Leland Spice
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Leland Spice
Origin/History
Originated in Sherburne, Massachusetts. The variety was known under the alternate names Leland Pippin and New York Spice. Elliott (1865) noted it "deserves more attention than yet received."
Tree
Vigorous and productive (Downing). Not described in other sources.
Fruit
Size: Large (all sources agree).
Form: Roundish (all sources). Elliott and Thomas add slightly conical and slightly ribbed; Thomas qualifies the conical character as "obscure."
Stem: Half an inch long (Elliott, Thomas). Downing describes it simply as short.
Cavity: Narrow (Downing); ribbed (Elliott, Thomas). The two characterizations are not necessarily contradictory.
Calyx: Small, closed (Downing). Not described in the other sources.
Basin: Shallow (Downing); ribbed (Elliott, Thomas).
Skin: Sources agree on a yellow ground nearly covered with red, but differ in detail. Downing: yellow, nearly covered with bright red. Elliott: greenish yellow, mottled with crimson stripes, becoming dark crimson on the sun-exposed side. Thomas: whole surface covered with brilliant red streaks on a yellow ground, dotted with yellow. Yellow dots noted by Thomas only.
Flesh and Flavor: Downing: yellowish, rather tender, juicy, with a very rich aromatic subacid flavor, excellent for dessert or kitchen; rated good to very good. Elliott: yellowish white, spicy, subacid; rated "best." Thomas: yellowish white, subacid, spicy, rich, fine.
Core/Seeds: Not described in any source.
Season
Downing: September–October. Thomas: October. Elliott: October to December. Downing and Thomas place ripening in early autumn; Elliott's range extends considerably later into early winter.
Uses
Excellent for dessert or kitchen use (Downing).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in any source.
Other
Not described in any source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Leland Spice. Leland Pippin. New York Spice. Origin, Sherburne, Mass. Tree vigorous, productive. Fruit large, roundish. Color yellow, nearly covered with bright red. Stalk short, inserted in a narrow cavity. Calyx small, closed. Basin shallow. Flesh yellowish, rather tender, juicy, with a very rich aromatic subacid flavor, excellent for dessert or kitchen. Good to very good. September, October.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Leland Spice. Leland Pippin, | New York Spice. From Mass. Fruit, large, roundish, slightly conical, and ribbed ; greenish yellow, mottled with crimson stripes, dark crimson in sun ; stem, half-inch : cavity and basin, ribbed ; flesh, yellowish white, spicy, sub-acid ; "best." October to December. Deserves more attention than yet received.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Leland Spice. (Leland Pippin.) Large, roundish, obscurely conical, slightly ribbed; whole surface with brilliant red streaks on yellow ground, dotted with yellow; stalk half an inch long; cavity and basin ribbed; flesh yellowish white, sub-acid, spicy, rich, fine. October. Origin, Sherburne, Mass.