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Mann

Apple

Mann

Origin/History

Mann originated as a chance seedling in the orchard of Judge Mooney of Granby, Oswego county, New York, about 1870 (Hedrick), where it was formerly called the Deiltz. It was introduced into Niagara county by a Dr. Mann, and on the suggestion of Elisha Moody of Lockport, the Western New York Horticultural Society named the apple Mann. It is most commonly grown in New York, and was not grown extensively in any portion of the state, but was still being planted to a limited extent by commercial growers in the early 1900s.

By virtue of several good qualities, Mann gained a high reputation in the late 19th century (Hedrick, writing in 1922, places this "a quarter of a century ago"). It was used by the trade to some extent as a substitute for Rhode Island Greening late in the season, when it often brought good prices. With the advent of better care of orchards and of better shipping and transportation facilities, the need for a general purpose apple of this type began to wane, and Mann was doomed to lose the commercial importance it had acquired (Hedrick). It is decidedly inferior to Rhode Island Greening in quality and does not always have a good clear green color, being sometimes streaked more or less with a network of russet (Beach).

Tree

Tree medium to large, moderately vigorous to vigorous (Beach, Hedrick); Budd-Hansen describe it as "a vigorous, spreading grower"; Downing calls it hardy and an upright grower with rather slender branches forming a round head; Central Experimental Farm (Agassiz BC, 1900) describe it as "a strong and spreading grower, and a moderate bearer of fruit." Form at first decidedly upright and rather dense but after bearing heavy crops becomes decidedly spreading with the laterals inclined to droop (Beach, Hedrick).

The tree is superior to Rhode Island Greening and Baldwin in hardiness (Beach), hardy, healthy, and productive (Hedrick). An early and annual bearer (Downing, Budd-Hansen); usually a reliable cropper, yielding good to heavy crops biennially or in some localities almost annually (Beach). It is a little slow about coming into bearing (Beach). In many cases the crops are so heavy that the percentage of loss in undersized fruit is rather high and the trees are damaged by the breaking of the limbs (Beach).

Twigs medium to long, nearly straight, rather slender to moderately stout; internodes short. Bark more or less dark dull brown overspread with grayish-green and streaked with gray scarf-skin, slightly pubescent near tips. Lenticels numerous, dull, not very conspicuous, above medium to below, roundish, slightly raised. Buds medium to rather short, plump, obtuse, appressed, pubescent, deeply set in bark. (Beach)

Fruit

Size

Medium to large (Downing, Thomas, Beach, Hedrick); above medium (Budd-Hansen); large (Central Experimental Farm); medium (Lowther). Pretty uniform in size and shape (Beach, Hedrick).

Form

Roundish, somewhat inclined to oblate (Beach); roundish oblate (Downing, Thomas, Lowther); round-oblate (Hedrick); regular, oblate (Budd-Hansen); roundish, oblate (Central Experimental Farm). Symmetrical, usually pretty regular, sometimes faintly ribbed (Beach, Hedrick).

Stem

Short (Downing, Budd-Hansen); short to medium, usually not exserted (Beach, Hedrick). Downing additionally describes the stalk as "rather small."

Cavity

Medium or quite large, sometimes slightly russeted (Downing); regular, acute, deep, with trace of russet (Budd-Hansen); acuminate, rather narrow to moderately wide, deep, usually russeted, and often with outspreading broken russet, somewhat furrowed (Beach); acuminate, narrow, deep, usually russeted and often with outspreading broken russet, furrowed (Hedrick).

Calyx

Generally closed (Downing, Budd-Hansen). Small to medium, closed or partly open; lobes medium in length, acute (Beach). Small, closed or partly open; lobes acute (Hedrick). Budd-Hansen describes the segments as connivent.

Basin

Rather large, slightly corrugated (Downing); regular, slightly wrinkled, wide, medium deep (Budd-Hansen); somewhat abrupt, rather narrow to moderately wide, usually pretty symmetrical, furrowed and wrinkled (Beach); abrupt, narrow, usually symmetrical, furrowed and wrinkled (Hedrick).

Skin

Sources describe the skin color with some variation reflecting stage of ripening:

  • Downing: "deep yellow when fully ripe, often with a shade of brownish red where exposed, and thickly sprinkled with light and gray dots, a few being areole."
  • Thomas: "yellow, with a brownish-red cheek."
  • Beach: "moderately thick, tough, at first deep green, often partly overspread with a brownish-red blush tinged with shade of olive-green but late in the season it develops a pronounced yellow color." Dots "numerous, large, conspicuous, areolar, whitish with russet center."
  • Budd-Hansen: "surface very green in early winter, changing to deep yellow when fully ripe, overlaid with whitish, often with brownish, pink blush; dots distinct, numerous, dark russet centres with whitish base."
  • Hedrick: "thick, tough, green, often with a brownish-red blush tinged with olive-green but late in the season yellow; dots numerous, large, conspicuous, areolar, white with russet center."
  • Lowther: color "red."
  • Central Experimental Farm: "greenish yellow, washed with red, cheek in the sun and freely sprinkled with gray dots."

