King
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
King
Origin / History
Origin uncertain (Elliott, Downing), but every source that names a place, except Warder, puts it in New Jersey. Warren County is the locality given by Downing, who says it is said to have originated with Thomas Thacher there; Beach and Hedrick give Warren County as well, Beach placing it near Washington. Budd and Hansen give a supposed origin in Essex County, New Jersey, and say it was first noticed as a heavy bearer in Tompkins County, New York, in 1838. Thomas gives New Jersey, and Bunyard and the 1914 Bunyard catalogue give New Jersey before 1800. Warder alone supposes it originated in Tompkins County, New York, where it had been much cultivated. Elliott says it was supposed to have been brought at an early day from New Jersey to Jacksonville, Tompkins County, N. Y. Some thought the original tree grew at Jacksonville, but Bailey found that tree had been grafted, so it could not be the original seedling (Beach).
Beach says it is said to have been brought from Warren County to Tompkins County in 1804 by Jacob Wycoff, who named it King. The Congress of Fruit Growers at Rochester added Tompkins County to the name to distinguish it from other King apples. Beach records that it is commonly called King, and that fruit growers and fruit dealers usually know it by that name; less frequently it is called Tompkins County King or King of Tompkins County. He adds that pomologists accept Tompkins King as the correct name. Hedrick says the name is commonly shortened to King.
James M. Mattison of Jacksonville, N. Y., investigated the origin in the winter of 1860 and published his account in the April Horticulturist of that year. Wycoff moved to the county about sixty years before. "Finding the art of grafting practised here," he procured the grafts on a visit some fifty-six years before. He "always claimed it to be a seedling," and named it King.
Mattison traced it to a place about one and a half to two miles from Washington, Warren County. There he found very old grafted trees that seemed over fifty years old. Two aged men near Asbury, Daniel Fleet and William Crivling, had known it from boyhood. By their account it originated on the north side of the Musconetcong mountain, about one mile from where they lived. Jesse Weller knew one very old tree on his farm forty years before, dead several years by then.
The apple was called Toma Red throughout that section and was "confined to a small locality." Mattison pointed out trees from the road and was told they were what he called the King of Tompkins County. He brought fruit home and left fruit of his own, and found the apples "not quite as high flavored in New Jersey as they are here between the lakes (Cayuga and Seneca)."
The first published description appeared in the New Genesee Farmer in 1842, under the name "King Apple." Ellwanger and Barry of Rochester, N. Y., had trees for sale in 1845. T. C. Maxwell and Brothers of Geneva, N. Y., began propagating it extensively in 1848 and were active in disseminating it. In the same year Thomas described it as King, cultivated in Tompkins and Cayuga counties but not widely spread. Cole mentioned it in 1849 as King, from Ellwanger and Barry. Emmons described it in 1851 as the Winter King from Tompkins County. At its 1856 Rochester meeting the American Pomological Society catalogued it as Tompkins King, to distinguish it from other varieties then known as King.
In the sixty years before Beach wrote, its cultivation extended through New England, portions of Canada, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. It practically failed to establish itself in the Mississippi valley but is quite well known on the Pacific Coast, from Washington southward into California. Beach says it has been quite generally cultivated throughout the principal apple-growing districts of New York, often with fairly good success. Taking the state as a whole, he says it probably ranks fourth in commercial importance, surpassed by Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening, and Northern Spy. Hedrick calls it widely distributed throughout the North and East but most commonly grown in New York. It was planted in spring 1890 at the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, B. C.
Elliott, after ten years' acquaintance, called it "really one of the most valuable apples grown at the North." Warder called it a "splendid apple, which has attracted so much attention of recent years." Hedrick says it "has few superiors on the score either of beauty or quality of fruit" and is one of the most widely planted apples in home orchards, yet "few varieties are harder to handle." Veitch calls it "one of the best American varieties." Bunyard calls it "very delicious when well grown," and says he has seen it from a sandstone soil equal to American samples. It received an A.M., dated March 27, 1900 in the 1901 Bunyard catalogue.
Lowther judges it probably better adapted to the northeastern United States than to any other part, though it does fairly well elsewhere. In the Pacific Northwest, he says, it does not reach the perfection that makes it one of the most desirable in New York. There the tree is a very vigorous grower and the fruit well developed and of good quality, but it is not relatively as desirable as some other varieties. Stark Bros. call it "a large, beautiful red apple of excellent quality" but do not recommend it, saying that "for profit, beauty, and value, it will never compete with Delicious, King David, Senator, and other better varieties."
