Louise (Princess Louise)— Originated near Grimsby, Ontario, Canada, on farm of L. Woolverton, probably from Fameuse seed—Fruit medium, roundish oblate, regular, obscurely angular, surface greenish yellow, almost or wholly covered with a fine solid dark red, with obscure splashes of darker red, sometimes with thin open network of russet; dots obscure, numerous, minute, whitish; cavity wide, obtuse, regular, green; stem medium, slender; basin smooth, rather shallow; calyx closed, segments connivent. Core half open; cells round, entire; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds few, short, plump; flesh tender, juicy, snow white, fine grained, pleasant, aromatic subacid, (Fameuse type), very good. October to December.

— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)

LOUISE.

REFERENCES. 1. Woolverton, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1889:155. 2. Can. Hort., 15:19, 28. 1892. 3. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:247. 4. Can. Hort., 16:401. 1893. 5. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 12:601. 1893. 6. Hoskins, Rural N. Y., 53:278. 1894. 7. Smith, Can. Hort., 18:349. 1895. 8. Lyon, Mich. Sta. Bul., 143:200. 1897. 9. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1899:18. 10. Waugh, Vt. Sta. Bul., 83:91. 1900. 11. Woolverton, Can. Hort., 23:46. 1900. fig. 12. Ib., Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 7:8. 1900. figs. 13. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:69. 1902. 14. Budd-Hansen, 1903:117. fig. 15. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:45. 1903.

SYNONYMS. LOUISE (8, 10, 13, 15). LOUISE, Princess (9, 14). PRINCESS LOUISE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12). Princess Louise (7, 10, 13). WOOLVERTON (7). Woolverton (4, 11, 12).

Louise is an apple of the Fameuse group. It is larger than Fameuse but not as large as McIntosh and has less red color and is less attractive than either of these apples. It is very desirable for dessert use but for culinary purposes it is decidedly inferior to other varieties of its season. It is of a clear pale yellow color with lively blush and delicate bloom. It shows bruises readily and requires very careful handling. The tree is hardy, healthy, comes into bearing rather young and yields fair to moderately good crops almost annually. It is doubtful whether it will ever prove a desirable commercial variety.

Historical. Originated with L. Woolverton, Grimsby, Ontario, who states that it was a chance seedling that sprung up among a half dozen old Fameuse trees.¹ It was first exhibited before the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association in 1879 under the name of "Woolverton." It has been disseminated to a limited extent only in New York. The McIntosh has sometimes been mistakenly disseminated for this variety.

TREE.

Tree medium size, moderately vigorous to vigorous with long, slender branches and willowy laterals. Form upright spreading to roundish, rather dense. Twigs moderately long, straight or somewhat irregularly curved, rather geniculate, slender; internodes medium. Bark reddish-brown with some pale olive-green, lightly mottled with scarf-skin; somewhat pubescent toward the tips. Lenticels scattering, small to medium, roundish to oblong. Buds small to medium, deep-set, plump, acute, free or nearly so, somewhat pubescent.

FRUIT.

Fruit of good medium size; fairly uniform in size and shape. Form usually roundish, sometimes roundish oblate, often somewhat elliptical or obscurely angular; sides often unequal. Stem red, medium to rather long, usually slender. Cavity obtuse to acute or sometimes approaching acuminate, shallow to medium in depth, moderately broad, frequently furrowed. Calyx medium size, closed or sometimes slightly open. Basin usually shallow to medium in depth, narrow to moderately wide, rather obtuse, lightly furrowed and wrinkled.

Skin thin, rather tough, clear pale yellow or greenish, with lively red or pinkish blush, striped obscurely if at all, overspread with thin bloom. Dots inconspicuous, pale, usually submerged.

Calyx tube short, wide, conical to funnel-form. Stamens median to basal.

Core medium to rather large, somewhat abaxile; cells symmetrical, partly open; core lines meeting. Carpels elongated ovate, sometimes emarginate. Seeds medium or below, moderately long, acute to acuminate.

Flesh whitish, not very firm, fine, crisp, very tender, very juicy, mild subacid, aromatic, with some of the perfume and texture of McIntosh, very good for dessert.

Season October to February or later.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Louise (also called Princess L.). Size: large. Form: roundish. Color: wr. Quality: good. Use: family. Season: winter.

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

LOUISE. Princess Louise. Woolverton.

Louise is a seedling of Fameuse, from which it differs in having fruits a little larger and much less red in color, the red overlaying a very yellow background with a lively blush, the whole apple being overspread with soft bloom. The tree is much the same as that of its parent. Though at best very handsome, with a distinctive flavor and aroma, in general the fruits fall short of those of Fameuse and the better-known McIntosh of the same group. Louise originated with L. Woolverton, Grimsby, Ontario, about 1875, and is little known outside of Canada.

Tree medium in size, vigorous, upright-spreading, dense, with long, slender branches and willowy laterals. Fruit medium in size, uniform in size and shape, round or round-oblate, often elliptical or obscurely angular, sides often unequal; stem red, long, slender; cavity obtuse, sometimes acuminate, shallow, broad, furrowed; calyx closed or slightly open; basin shallow, narrow, obtuse, lightly furrowed and wrinkled; skin thin, tough, pale yellow, with lively red blush, striped obscurely if at all, overspread with thin bloom; dots inconspicuous, pale, submerged; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; stamens median; core large, abaxile; cells symmetrical, partly open; core-lines meeting; carpels elongated-ovate; seeds long, acute; flesh white, fine, crisp, tender, juicy, mild subacid, aromatic, with some of the perfume of McIntosh; good to very good; October to February or later.

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