Limbertwig

Limbertwig.

This well known southern apple is much cultivated in many parts of the West as a long keeping winter variety. It is a favorite with the southern immigrants, and found most abundant in regions occupied by them, but it has been carried pretty far to the north. The synonym James River, as given by Downing, is not met with among the people as applied to this apple, but the Willow Twig is often so named.

Tree thrifty, exceedingly productive; Shoots slender and drooping with the heavy crops.

Fruit medium to small, roundish conic, regular; Surface rather smooth, mixed dull purplish red, on green, stripes scarcely to be traced; Dots numerous, large, irregular, brown.

Basin medium, regular; Eye small, open.

Cavity deep, acute, brown; Stem medium, curved.

Core rather large, regular, turbinate, closed, clasping; Seeds numerous, small, plump, long; Flesh greenish-yellow, firm; Flavor sub-acid, rich, aromatic; Quality very good; Use, table and kitchen; Season, March and April. Keeps very well, but wilts if exposed to the air—preserved very well in the ground.

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

Limber Twig.

James River. Red Limber Twig ?

An Apple much cultivated South and West. Origin, supposed North Carolina. Tree hardy and productive, roundish, spreading, somewhat drooping.

Fruit medium or above, roundish oblate, inclining to conic, greenish yellow, shaded and striped with dull crimson, and sprinkled with light dots. Stalk of medium length, inserted in a broad, deep cavity, surrounded by thin, green russet. Calyx closed, set in a small, uneven basin. Flesh whitish, not very tender, juicy, with a brisk, subacid flavor. Good. January, April.

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

LIMBERTWIG.

REFERENCES. 1. Kenrick, 1832:59. 2. Thomas, 1849:168. 3. Phoenix, Horticulturist, 4:471. 1850. 4. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:67. 1851. 5. Elliott, 1854:143. 6. Robey, Horticulturist, 11:89. 1856. 7. Downing, 1857:164. 8. Hooper, 1857:54. 9. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1860. 10. Warder, 1867:516. fig. 11. Fitz, 1872:143, 149. 12. Leroy, 1873:420. fig. 13. Barry, 1883:348. 14. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:294. 15. Wickson, 1891:248. 16. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:243. 17. Clayton, Ala. Sta. Bul., 47:7. 1893. 18. Stinson, Ark. Sta. An. Rpt., 7:47. 1894. 19. W. Sta. Bul., 45:329. 1896. 20. Rural N. Y., 62:822. 1903. fig. 21. Budd-Hansen, 1903:115. 22. Bruner, N. C. Sta. Bul., 182:25. 1903. figs. 23. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:45. 1903. 24. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:47. 1903. 25. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:129. 1904.

SYNONYMS. James River (2, 5, 7). LAMBERTWIG (12). LIMBER TWIG (1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23). Red Limbertwig (22).

There are several different apples which are known locally under the name Limbertwig. Willow Twig is sometimes incorrectly called Limbertwig, as has been noted by some writers (5, 14). There is an apple grown in Northern New York, probably of local origin, which is there known under the name of Limbertwig. This fruit is of the Blue Pearmain class and resembles Bethel in form and color but the flesh is coarser and has more acidity. It is a good keeper. In some portions of Western New York the Twenty Ounce is called Limbertwig.

The variety described below as the small or red Limbertwig appears to be practically unknown among New York fruit growers except in some localities in the southeastern portions of the state. That described as the large or green Limbertwig, so far as we know, is not grown in New York.

In some of the references above cited the writers appear to have clearly in mind the red Limbertwig (4, 7, 10, 14, 21); in other cases they evidently describe the green Limbertwig (2, 5); occasionally both are mentioned (3, 8, 19), but in most instances it is not clear which variety is referred to.

LIMBERTWIG (Small or red).

Fruit attractive in appearance, of good deep red color, pretty uniform in size, well adapted for storage, ships well and keeps late, but the quality is only fair to good. The tree is thrifty and an excellent cropper and the fruit hangs well to the tree despite high winds (8, 10, 20); laterals slender becoming drooping with heavy crops.

FRUIT.

Fruit above medium to below; uniform in size and shape. Form roundish to slightly oblate conic, ribbed but slightly if at all, symmetrical and regular. Stem medium in length and thickness, usually not exserted. Cavity acuminate, deep, rather broad to moderately narrow, sometimes partly russeted, smooth or gently furrowed. Calyx small to medium, closed or partly open; lobes short, broad, flat or sometimes recurved. Basin small, moderately narrow, varying from shallow and obtuse to moderately deep and somewhat abrupt, often a little furrowed.

Skin slightly roughened with numerous and rather conspicuous russet dots, yellow largely covered with red, deepening in the sun to dark purplish-red, sparingly and obscurely striped with dull carmine, sometimes marked with broken irregular russet veins. Prevailing effect attractive dark red.

Calyx tube cone-shape to elongated funnel-form. Stamens median or above.

Core sessile, abaxile or nearly so, rather small to medium; cells not uniformly developed, pretty symmetrical, closed or slightly open; core lines clasping. Carpels concave, elliptical, deeply emarginate, much tufted. Seeds numerous, elongated, medium to small, plump, obtuse to acute, much tufted, clinging to the carpels.

Flesh yellowish, hard, moderately fine, not very crisp, juicy, aromatic, subacid, good.

Season January to March or April; in cold storage February to May or later.

LIMBERTWIG (Large or green).

As compared with the variety last described the fruit of the large or green Limbertwig is much the larger but it does not keep as well. It is decidedly less attractive being dull green partly overspread with dull brownish-red, marked over the base with whitish scarf-skin and sometimes with a few irregular patches or streaks of russet. Dots coarse, conspicuous, usually areolar with russet point.

Cavity large, acute or approaching acuminate, wide, deep, somewhat furrowed. Calyx tube cone-shape to somewhat funnel-form. Stamens median. Core medium to rather large, axile; cells symmetrical, closed; core lines meeting or somewhat clasping. Carpels smooth or nearly so, elliptical to broadly obcordate, deeply emarginate. Seeds rather large to medium, rather wide, obtuse, smooth or nearly so, free. Flesh subacid, coarser and more juicy than the other and much inferior in flavor and quality.

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

Limber Twig................. M | rob | yr | G | m | W | 3*

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

Limber Twig. James River. A valuable fruit in Southern Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Tree, hardy, productive. Fruit, large, roundish, tapering a little to the eye ; light yellow, striped and splashed with red in sun, rough russet specks, and occasional patch of russet ; stem, long, slender ; cavity, open, funnel shape, russeted ; calyx, rather small ; basin, irregular, round ; core, large, hollow ; seeds, plump, pyriform ; flesh, whitish, tender, sub-acid ; "very good." Keeps to May. For varieties of this, see Willow Twig, &c.

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

Limbertwig.* (James River.) Large, roundish, slightly conical; striped and splashed with red on yellow; stalk long, slender, calyx rather small; flesh yellowish, very compact, not high flavored, but cultivated in the South and West for its keeping properties. The tree is ill shapen, with pendent branches, whence its name. Distinct from the Willow Twig. North Carolina.

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