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.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

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.

— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)

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.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

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.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

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.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)

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.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (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.

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

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.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

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.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)

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.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)

Medium sized, pale greenish with darker patches and fine striping. Good keeper and good flavor. This variety will always be found in cultivation as its bearing is a regular variety.

— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Fruit Catalogue (1901) (1901)

Black; much larger than Concord, also more beautiful in appearance of bunches well-formed and showy like Concord, and to reliable.

— Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co., Stark Bros. Year Book (1910) (1910)

large, roundish, golden-yellow, flushed with carmine. The flesh is juicy and fine-flavoured; an excellent variety for the home garden and highly esteemed in America. Oct. to Mar.

— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)