Tree
Vigorous to very vigorous, large, spreading, open. A strong grower (Thomas, Agassiz station), with few branches (Thomas). Lateral branches rather slender and somewhat drooping; growth rather drooping (Bunyard). Mattison found the tree "entirely distinct in growth": "The limbs grow so very horizontal that the tree needs scarcely any pruning," and it is "a fine, thrifty grower." Shoots slightly flexuous (Thomas); young shoots very dark reddish brown, quite downy, especially toward the ends (Downing). Twigs long to above medium, curved or irregularly crooked, moderately stout with thick tips; internodes long to below medium. Bark dark brownish red mingled with yellowish green. Leaf large, long-oval, upfolded, undulating, sharply serrate, down-hanging (Bunyard).
An annual and abundant or profuse bearer by one set of accounts (Elliott, Warder, Downing, Veitch). Mattison calls it "a regular bearer every year" and "the most productive" market apple of his vicinity, and the 1901 Bunyard catalogue says it bears freely in the nursery and promises to make a fine orchard standard. Others rate it moderately productive: an annual bearer, "moderately productive usually" (Budd and Hansen); moderately fertile (Bunyard); "a good but not heavy bearer" (Thomas).
Beach and Stark Bros. say it does not come into bearing young and is regarded as a shy bearer, too unproductive for a good commercial variety. Stark adds that it is fairly productive in chosen localities of the East and far West. Beach adds that with maturity it usually becomes a regular bearer, yielding rather light to moderately heavy crops biennially or sometimes nearly annually, and "nowhere has the reputation of being a heavy cropper."
Warder calls the tree healthy, and Veitch "very hardy, free growing." Beach writes that it would be much more extensively grown were the tree hardier, healthier, longer-lived, and more productive. Stark Bros. call it neither hardy, healthy, nor long-lived, with wood tender and brittle.
In the nursery it makes but a moderate root growth. In the orchard it is somewhat subject to sun-scald and canker, and to injury at the surface of the ground from "collar rot" or "collar blight." The cause is not definitely known; some suppose a parasitic fungus, others winter injury primarily. It is certainly more liable to winter injury than most standard sorts of New York. In some parts of Central New York, in unfavorable locations and particularly on heavy, poorly drained soils, trees have sometimes been entirely killed by the winter. Yet in many localities it is regarded as pretty hardy and long-lived.
Generally regarded as more liable to loss from wormy fruit than Baldwin or Rhode Island Greening ("codlin-moth takes heavy toll," Hedrick), and less subject to apple scab than either.
E. W. Catchpole of North Rose, Wayne County, planted an orchard in 1861 with Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening, and King. There King proved neither as hardy nor as productive as either of the others and already shows a considerable number of vacancies. H. D. Cole of Interlaken, southern Seneca County, has King top-grafted about seventy years before on trees planted about one hundred years before, still bearing good crops. He holds it not sufficiently hardy on its own trunk, but vigorous, healthy, long-lived, and reliably productive when top-worked on hardy stock.
Because of its comparatively weak root development and its liability to collar rot and winter injury, Beach advises top-working it on a variety with stronger roots and a hardier trunk. Common seedling stock, Tolman Sweet, Northern Spy, Rhode Island Greening, Oldenburg, Golden Russet, Roxbury, and other vigorous, hardy varieties have served.
Succeeds particularly on fertile, well-drained soils or top-worked upon thrifty, hardy stock; Hedrick says it thrives only in fertile, well-drained soils. In the lake region of Central and Western New York it appears in many cases to succeed better on the uplands than close to the lakes. The fruit being large, there is often considerable loss in windfalls, and it should be sheltered from prevailing winds. Thomas says it succeeds East and West at the North but not so well farther South. In warm soils it makes a fine standard (1914 Bunyard catalogue); Veitch calls it a good standard or pyramid.
Fruit
Size: Large to very large, uniformly large; Thomas has it "sometimes quite large." Bunyard measures it 3¼ by 3¼.
Form: Globular or roundish, inclining to conic, sometimes oblate or roundish oblate, angular, somewhat or obscurely ribbed. Elliott calls it roundish oblong, and Bunyard oval, conical. Symmetrical (Beach), uniform in shape and size and regular (Hedrick), as against irregular (Warder, Bunyard).
Stem: Short to long, stout or slender, sometimes thick and swollen. Warder calls it red.
Cavity: Large, wide or open, obtuse, furrowed or wavy, occasionally lipped. Often or slightly russeted, sometimes with fine outspreading russet; yellow with a trace of russet (Budd and Hansen). Shallow (Warder) as against deep (Hedrick); Hedrick also calls it narrow, as against the wide or open cavity of Elliott, Warder, and Bunyard. Regular (Elliott) as against somewhat or often irregular (Downing, Budd and Hansen).