Beach notes that the fruit "does not always have a good clear green color, being sometimes streaked more or less with a network of russet." Budd-Hansen note the variety is "a late keeper but lacks attractive color."

Flesh/Flavor

  • Downing: "yellowish, half fine, half tender, juicy, mild pleasant subacid; good to very good."
  • Thomas: "mild, juicy, good."
  • Beach: "yellowish, moderately coarse, moderately juicy, at first very hard and firm but later becoming moderately tender and somewhat crisp, subacid, fair to good."
  • Budd-Hansen: "yellow, firm, juicy, crisp, fine-grained, pleasant subacid, good."
  • Hedrick: "yellow, coarse, juicy, at first hard but becoming tender and crisp, subacid; fair to good."
  • Central Experimental Farm: "yellowish white, firm, crisp, juicy, mildly sub-acid, pleasant, quality good."
  • Lowther: quality "very good."

Hedrick summarizes that the apples are "of the Rhode Island Greening type, but mediocre in quality."

Core/Seeds

Core medium (Downing); core closed, sessile; cells ovate or elliptical; tube conical or funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds plump (Budd-Hansen). Beach: "Calyx tube moderately wide, cone-shape. Stamens below median to basal. Core below medium to small, usually axile or nearly so; cells pretty symmetrical, usually closed, sometimes open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels smooth, broad, narrowing towards the base and apex or approaching truncate at the base, but slightly emarginate if at all. Seeds numerous, medium or above, wide, obtuse to acute, dark." Hedrick: "calyx-tube wide, cone-shape; stamens median; core small, usually axile; cells symmetrical, usually closed, sometimes open; core-lines meeting; carpels smooth, broad, narrowing towards the base and apex; seeds numerous, wide, obtuse, dark."

Season

A late keeper. January to April (Downing); keeps till April (Thomas); winter (Lowther); late winter (Budd-Hansen); March to April (Hedrick); January and February (Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC). Beach gives the commercial limit as March or April in ordinary storage and May in cold storage.

Uses

Valuable for market and cooking, and a fair table fruit (Downing). Both kitchen and market (Lowther). Used by the trade as a substitute for Rhode Island Greening late in the season (Beach). Its great merits, per Beach, are the productiveness of the tree and the smoothness, uniformity and superior keeping and shipping qualities of the fruit.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 6 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 29 catalogs (1884–1921) from Alabama, California, Illinois, Nebraska, Oregon, Virginia, Washington

View original book sources (7)

Manx.

A chance seedling in the orchard of Judge Mooney, of Granby, N. Y. Tree hardy, an upright grower, with rather slender branches, forming a round head; an early and annual bearer, a late keeper, valuable for market and cooking, and a fair table fruit.

Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate, nearly regular; skin deep yellow when fully ripe, often with a shade of brownish red where exposed, and thickly sprinkled with light and gray dots, a few being areole; stalk short, rather small; cavity medium or quite large, sometimes slightly russeted; calyx generally closed; basin rather large, slightly corrugated; flesh yellowish, half fine, half tender, juicy, mild pleasant subacid; good to very good; core medium. January, April.

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

Mann.* Fruit large, roundish oblate; yellow, with a brownish-red cheek; mild, juicy, good. Tree an upright grower and annual bearer. Keeps till April. New York.

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

MANN.

REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1872:21 app. fig. 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1877:10. 3. Moody, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1881:124. 4. Barry, 1883:349. 5. Moody, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1885:27. 6. Thomas, 1885:517. 7. Can. Hort., 11:113. 1888. 8. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:294. 9. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:244. 10. Woolverton, Out. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 5:18. 1898. figs. 11. Ib., 6:35. 1899. 12. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Bul., 37:44. 1901. 13. Munson, Me. Sta. Bul., 82:95. 1902. 14. Budd-Hansen, 1903:123. 15. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B.P.I. Bul., 48:48. 1903. 16. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:131. 1904.

SYNONYM. Deiltz (3).

A hard, green, late-keeping apple used by the trade to some extent as a substitute for Rhode Island Greening late in the season when it often brings good prices. It is decidedly inferior to Rhode Island Greening in quality and does not always have a good clear green color, being sometimes streaked more or less with a network of russet. Its great merits are the productiveness of the tree and the smoothness, uniformity and superior keeping and shipping qualities of the fruit. The tree is superior to Rhode Island Greening and Baldwin in hardiness (5, 8) and usually is a reliable cropper, yielding good to heavy crops biennially or in some localities almost annually. It is a little slow about coming into bearing. In many cases the crops are so heavy that the percentage of loss in undersized fruit is rather high and the trees are damaged by the breaking of the limbs.

