Kirkland

Apple

Kirkland Apple

Origin / History

Originated on the Kirkland farm in Oneida County, New York, and named after Domine (also spelled Dominie) Kirkland, a missionary to the Oneida Indians. It is an old variety but little known outside of the Mohawk valley and little disseminated beyond its locality of origin. Beach (1905) notes that it is doubtless worthy of more attention from fruit growers in the localities to which it is well adapted, and characterizes it as a fruit of the type of the Yellow Bellflower but with less acidity.

Tree

Downing describes the tree as hardy and a vigorous grower; Beach's formal description qualifies this as dwarfish to medium in size and moderately vigorous. Both agree the form is roundish or spreading; Downing specifies the head as "round, rather spreading." Twigs medium to long, erect or spreading, moderately stout (Beach). The tree is a reliable cropper (Beach). Downing notes it is an early and good bearer annually but more abundantly on alternate years.

Fruit

Size and Form: Above medium to large (Beach); Downing says medium or above. Form broadly ovate or slightly oblong varying to roundish conical (Beach); Downing describes it as roundish, inclining to oblong. Both agree the fruit is ribbed, angular, or almost ribbed, somewhat irregular, fairly symmetrical; sides sometimes unequal (Beach).

Stem: Short. Downing describes it as small; Beach as slender to moderately stout, not exserted.

Cavity: Moderately narrow to rather wide, deep, acuminate, often partly russeted and sometimes with outspreading russet rays (Beach). Downing describes the cavity as medium and a little uneven.

Calyx: Small to medium, closed.

Basin: Small to medium, shallow to moderately deep, narrow to moderately wide, somewhat furrowed and wrinkled (Beach); Downing describes it as medium and somewhat furrowed or angled.

Skin: Rather thin, tough, smooth. Ground color clear pale yellow (Beach) or bright straw color (Downing). A thin blush where exposed to the sun, which in highly colored specimens deepens to reddish-pink (Beach); Downing describes this as "a shade of pale red where exposed to the sun." When well grown the fruit is often partly suffused with a lively reddish-pink, and late in the spring the ground color becomes a clear rich yellow, giving it a very attractive appearance for a yellow apple (Beach). Dots whitish areolar with brownish russet center, or whitish and submerged (Beach); Downing describes a few small brownish dots.

Calyx tube: Rather wide, elongated conical or approaching funnel-form, extending to the core (Beach).

Stamens: Basal to nearly median (Beach).

Flesh and Flavor: Somewhat tinged with yellow (Beach); Downing says whitish yellow. Firm, rather hard, moderately coarse (Beach); Downing describes it as half fine and half tender. Crisp (both). On juiciness, the sources conflict: Downing says juicy; Beach says not very juicy. Flavor subacid; Downing characterizes it as brisk subacid. Beach rates it good.

Core and Seeds: Core decidedly abaxile; cells fairly symmetrical, usually wide open; core lines meeting. Carpels mucronate, much concave, broadly roundish to elliptical. Seeds numerous, short, rather small to medium, rather wide, plump, obtuse (Beach). Downing describes the core as large.

Season

Ripens for use January through May (Downing); Beach states the fruit often keeps in ordinary storage until May or June, making it a notably late keeper.

Uses

Valued for its hardiness, productiveness, and late-keeping qualities. Fairly acceptable for dessert and good for culinary use; valued locally in Central and Eastern New York as a market and culinary apple (Beach). Downing notes the fruit is not of the best quality but valuable for its hardiness, productiveness, late keeping, and market and culinary uses.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois

Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913

View original book sources (2)

KIRKLAND.

An old variety, but little disseminated out of its locality; it originated on the Kirkland farm, and was named after Dominie Kirkland, a missionary to the Oneida Indians. Tree hardy, a vigorous grower, with a round, rather spreading head; an early and good bearer annually, but more abundantly on alternate years; fruit not of the best quality, but valuable for its hardiness, productiveness, late keeping, market and culinary uses.

Fruit medium or above, roundish, inclining to oblong, angular, or almost ribbed; skin smooth, bright straw color, a shade of pale red where exposed to the sun, and a few small brownish dots; stalk short, small; cavity medium, a little uneven; calyx closed; basin medium, somewhat furrowed or angled; flesh whitish yellow, half fine, crisp, half tender, juicy, with a brisk subacid flavor; core large. January to May.

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

KIRKLAND.

REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1881:92 app. 2. Lyon, Mich. Sta. Bul., 143:200. 1897.

A fruit of the type of the Yellow Bellflower but with less acidity, valued locally in Central and Eastern New York because it is productive, a good late keeper, fairly acceptable for dessert and good for culinary use. When well grown it is often partly suffused with a lively reddish-pink and late in the spring the ground color becomes a clear rich yellow, giving it a very attractive appearance for a yellow apple. The tree is a vigorous grower and a reliable cropper. The fruit often keeps in ordinary storage till May or June. It is doubtless worthy of more attention from fruit growers in the localities to which it is well adapted.

Historical. Originated in Oneida county, New York, and named after Domine Kirkland, a missionary to the Oneida Indians. It is but little known outside of the Mohawk valley.

TREE. Tree dwarfish to medium in size, a moderately vigorous grower. Form roundish or spreading. Twigs medium to long, erect or spreading, moderately stout.

FRUIT. Fruit above medium to large. Form broadly ovate or slightly oblong varying to roundish conical, ribbed, somewhat irregular, fairly symmetrical; sides sometimes unequal. Stem short, slender to moderately stout, not exserted. Cavity moderately narrow to rather wide, deep, acuminate, often partly russeted and sometimes with outspreading russet rays. Calyx small to medium, closed. Basin small to medium, shallow to moderately deep, narrow to moderately wide, somewhat furrowed and wrinkled. Skin rather thin, tough, smooth, clear pale yellow with a thin blush which in highly colored specimens deepens to reddish-pink. Dots whitish areolar with brownish russet center or whitish and submerged. Calyx tube rather wide, elongated conical or approaching funnel-form and extending to the core. Stamens basal to nearly median. Core decidedly abaxile; cells fairly symmetrical, usually wide open; core lines meeting. Carpels mucronate, much concave, broadly roundish to elliptical. Seeds numerous, short, rather small to medium, rather wide, plump, obtuse. Flesh somewhat tinged with yellow, firm, rather hard, moderately coarse, not very juicy, crisp, subacid, good.

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