Calyx: Closed; closed or open (Hedrick). Small (Downing, Budd and Hansen) as against large (Warder, Hedrick); Warder calls the eye short. Segments long, pointed or acuminate (Elliott, Hedrick), erect, convergent (Budd and Hansen). Calyx tube funnel-shaped with stamens basal (Budd and Hansen), as against small, cone-shaped with stamens median (Hedrick).
Basin: Small, narrow, abrupt, shallow to medium; Hedrick gives "shallow, deep." Smooth or slightly wrinkled, corrugated, or folded; regular or obscurely ridged; moderately ribbed. Slight furrows with projecting ribs surrounding (Elliott). Bunyard says the basin is generally higher on one side.
Skin: Smooth, or somewhat roughened with russet dots. Ground yellow, from pale yellow and fine yellow to golden yellow and deep rich yellow; Veitch alone calls it greenish yellow. Mottled and washed with orange-red; mostly or nearly covered with bright red, deep red, or crimson, or "two shades of red" (Elliott), often shading to lively deep red. Striped, splashed, and marbled with bright carmine or dark crimson.
Budd and Hansen describe the red as shaded and dotted. Bunyard gives a bright red flush with broad broken stripes; the 1914 Bunyard catalogue gives rich yellow boldly striped crimson. Veitch has it heavily streaked with crimson on the side facing the sun. Elliott records russet patches on the sunny side. Lowther says the color "varies … from striped to a beautiful red."
Prevailing effect red over yellow, with "enough clearly contrasting yellow to make a very attractive appearance" (Beach). Mattison calls it "one of those crimson red with yellow ground that attracts the eye." Handsome, beautiful, handsomely moulded.
Dots: Rather numerous to numerous, large, distinct, conspicuous; white, gray, brown, or light russet.
Flesh and flavor: Yellow to yellowish, "markedly yellow" (Bunyard); yellowish white (Warder). Attractive (Lowther). Rather coarse, crisp, breaking, tender, juicy. Flavor subacid, very agreeable, rich, vinous, aromatic, high flavored. Downing gives "an exceedingly agreeable, rich, vinous flavor, delightfully aromatic." Mattison praises its "very agreeable perfumed flavor … equal to the Swaar," adding that "its color will not disappoint you when you come to eat it."
Bunyard calls the flesh "crisp, rather dry, tender, … sweet and of excellent flavour, slightly fragrant." The 1901 Bunyard catalogue gives "soft flesh, extra" and "fine rich flavour," and the 1914 catalogue "fruit soft, highly flavoured."
Quality "very good to best" (Downing, Budd and Hansen, Hedrick); "best" (Warder); "very good" (Lowther; the Agassiz station, with "a very agreeable pleasant flavour"); "excellent" (Beach, Stark Bros.).
Core and seeds: Core large to very large, turbinate, closed, sessile, abaxile, regular. Core lines meeting. Cells elliptical, widely slit, with much exudate (Budd and Hansen); symmetrical, closed or partly open (Hedrick). Carpels ovate or obovate, tufted, mucronate, slightly emarginate if at all (Hedrick). Seeds few, large, long, angular or irregular, obtuse, tufted, many imperfect or abortive; about half imperfect (Budd and Hansen).
Season
The recorded season runs from late September into May. The older American authors give December to February or March, December and longer, or early winter keeping through winter; the Agassiz station gives November and December. Hedrick gives October to April, and Bunyard till April. The 1914 Bunyard catalogue gives September to April, and Veitch January to May, adding that it hangs on the tree late and keeps well till May. The 1901 Bunyard catalogue says it "keeps very firmly."
Beach gives October or late September to December and January or later. In common storage its commercial limit is December, or exceptionally January; in cold storage usually February, in some cases later. Hedrick says it keeps until January in common storage and two or three months later in cold storage. It does not keep quite as late as Rhode Island Greening but rather later than Hubbardston. The fruit often begins to show decay in November, sometimes in October. Its keeping quality varies less between seasons than that of many sorts. Some fruit is often kept in cellars till spring, but not with prime flavor, for it usually begins to lose flavor by midwinter or earlier.
Mattison advised gathering ten to fifteen days before Baldwin or Greening, and said that "if carefully done, will keep good until the first of May." Thomas says it drops its fruit rather early and should be gathered soon.
Uses
Table or dessert, kitchen, and market; excellent for dessert or culinary use (Beach). Well adapted to marketing in fancy packages and in good demand for special and general trade. Beach says it often sells at an advance over standard varieties in domestic and foreign markets, with principal demand in late fall and early winter. He adds that many fruit growers find it a profitable commercial variety, though others hold it too unproductive.
