Kingsley
AppleOrigin/History
Originated in Monroe County, New York. Reported by H. Wendell in the Proceedings of the Pomological Society (cited by Elliott).
Tree
Erect, moderate grower. Hardy (Elliott). Profuse, early bearer (Elliott); Downing notes simply "early bearer."
Fruit
Size and form: Medium. Roundish (Downing); roundish oval (Elliott).
Skin: Yellowish ground, striped and splashed with red (Downing); striped and splashed with pinkish red, with white dots, and russet near the calyx (Elliott).
Stem: Slender.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Small, closed.
Basin: Shallow.
Core: Medium, open.
Seeds: Small, dark brown.
Flesh and flavor: Fine-grained, juicy, subacid. Downing adds "melting." Quality rated "Very good" by Downing; "best" by H. Wendell (Elliott).
Season
November to February (Downing); November to July (Elliott). The two sources disagree substantially on keeping season — Elliott's November-to-July range suggests notably long storage.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)KINGSLEY.
Origin, Monroe Co., N. Y. Tree an erect moderate grower, an early bearer.
Fruit medium, roundish, yellowish, striped and splashed with red. Flesh fine-grained, juicy, melting, subacid. Very good. November, February.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)KINGSLEY.
From Monroe Co., N. Y. Tree, erect, moderate grower, hardy, profuse early bearer. Fruit, medium, roundish oval ; yellowish, striped and splashed with pinkish red, white dots, russet near calyx ; stem, slender; calyx, small, closed ; basin, shallow ; core, medium, open ; seeds, small, dark brown ; flesh, fine-grained, juicy, sub-acid ; " best." November to July. (H. Wendell in Pom. Trans.)