Historical. Originated as a chance seedling in the orchard of Judge Mooney of Granby, Oswego county, N. Y. (1), where it was formerly called the Deiltz. It was introduced into Niagara county by Dr. Mann, and on the suggestion of Elisha Moody of Lockport the Western New York Horticultural Society named the apple Mann (3). It is not grown extensively in any portion of the state but it is still being planted to a limited extent by commercial growers.

TREE.

Tree medium to large, moderately vigorous to vigorous. Form at first decidedly upright and rather dense but after bearing heavy crops becomes decidedly spreading with the laterals inclined to droop. Twigs medium to long, nearly straight, rather slender to moderately stout; internodes short. Bark more or less dark dull brown overspread with grayish-green and streaked with gray scarf-skin, slightly pubescent near tips. Lenticels numerous, dull, not very conspicuous, above medium to below, roundish, slightly raised. Buds medium to rather short, plump, obtuse, appressed, pubescent, deeply set in bark.

FRUIT.

Fruit medium to large. Form roundish, somewhat inclined to oblate, symmetrical, usually pretty regular, sometimes faintly ribbed; pretty uniform in size and shape. Stem short to medium, usually not exserted. Cavity acuminate, rather narrow to moderately wide, deep, usually russeted, and often with outspreading broken russet, somewhat furrowed. Calyx small to medium, closed or partly open; lobes medium in length, acute. Basin somewhat abrupt, rather narrow to moderately wide, usually pretty symmetrical, furrowed and wrinkled. Skin moderately thick, tough, at first deep green, often partly overspread with a brownish-red blush tinged with shade of olive-green but late in the season it develops a pronounced yellow color. Dots numerous, large, conspicuous, areolar, whitish with russet center. Calyx tube moderately wide, cone-shape. Stamens below median to basal. Core below medium to small, usually axile or nearly so; cells pretty symmetrical, usually closed, sometimes open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels smooth, broad, narrowing towards the base and apex or approaching truncate at the base, but slightly emarginate if at all. Seeds numerous, medium or above, wide, obtuse to acute, dark. Flesh yellowish, moderately coarse, moderately juicy, at first very hard and firm but later becoming moderately tender and somewhat crisp, subacid, fair to good.

Season. Commercial limit March or April in ordinary storage and May in cold storage (16).

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

Mann. — Origin, Granby, New York; tree a vigorous, spreading grower and an early and annual bearer; fruit a late keeper but lacks attractive color. Fruit above medium; form regular, oblate; surface very green in early winter, changing to deep yellow when fully ripe, overlaid with whitish, often with brownish, pink blush; dots distinct, numerous, dark russet centres with whitish base; cavity regular, acute, deep, trace of russet; stem short; basin regular, slightly wrinkled, wide, medium deep; calyx generally closed; segments connivent. Core closed, sessile; cells ovate or elliptical; tube conical or funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds plump; flesh yellow, firm, juicy, crisp, fine-grained, pleasant subacid, good. Late winter.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

Mann. Size: medium. Form: roundish oblate. Color: red. Quality: very good. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: winter. Northern Division: 3 stations reporting (also reported in another division).

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

MANN. Fig. 35. By virtue of several good qualities, Mann gained a high reputation a quarter of a century ago. The trees are vigorous, hardy, healthy, and productive, and the fruit keeps and ships well. But the apples, of the Rhode Island Greening type, are but mediocre in quality. With the advent of better care of orchards and of better shipping and transportation facilities, the need for a general purpose apple of this type began to wane, and Mann was doomed to lose the commercial importance it had acquired. The variety originated in the orchard of Judge Mooney, Granby, New York, about 1870, and later was introduced into Niagara County by a Dr. Mann, who gave it his name. It is most commonly grown in New York. Tree medium to large, vigorous, at first upright and dense but after bearing spreading. Fruit medium to large, round-oblate, symmetrical, usually regular, sometimes faintly ribbed, uniform in size and shape; stem short, usually not exserted; cavity acuminate, narrow, deep, usually russeted and often with outspreading broken russet, furrowed; calyx small, closed or partly open; lobes acute; basin abrupt, narrow, usually symmetrical, furrowed and wrinkled; skin thick, tough, green, often with a brownish-red blush tinged with olive-green but late in the season yellow; dots numerous, large, conspicuous, areolar, white with russet center; calyx-tube wide, cone-shape; stamens median; core small, usually axile; cells symmetrical, usually closed, sometimes open; core-lines meeting; carpels smooth, broad, narrowing towards the base and apex; seeds numerous, wide, obtuse, dark; flesh yellow, coarse, juicy, at first hard but becoming tender and crisp, subacid; fair to good; March to April.

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

Planted Spring 1890. Tree a strong and spreading grower, and a moderate bearer of fruit. Fruit large, roundish, oblate. Skin greenish yellow, washed with red, cheek in the sun and freely sprinkled with gray dots. Flesh yellowish white, firm, crisp, juicy, mildly sub-acid, pleasant, quality good. Season January and February.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)
Deiltz Manx