Downing calls it a valuable market fruit, and Budd and Hansen a favorite for export, as it keeps and ships well. Hedrick says it sells for a higher average than most other standard apples in home or foreign market. Mattison reports hundreds of barrels sold from his vicinity, with dealers realizing four and five dollars per barrel; growers there held that it "will sell for the largest price per barrel of any market apple."
Bunyard lists it as a dessert apple, and Veitch calls it an excellent dessert apple in May. The Bunyard catalogues list it for exhibition and as valuable for pot culture or culture in warm places.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Elliott distinguishes it from the "King" of Kentucky and the Newark King of New Jersey. Twenty Ounce Pippin has been known locally as King, but it is a very different variety (Beach). The 1901 Bunyard catalogue says it resembles Beauty of Kent and lists it at 2/6 and 5/0.
Book Sources
Described in 9 period pomological works
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 1 (1905) — listed as TOMPKINS KING
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as King of Tompkins County
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914) — listed as Tompkins King
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867) — listed as King of Tompkins County
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Tompkins King (King of Tompkins County)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as King of Tompkins County
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 71 catalogs (1850–1955) from California, England, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Washington
- Azell Bowditch (Nursery / Fruit Catalog) , Boston , Massachusetts — 1850 — listed as Tompkins King
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell Prairie, Marion County, OR (Marion Co., Ogn.) — 1864
- Hutchison Nursery , James Hutchison, Oakland , California — 1881
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884
- Fancher Creek Nursery , Fresno , California — 1886
- W.R. Strong & Co. , Capital and Orange Hill Nurseries (Robert Williamson, prop.), Sacramento , California — 1886
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1888
- California Nursery Co. , Niles , California — 1889
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1889
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1890
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1891
- Puyallup & Yakima Nurseries , Puyallup, Washington (Lock Box 191) and North Yakima , Washington — 1892
- Oregon Wholesale Nurseries , Salem , Oregon — 1893
- Milwaukie-Canby Nurseries , Canby, OR (and Milwaukie, OR) — 1893
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Multnomah Nurseries , Russellville , Oregon — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1895
- The Lovett Company , Little Silver , New Jersey — 1896
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1897
- Arthur J. Collins & Sons , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1898
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- S.L. Watkins , Grizzly Flats, El Dorado County , California — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Forestville Nurseries , T.J. True, Forestville , California — 1902
- Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906
- J.B. Pilkington , Portland , Oregon — 1907
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Milton Nursery Co. (A. Miller & Sons , Proprietors), Milton , Oregon — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- C.F. Lansing , Salem , Oregon — 1910
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910
- Galbraith Nursery Co. (DeWitt Hansen , Pres.-Mgr.), Fairbury , Nebraska — 1911
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1911
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1911
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1912
- Ballygreen Nurseries , Hanford , Washington — 1912
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- J. B. Pilkington , Nurseryman, Portland, OR (nurseries near Newberg, forty miles from Portland) — 1913
- Van Holderbeke Nursery Co. , Incorporated, Spokane, Washington (nurseries at Otis Orchards WA, Pasadena WA, Kennewick WA) — 1913
- Samuel Fraser , Geneseo , New York — 1913
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1914
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1915
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1916
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1917
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1918
- Fancher Creek Nurseries , George C. Roeding, Fresno , California — 1918
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Christopher Nurseries / John Stewart & Sons , Christopher , Washington — 1920
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon , Washington — 1921
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
- Fresno Nursery Co. , Fresno , California — 1924
- Columbia & Okanogan Nursery Co. , Wenatchee , Washington — 1925
- Hudson's Wholesale Nurseries , Tangent , Oregon — 1926
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Forest Grove , Oregon — 1955
- Rich & Sons Nursery , Hillsboro , Oregon
View original book sources (14)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)King of Tompkins County.
Winter King | King.
This variety we have had more or less acquaintance with for the past ten years. It is really one of the most valuable apples grown at the North. Its origin is uncertain. Supposed to have been brought at an early day from New Jersey to Jacksonville, Tompkins Co., N. Y. It is distinct from "King" of Ky., and Newark King of N. J. Tree, annually productive. Fruit, large, roundish oblong, somewhat ribbed, pale yellow ground, mostly covered with two shades of red, striped and splashed, brown dots, and russet patches on sunny side ; stem, stout, thick ; cavity, open, regular ; calyx, with long pointed segments ; basin, abrupt, slight furrows, and projecting ribs surrounding ; flesh, yellowish, crisp, juicy, sub-acid. December to February.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)King.
KING OF TOMPKINS COUNTY.
This splendid apple, which has attracted so much attention of recent years, had its origin, as is supposed, in Tompkins County, New York, where it has been much cultivated.
Tree vigorous, healthy, large and spreading, an abundant annual bearer.
