Keswick
Apple
KESWICK (Keswick Codlin)
Origin and History
This variety was first discovered growing among a quantity of rubbish behind a wall at Gleaston Castle, near Ulverstone in England, and was brought into notice by John Sander, a nurseryman at Keswick, who propagated it and sent it out under the name of Keswick Codlin. According to the Memoirs of the Caledonian Horticultural Society (1813), Sir John Sinclair reported: "The Keswick Codlin tree has never failed to bear a crop since it was planted in the episcopal garden at Rose Castle, Carlisle, twenty years ago."
The variety has long been known in North America, and very old trees are found in some orchards, though it is nowhere extensively cultivated. It is grown chiefly for home use and is quite commonly listed by nurserymen. The apple is distinct from the English Codling described by Coxe, Thacher, Forsyth, and others.
Tree Characteristics
Tree medium to large in size, moderately vigorous in growth. Form upright spreading to roundish. Twigs moderately long, curved, stout; internodes short. Bark dull brown, heavily coated with gray scarf-skin; pubescent. Lenticels numerous, rather conspicuous, medium to small, round, not raised. Buds medium to large, prominent, broad, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.
The tree is a good grower, hardy, healthy, and long-lived. It comes into bearing quite young and yields good to very good crops almost annually.
Fruit Description
Size and Form: Above medium to nearly large, not very uniform in size. Form roundish conic or inclined to oblong conic, rather broad at the base, distinctly ribbed; sides frequently a little unequal.
Stem: Medium to short, slender to rather thick.
Cavity: Variably acute, medium in depth to shallow, rather narrow to moderately broad, more or less russeted. A suture line frequently extends from the cavity outward.
Calyx: Medium size, closed; lobes long, medium in width, nearly acuminate.
Basin: Shallow, moderately narrow, furrowed or angular, often with fleshy protuberances alternating with the calyx lobes.
Skin: Thin, tough, smooth, waxy. Pale greenish or yellow in color, sometimes with a faint blush. Dots submerged, inconspicuous or russet.
Core: Variable, large, abaxile; cells wide open; core lines meeting. Calyx tube medium in length, rather wide, bluntly cone-shaped. Stamens median.
Seeds: Very light brown, very small to medium in width, short, very plump, acute.
Flesh and Flavor: Nearly white in color, fine-textured, tender, very juicy. Brisk subacid in flavor. Good for culinary use; too acid for dessert unless very ripe.
Season and Storage
Comes into season late in August or early in September and ripens continuously during a period of several weeks. Not adapted for storage, with a commercial storage limit of September and early October. Does not stand heat well before going into storage and deteriorates quickly once stored.
Uses
Particularly esteemed for its excellence in culinary use. Grown chiefly for home use and only to a very limited extent for local market.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)KESWICK.
REFERENCES. 1. Forsyth, 1824:132. 2. London Hort. Soc. Cat., 1831:No. 225. 3. Kenrick, 1832:189. 4. Floy-Lindley, 1833:25. 5. Downing, 1845:187. 6. Thomas, 1849:156. 7. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y. 3:37. 1851. 8. Barry, 1851:280. 9. Elliott, 1854:141. 10. Barry, Horticulturist, 10:87. 1855. 11. Gregg, 1857:37. 12. Hooper, 1857:25, 49, 107, 111. 13. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1860. 14. Mead, Horticulturist, 17:150. 1862. 15. Warder, 1867:688. fig. 16. Fitz, 1872:160. 17. Hogg, 1884:122. 18. Wickson, 1889:243. 19. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:294. 20. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:242. 21. Taft, Mich. Sta. Bul., 105:108. 1894. 22. Lyon, Ib., 118:60. 1895. 23. Ib., 143:200. 1897. 24. Bunyard, Jour. Roy. Hort. Soc., 1898:354. 25. Dickens and Greene, Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:53. 1902. 26. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:45. 1903. 27. Budd-Hansen, 1903:110. 28. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:128. 1904.
SYNONYMS. CODLIN, KESWICK (1, 2, 24). KESWICK (19, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28). KESWICK CODLIN (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25). Keswick Codlin (27, 28). KESWICK CODLING (15). No. 225 (2).
This variety is particularly esteemed on account of its excellence for culinary use. It is not adapted for storage, its commercial limit in ordinary storage being September and early October. It comes into season late in August or early in September and ripens continuously during a period of several weeks. It does not stand heat well before going into storage and goes down quickly (28). The fruit is of good medium size to rather large, greenish-yellow, sometimes with faint blush; flesh brisk subacid. It is grown chiefly for home use and only to a very limited extent for local market. The tree is a good grower, hardy, healthy, long-lived, comes into bearing quite young and yields good to very good crops almost annually. This is distinct from the Codling or English Codling described by Coxe, Thacher, Forsyth and others.
Historical. Hogg (17) states that: "This excellent apple was first discovered growing among a quantity of rubbish behind a wall at Gleaston Castle, near Ulverstone, and was first brought into notice by one John Sander, a nurseryman at Keswick, who, having propagated it, sent it out under the name of Keswick Codlin. In the Memoirs of the Caledonian Horticultural Society, 1813, Sir John Sinclair says: 'The Keswick Codlin tree has never failed to bear a crop since it was planted in the episcopal garden at Rose Castle, Carlisle, twenty years ago.'"
It has long been known in this country and very old trees of it are found in some orchards but it is nowhere extensively cultivated being grown chiefly for home use. It is quite commonly listed by nurserymen (20).
TREE. Tree medium to large, moderately vigorous. Form upright spreading to roundish. Twigs moderately long, curved, stout; internodes short. Bark dull brown, heavily coated with gray scarf-skin; pubescent. Lenticels numerous, rather conspicuous, medium to small, round, not raised. Buds medium to large, prominent, broad, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.
FRUIT. Fruit above medium to nearly large, not very uniform. Form roundish conic or inclined to oblong conic, rather broad at the base, distinctly ribbed; sides frequently a little unequal. Stem medium to short, slender to rather thick. Cavity variably acute, medium in depth, to shallow, rather narrow to moderately broad, more or less russeted. Calyx medium size, closed; lobes long, medium in width, nearly acuminate. Basin shallow, moderately narrow, furrowed or angular, often with fleshy protuberances alternating with the calyx lobes. Skin thin, tough, smooth, waxy, pale greenish or yellow, sometimes with a faint blush and often with a suture line extending out from the cavity. Dots submerged, inconspicuous or russet. Calyx tube medium in length, rather wide, bluntly cone-shape. Stamens median. Core variable, large, abaxile; cells wide open; core lines meeting. Carpels variable, roundish ovate. Seeds very light brown, very small, medium in width, short, very plump, acute. Flesh nearly white, fine, tender, very juicy, brisk subacid, good for culinary use, too acid for dessert unless very ripe. Season August and September.