Maiden's Favorite
AppleMaiden's Favorite
Origin/History
Originated on the farm of J. G. Sickles, Stuyvesant, Columbia County, N. Y. Downing characterizes it as a desirable amateur variety of delicacy and beauty. Beach (1905) notes that, so far as could be learned, it was not cultivated outside the vicinity of its origin and was no longer propagated at that time.
Tree
A rather slow grower with upright, slender branches; an annual and good bearer. Elliott additionally describes it as productive. Young shoots smooth, clear reddish brown (Downing).
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium or below (Downing, Beach); Elliott gives it as below medium. Downing describes the form as roundish, sometimes slightly conic, generally cylindric, but often very obscurely ribbed. Elliott describes it as oblong rounded.
Skin: Whitish or pale waxen yellow (Downing, Beach); Elliott describes it as pale yellow. Shaded and sometimes slightly mottled with crimson (Downing, Beach); Elliott describes the shading as blush and the mottling as carmine. Sparsely sprinkled with minute dots (Downing; Elliott: few minute dots).
Stem: Short and small (Downing); Elliott notes it as short. Surrounded by thin russet (Downing).
Cavity: Deep and uniform (Downing); Elliott describes it as deep and thin-russeted.
Calyx: Firmly closed (Downing); Elliott: closed, segments persistent.
Basin: Downing describes it as slightly corrugated, deep, and open. Elliott describes it as regular. These accounts conflict on the corrugation.
Flesh and Flavor: Whitish, tender, crisp, with a pleasant, very delicate, vinous subacid flavor (Downing). Beach describes the flesh as tender, crisp, very delicate, vinous, and sweet — characterizing it as sweet rather than subacid, in mild conflict with Downing's "subacid." Elliott concurs on whitish, crisp, and very delicate vinous character, rating it "very good."
Core: Small (Downing).
Overall Rating: Good to very good (Downing, Beach); very good (Elliott).
Season
Downing gives October to January; Elliott gives December to February. These accounts conflict on the early end of the season.
Uses
A dessert apple (Elliott).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in 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)Maiden's Favorite.
Maiden's Apple.
Origin, farm of J. G. Sickles, Stuyvesant, N. Y. Its delicacy and beauty will make it desirable for the amateur. Tree of rather slow growth, upright slender branches, an annual and good bearer. Young shoots smooth, clear reddish brown.
Fruit medium or below, roundish, sometimes slightly conic, generally cylindric, but often very obscurely ribbed, whitish or pale waxen yellow, shaded and sometimes slightly mottled with crimson, and sparsely sprinkled with minute dots. Stalk short, small, surrounded by thin russet, in a deep, uniform cavity. Calyx firmly closed. Basin slightly corrugated, deep, open. Flesh whitish, tender, crisp, with a pleasant, very delicate, vinous subacid. Good to very good. Core small. October to January.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)MAIDEN FAVORITE.
REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1857:167. 2. Warder, 1867:725. 3. Thomas, 1875:505.
SYNONYMS. Maiden's Apple (1). MAIDEN FAVORITE (1, 2, 3).
A late fall and early winter variety which originated in Stuyvesant, Columbia county, N. Y. According to Downing it is a desirable amateur variety of delicacy and beauty, medium size or below, whitish or pale waxen yellow sometimes mottled with crimson. Flesh tender, crisp, very delicate, vinous, sweet, good to very good. Tree a rather slow grower with upright, slender branches, and a good bearer. We are not acquainted with this variety. So far as we have been able to learn it is not cultivated outside of the vicinity of its origin and is no longer propagated.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Maiden's Favorite.
Maiden's Apple.
From Stuyvesant, N. Y. Tree, a slow grower, productive. Fruit, below medium, oblong rounded, pale yellow, shaded with blush, sometimes mottled carmine, and few minute dots ; stem, short ; cavity, deep, thin, russeted ; calyx, closed; segments persistent ; basin, regular; flesh, whitish, crisp, very delicate, vinous ; "very good ;" a dessert apple. December to February.