Fruit large, handsome, globular, irregular, somewhat conic, angular; Surface smooth, yellow, covered deep red, marbled and striped; Dots numerous, gray, large.
Basin shallow, folded; Eye large, short, closed.
Cavity wide, shallow, wavy; Stem short or long, thick or slender, red.
Core very large, turbinate, regular, closed; Seeds imperfect, angular; Flesh yellowish-white, tender, breaking; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic; Quality best; Use, table, kitchen and market; Season, December and longer.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)King of Tompkins County.
King Apple. Toms Red. Tommy Red.
Origin uncertain; said to have originated with Thomas Thacher, Warren Co., N. J. A valuable market fruit. Tree very vigorous, spreading, an abundant bearer annually. Young shoots very dark reddish brown, quite downy, especially toward the ends.
Fruit large, globular, inclining to conic, sometimes oblate, angular. Color yellowish, mostly shaded with red, striped and splashed with crimson. Stalk rather stout and short, inserted in a large, somewhat irregular cavity. Calyx small and closed, set in a medium, slightly corrugated basin. Flesh yellowish, rather coarse, juicy, tender, with an exceedingly agreeable, rich, vinous flavor, delightfully aromatic. Very good to best. December to March.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)King.* (Tompkins County King.) Sometimes quite large, roundish, ribbed; color a deep red, in stripes; flesh tender, juicy, rich, high flavored. Tree a strong grower with few branches. Shoots slightly flexuous; a good but not heavy bearer. Drops its fruit rather early, and should be gathered soon. Early winter, and keeps through winter. Fig. 421. Succeeds East and West at the North, but not so well farther South. New Jersey.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)TOMPKINS KING.
References. 1. New Genesee Farmer, 3:57. 1842. 2. Cultivator, 1:390. 1844. 3. Ellwanger and Barry, Ib., 2:57. 1845. 4. Thomas, Ib., 5:306. 1848. fig. 5. Cole, 1849:122. 6. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:73. 1851. col. pl. No. 38. 7. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 20:178, 509. 1854. fig. 8. Elliott, 1854:142. 9. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1856. 10. Horticulturist, 11:397. 1856. fig. 11. Mag. Hort., 22:545. 1856. 12. Downing, 1857:84. fig. 13. Hooper, 1857:50. 14. Mag. Hort., 24:111. 1858. 15. Mattison, Horticulturist, 15:213. 1860. 16. Mag. Hort., 27:98. 1861. 17. Warder, 1867:655. fig. 18. Fitz, 1872:157. 19. Thomas, 1875:217. 20. Barry, 1883:348. 21. Hogg, 1884:124. 22. Wickson, 1889:245. 23. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:298. 24. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:242. 25. Rural N. Y., 53:28. 1894. 26. Hoskins, Ib., 53:310. 1894. 27. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 2:10. 1895. fig. 28. Card, Gard. and For., 9:10. 1896. 29. U. S. Pom. Bul., 7:356. 1898. 30. Bunyard, Jour. Roy. Hort. Soc., 1898:356. 31. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:297. 1901. 32. Can. Hort., 26:405. 1903. 33. Budd-Hansen, 1903:190. 34. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:58. 1903. 35. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:147. 1904.
Synonyms. Flat Spitzenburg (28). King (5, 7, 17, 19, 24, 27, 31). King (15, 34). King Apple (1, 2, 3, 4, 32, of New York 10, of Western New York 8 and 13). King Apple (12). King of Tompkins County (12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 26, 30). King of Tompkins County (17, 27, 28, 33, 35). Toma Red (15). Tommy Red (21). Tompkins County King (19). Tom's Red (21). Winter King (6).
This apple is commonly called King. Less frequently it is called Tompkins County King or King of Tompkins County. Pomologists now accept Tompkins King as the correct name.
The fruit has a beautiful red color, with enough clearly contrasting yellow to make a very attractive appearance. It is symmetrical, uniformly large, and excellent in quality for either dessert or culinary uses. It is well adapted for marketing in fancy packages and is in good demand for both special and general trade, often selling at an advance over standard varieties in both domestic and foreign markets. The principal demand for it comes in late fall and early winter. It does not keep quite as late in storage as Rhode Island Greening, but rather later than Hubbardston. It is in season from October or late September to December and January or later. In common storage its commercial limit is December, or exceptionally January, and in cold storage usually February, but in some cases later. The fruit often begins to show some decay in November and sometimes even in October. Its keeping qualities do not vary so much in different seasons as is the case with many other sorts (35). Some of the fruit is often kept in cellars till spring, but not with prime flavor, for usually it begins to lose flavor by midwinter or earlier.
