, rather firm and coarse, tender, pleasant subacid; Good (Downing)
• Yellow, rather coarse, sub-acid (Thomas)
• Yellow, firm, coarse, tender, pleasant subacid, good (Budd & Hansen)

Core / Seeds

Core large, hollow (Elliott); core large, somewhat open, clasping; seeds numerous, medium, plump, brown (Warder first description); core large, wide, irregular, open, clasping; seeds numerous, angular, plump (Warder second description); core large, half open (Budd & Hansen).

Season

Last July (Elliott); August, September (Warder first description); September (Warder second description); last of July and first of August (Downing); August (Budd & Hansen). Thomas describes it as a summer apple. Downing notes a reputed later-ripening Horse Apple, ripening a month or more later, which he had not examined.

Uses

Kitchen, market, and drying (Warder); valuable for drying and culinary purposes (Downing); summer cooking and drying apple (Thomas); fruit valued for cooking and drying (Budd & Hansen); valued highly South and West for cooking (Elliott). Warder's second description also lists table use.

Subtypes / Variants

Downing notes the report of "another Horse Apple, ripening a month or more later," which he had not examined. Warder gives two distinct descriptions — one for the standard southern Horse, and a second for specimens received from S. W. Westbrooke of Greensboro', North Carolina (with white, fine-grained flesh, smooth greenish-yellow blushed skin, and September season), suggesting strain variation.

Other

Not described in source.