Tompkins King has been quite generally cultivated throughout the principal apple-growing districts of the state and often with fairly good success, particularly when planted on fertile, well-drained soils or top-worked upon thrifty, hardy stock. In the lake region of Central and Western New York in many cases it appears to succeed better on the uplands than it does close to the lakes. The fruit being large, there is often a considerable loss in windfalls, and on this account it is well to select a location for this variety that is well sheltered from prevailing winds. Generally it is regarded as more liable to loss from wormy fruit and less subject to injury from apple scab than either Baldwin or Rhode Island Greening. As a rule the tree does not come into bearing very young, but with maturity usually becomes a regular bearer, yielding rather light to moderately heavy crops biennially or sometimes nearly annually. Frequently it is regarded as a shy bearer and too unproductive for a good commercial variety, and it nowhere has the reputation of being a heavy cropper, yet many fruit growers find it a profitable commercial variety. Taking the state as a whole, it probably ranks fourth in commercial importance, being surpassed by Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening and Northern Spy.
Were the tree hardier, healthier, longer-lived and more productive, Tompkins King would be much more extensively grown in commercial orchards. In the nursery it makes but a moderate root growth, and in the orchard it is somewhat subject to sun-scald and canker as well as to injury at the surface of the ground from what is commonly called "collar rot" or "collar blight." The cause of this collar rot is not definitely known. Some suppose that it may be due to a parasitic fungus; others that it is caused primarily by winter injury. Tompkins King is certainly more liable to winter injury than are most of the standard sorts of this region. Even in some parts of Central New York, when standing in unfavorable locations, and particularly if on heavy, poorly drained soils, trees have sometimes been entirely killed by the winter, yet in many localities the variety has succeeded so well that it is regarded as pretty hardy and long-lived. E. W. Catchpole of North Rose, Wayne county, reports that in an orchard planted in that locality in 1861 with Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening and Tompkins King, the Tompkins King has been neither as hardy nor as productive as either of the other two varieties named and already shows a considerable number of vacancies in the rows. H. D. Cole of Interlaken, in southern Seneca county, reports that he has an orchard of Tompkins King top-grafted about seventy years ago upon trees which were planted about one hundred years ago. These trees are still bearing good crops. He regards this variety as not sufficiently hardy if grown on its own trunk, but vigorous, healthy, long-lived and reliably productive when top-worked upon hardy stock. The experience of many other fruit growers throughout the state corroborates that of Mr. Catchpole and Mr. Cole and goes to show, that because of its comparatively weak root development and liability to collar rot and winter injury, Tompkins King should be top-worked upon some variety which has a stronger root development and a more hardy trunk. Some have had good success in using common seedling stock for this purpose and others have found satisfactory results from top-working it upon Tolman Sweet, Northern Spy, Rhode Island Greening, Oldenburg, Golden Russet, Roxbury and other vigorous, hardy varieties.
Historical. Some have thought that the original tree of Tompkins King grew at Jacksonville, Tompkins county, N. Y., but Bailey found that that tree had been grafted and therefore it could not be the original seedling (28). The variety appears to have originated near Washington, Warren county, N. J. It is said to have been brought from that locality to Tompkins county, N. Y., by Jacob Wycoff in 1804 by whom it was named King. The Congress of Fruit Growers at Rochester added Tompkins County to its name to distinguish it from other King apples (15). James M. Mattison of Jacksonville, N. Y., investigated the subject of the origin of Tompkins King during the winter of 1860 and published an account of his investigation in the April number of the Horticulturist of that year. We quote his report in full.
"Having given the subject a pretty thorough investigation, I present the following as the true history of the King Apple of Tompkins County:
"About fifty-six years ago, Jacob Wycoff brought it from Warren county, N. J. Mr. Wycoff moved to this county about sixty years ago, and finding the art of grafting practised here, procured the grafts while on a visit fifty-six years ago. Mr. Wycoff is now dead, but always claimed it to be a seedling, and it was named by him, King. The Congress of Fruit Growers at Rochester added Tompkins County to it, to distinguish it from another of the same name.
"On a visit this winter I undertook to trace out its origin, and went to the place where it is said to have originated. This is about one and a half to two miles from Washington, Warren county, N. J. I found very old trees that had been grafted; they seemed to be over fifty years old; two aged men, Daniel Fleet and William Crivling, near Asbury, were both acquainted with it from boyhood. It originated on the north side of the Musconetcong mountain, about one mile from where these gentlemen live. Mr. Jesse Weller says he knew one very old tree on his farm forty years ago; it has been dead several years. They call the apple Toma Red throughout that section. It does not appear to be much disseminated, being confined to a small locality. I brought some of the apples with me, and compared them with mine. I also gave them some that were raised in my own orchard. They are not quite as high flavored in New Jersey as they are here between the lakes (Cayuga and Seneca).
"The tree is entirely distinct in growth. When I was in New Jersey I pointed out trees as I was going along the road, and inquired if they were not what we call the King of Tompkins County, and they said they were. The limbs grow so very horizontal that the tree needs scarcely any pruning, and one of its good qualities is, it is a regular bearer every year, and a fine, thrifty grower. Hundreds of barrels have been sold from this vicinity this year, and we are all of one mind, that it is the most productive, and will sell for the largest price per barrel of any market apple that is raised in this vicinity. Dealers realized four and five dollars per barrel last fall. The apple is one of those crimson red with yellow ground that attracts the eye, and its color will not disappoint you when you come to eat it. Its very agreeable perfumed flavor is equal to the Swaar. It wants gathering ten to fifteen days before the Baldwin or Greening, and if carefully done, will keep good until the first of May."
The first published description of the variety which we have found is that given in the New Genesee Farmer in 1842, under the name of King Apple (1). The earliest mention which we find of the propagation of this variety by nurserymen is the statement made by Ellwanger and Barry of Rochester, N. Y., in 1845, that they had trees of it for sale (3). In 1848 T. C. Maxwell and Brothers of Geneva, N. Y., began to propagate it extensively and were active in disseminating it. Thomas, in 1848, described it under the name of King and stated that it was cultivated in Tompkins and Cayuga counties but not widely spread (4). In 1849 Cole mentioned it under the name of King from Ellwanger and Barry, and in 1851 Emmons described it as the Winter King from Tompkins county (5, 6). In 1856 the American Pomological Society at its Rochester meeting included this variety in its catalogue under the name of Tompkins King, using the word Tompkins to distinguish it from other varieties which were then known under the name King. During the last sixty years its cultivation has extended through New England, portions of Canada, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio. It has practically failed to establish itself in the Mississippi valley but is quite well known on the Pacific Coast, from Washington southward into California.
[Additional entry in this volume: "King", pp. 301–301]
KING.
Tompkins King, more often called King of Tompkins County, is usually known among fruit growers and fruit dealers as King. For an account of this variety the reader is referred to Tompkins King. Twenty Ounce Pippin has also been known to a limited extent locally as King, but it is a very different variety from Tompkins King.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Tompkins King (King of Tompkins County).—Supposed origin Essex Co., New Jersey, but was first noticed as a heavy bearer in Tompkins Co., New York, in 1838; tree very vigorous, large, spreading, an annual bearer, moderately productive usually. A favorite for export as it keeps well and stands shipment well.
Fruit large, globular, inclining to conical, sometimes roundish oblate, angular; surface deep rich yellow, mostly covered with shaded and dotted bright red, with dark crimson stripes and splashes; dots distinct, numerous, light russet, large; cavity large, often irregular, obtuse, yellow, with trace of russet; stem long or short, stout or slender; basin narrow, shallow, smooth, or slightly wrinkled; calyx small, closed; segments erect convergent. Core closed, meeting, large, sessile, turbinate; cells elliptical, widely slit, with much exudate; tube funnel-shaped; stamens basal; seeds few, about half imperfect, large, long; flesh yellow, juicy, rather coarse, tender, rich, vinous, very agreeable subacid, very good to best. December to March.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Tompkins King
This apple is commonly called King. Less frequently it is called Tompkins County King, or King of Tompkins County.
The fruit varies in color from striped to a beautiful red with enough contrasting yellow to make it an attractive appearance. It is symmetrical, uniformly large, and excellent in quality, either for dessert, or culinary purposes. It is well adapted for marketing in fancy packages, and is in good demand for the special or general trade. Its season is from late September to early December. It is probably better adapted to the northeastern part of the United States than in any other part but it does fairly well in some other parts. In the Pacific Northwest it does not reach that high degree of perfection that makes it one of the most desirable in New York. While in this section the tree is a very vigorous grower, and the fruit well developed and of good quality, it is not relatively as desirable as some other varieties.
Historical. It is supposed to have originated near Washington, Warren county, New Jersey, and to have been brought from that place to Tompkins county, New York, in 1804, by Jacob Wycoff, who gave it the name of King.
Form of tree spreading, open; lateral branches rather slender and somewhat drooping. Twigs long to above medium, curved or irregularly crooked, moderately stout with thick tips; internodes long to below medium. Bark dark brownish red, mingled with yellowish green. Skin smooth, somewhat roughened with russet dots, fine yellow mottled and washed with orange red, often shading to lively deep red, splashed and striped with bright carmine. Dots rather numerous, conspicuous, white or russet. Flesh attractive, yellowish, rather coarse, crisp, tender, aromatic, juicy subacid, very good.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)KING OF TOMKINS COUNTY. New York, 346. (King, Winter King.) Dessert, till April, large, 3¼ by 3¼, oval, conical, irregular. Colour, golden-yellow with bright red flush and broad broken stripes. Flesh, crisp, rather dry, tender, markedly yellow, sweet and of excellent flavour, slightly fragrant. Eye, closed, in a moderately ribbed basin, generally higher on one side. Stem, slender, in a wide slightly russeted cavity. Growth, vigorous, rather drooping; moderately fertile. Leaf, large, long-oval, upfolded, undulating, sharply serrate, down-hanging. Originated in New Jersey before 1800. Very delicious when well grown. This I have seen equal to American samples from a Sandstone soil.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)KING: See Tompkins King.
[Additional entry in this volume: "TOMPKINS KING", pp. 82–82]
TOMPKINS KING. Fig. 56. King. Winter King.
Tompkins King, commonly shortened to King, has few superiors on the score either of beauty or quality of fruit; accordingly, it is one of the most widely planted apples in home orchards, and in either home or foreign market sells for a higher average than most other standard apples. The fruits are a beautiful red on a yellow background, handsomely moulded, uniformly large and symmetrical; while the flesh is rather coarse, it is crisp, tender, juicy, aromatic, and richly flavored. In common storage, King keeps until January, and in cold storage two or three months later. While the fruit is paramount, the trees are far from being so; they lack in hardiness, healthiness, longevity, and productiveness, so that few varieties are harder to handle. King thrives only in fertile, well-drained soils, and, since at best there are many windfalls, it must be sheltered from strong winds. Codlin-moth takes heavy toll, but there is comparatively little injury from apple-scab, though the trees suffer much from apple-canker, sun-scald, and collar-rot. Many recommend working King on a more vigorous stock. The variety originated in Warren County, New Jersey, whence, about 1804, it was brought to Tompkins County, New York, and given its present name. It is widely distributed throughout the North and East, but is most commonly grown in New York, where it ranks fourth in commercial importance.
Tree vigorous, spreading, open; lateral branches slender and drooping. Fruit large to very large, uniform in shape and size, round or oblate, sometimes conic, regular or obscurely ribbed; stem short to long, sometimes thick and swollen; cavity large, obtuse, deep, narrow, furrowed or wavy, occasionally lipped, often russeted, sometimes with fine outspreading russet; calyx large, closed or open; segments long, acuminate; basin small, narrow, shallow, deep, abrupt, regular or obscurely ridged and wrinkled; skin smooth or roughened with russet dots, yellow, mottled and washed with orange-red, often shading to deep red, striped and splashed with bright carmine; dots numerous, conspicuous, white or russet; prevailing effect red over yellow; calyx-tube small, cone-shape; stamens median; core large, abaxile; cells symmetrical, closed or partly open; core-lines meeting; carpels ovate or obovate, tufted, mucronate, slightly emarginate if at all; seeds few, large, long, irregular, obtuse, often abortive, tufted; flesh yellow, coarse, crisp, tender, aromatic, juicy, subacid; very good to best; October to April.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1890. Tree a strong and spreading grower. Fruit large globular, conical. Skin yellow, nearly covered with deep red. Flesh yellowish, a little coarse, juicy, tender, with a very agreeable pleasant flavour, quality very good. Season November and December.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Fruit Catalogue (1901) (1901)Large, handsome, and of fine rich flavour; resembles Beauty of Kent; valuable for culture in warm places or pots; keeps very firmly; soft flesh, extra; promises to make a fine orchard standard, bears freely in the Nursery. 2/6, 5/0. A.M., March 27, 1900.
— Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co., Stark Bros. Year Book (1910) (1910)A large, beautiful red apple of excellent quality, but tree is neither hardy, healthy, nor long-lived—wood tender and brittle. Does not come into bearing young and is generally considered a shy bearer—not productive enough for commercial purposes. We do not recommend it but in chosen localities of the East and far West it is fairly productive; but for profit, beauty, and value, it will never compete with Delicious, King David, Senator, and other better varieties. NCS
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)large, hangs on the tree late and keeps well till May when it is an excellent dessert apple, very hardy, free growing and profuse bearer, makes a good standard or pyramid, it is one of the best American varieties, in colour greenish-yellow heavily streaked with crimson on the side facing the sun. A.M. ... Jan. to May.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)Exhibition; Sept.-April. Very large, conical, rich yellow, boldly-striped crimson; fruit soft, highly flavoured; valuable for pot culture, and in warm soils makes a fine standard. Originated in New Jersey, U.S.A., some time before 1800. A.M.