Margil
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Margil
Origin/History
An old English dessert apple, long known in English gardens, though its origin is uncertain — whether foreign or domestic has been debated. Lindley (1841) notes it cannot be recognised in any of the continental sorts of the present day. Warder (1867) calls it "a famous old English dessert apple, rarely seen in this country [America]." Bunyard (1920) considers the origin "doubtless Continental (probably Norman)," and notes that the name is derived from "Marg=marle=marrow, according to one author." Referenced in Forsyth, Hooker's Pomona Londinensis no. 33, Hort. Soc. Fruit Cat. no. 589, and Ronalds, p. 12.
Tree
Tree of the smallest size among apples (Lindley); of slender growth (Warder, Downing); "a slender grower" (Central Experimental Farm). Bunyard describes growth as "very weak" and fertility as "moderate." Despite the small tree, Lindley notes it is "an abundant bearer, either on an open standard, or upon dwarf trees," and Warder calls it "very productive." Veitch (1911) describes it as "somewhat unproductive, but esteemed as a prime favourite by connoisseurs." Bunyard recommends it for trial in every garden on account of its high quality and small tree size.
Wood: Wiry, deep brown (Lindley).
Leaves: Remarkably narrow, with little colour, but a good deal of downiness beneath (Lindley). Bunyard describes the leaf as "very narrow, much upfolded, dark, boldly crenate."
Flowers: Very pale pink, like those of the Ribston Pippin, but rather smaller (Lindley).
Fruit
Size: Small (Lindley, Elliott, Warder, Downing, Bunyard, Veitch); about 2 or 2¼ inches long and 1½ or 2 inches broad (Lindley); 2¼ by 2¼ inches (Bunyard); "below medium size" (Central Experimental Farm); "quite small" (Warder).
Form: Sources describe the form variously: ovate (Lindley); roundish, streaked with red (Elliott); round, somewhat conic, abruptly truncated, regular (Warder); roundish oblate (Downing); rounded conical, angular (Bunyard); roundish, oblate (Central Experimental Farm). Lindley notes the sides are angular, as is the eye.
Stem/Stalk: Short (Lindley); long (Warder); slender, in a narrow cavity (Bunyard). Note the conflict between Lindley ("short") and Warder ("long").
Cavity: Wide, not deep, regular, brown (Warder); narrow (Bunyard).
Calyx/Eye: Eye small, angular (Lindley); eye small, open, with calyx reflexed (Warder); eye very small, closed in a ribbed basin (Bunyard). Note the conflict between Warder ("open," "reflexed") and Bunyard ("very small, closed").
Basin: Wide, shallow, regular (Warder); ribbed (Bunyard).
Skin: Light bright orange, striped and mottled with rich red and brown, occasionally a little russetty (Lindley); dull yellow, streaked with red (Elliott); smooth surface, red, mixed and striped, with prominent yellow dots (Warder); yellow, striped with red (Downing); pale yellow with dull brown-red flush and russet (Bunyard); yellow, striped with red (Central Experimental Farm); bright yellow, with a bright shading through much of the surface (Veitch).
Flesh: Yellow (Lindley, Warder, Downing, Bunyard, Central Experimental Farm); white (Elliott); firm (Lindley, Downing, Bunyard, Central Experimental Farm); breaking (Lindley); crisp (Warder, Central Experimental Farm); fine-grained (Warder); tender (Elliott); juicy (Lindley, Warder).
Flavor: Sweet, with a high spicy flavour (Lindley); sub-acid, rich, aromatic, very agreeable, quality best (Warder); aromatic, good (Downing); highly flavoured (Bunyard); aromatic, quality very good (Central Experimental Farm); "fine flavour" (Veitch). Lindley ranks it "near the Ribston Pippin, small specimens of which it resembles in colour and form, and also in its spicy flavour; but it is not upon the whole so good a fruit." Bunyard calls it "of the highest possible quality." Warder remarks it is "much better adapted for the closing of a feast than many which are more pretentious in style and imposing in size," and notes it is "much more economical to him who provides even at a higher price per bushel than those which are too large to be eaten, and are only cut to be left on the table and wasted."
Core/Seeds: Core turbinate, regular, closed, meeting the eye; seeds numerous, pointed, long (Warder).
Season
Ripens late in the Autumn, and will keep well till March (Lindley); Early Winter (Elliott); November to January (Warder); October, November (Downing); October to January (Bunyard); November and December (Central Experimental Farm). Veitch states "Sept. to Dec.," and adds it "ripens late in spring and is best picked at the end of November and stored until November" (text as printed; likely garbled).
Uses
Dessert apple (Lindley, Warder, Downing, Bunyard). Particularly well suited to the close of a feast on account of its small size and economical eating (Warder).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Bunyard cites French and German names: F., Reinette Musquée; G., Muskat Reinette, with the further alternates Reinette d'Hiver Musquée and Small Ribston noted parenthetically. The Central Experimental Farm specimen was "Planted Spring 1894."
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 8 catalogs (1897–1917) from England, Illinois
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917
View original book sources (7)
— John Lindley, Pomologia Britannica, Vol. 1 (1841)THE MARGIL APPLE
Margil. Forsyth. Hooker's Pomona Lond. no. 33. Hort. Soc. Fruit Cat. no. 589.
This excellent Apple has long been known to the Gardens of this country, but whether of foreign or domestic origin is uncertain. It is not to be recognised in any of the continental sorts of the present day.
In quality it ranks near the Ribston Pippin, small specimens of which it resembles in colour and form, and also in its spicy flavour; but it is not upon the whole so good a fruit.
Ripens late in the Autumn, and will keep well till March. It is an abundant bearer, either on an open standard, or upon dwarf trees.
TREE of the smallest size among apples.
WOOD wiry, deep brown. LEAVES remarkably narrow, with little colour, but a good deal of downiness beneath.
FLOWERS very pale pink, like those of the Ribston Pippin, but rather smaller.
FRUIT small, ovate, about 2 or 2¼ inches long, and 1½ or 2 inches broad. EYE small, angular, as are also the sides. STALK short. SKIN light bright orange, striped and mottled with rich red and brown, occasionally a little russetty. FLESH yellow, firm, breaking, juicy, sweet, with a high spicy flavour.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Margil. White Margil. Foreign. Small, roundish, dull yellow, streaked with red; flesh, white, tender. Early Winter.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Margil.
A famous old English dessert apple, rarely seen in this country, but much better adapted for the closing of a feast than many which are more pretentious in style and imposing in size. Certainly much more economical to him who provides even at a higher price per bushel than those which are too large to be eaten, and are only cut to be left on the table and wasted. Tree of slender growth, but very productive.
Fruit quite small, round, somewhat conic, abruptly truncated, regular; Surface smooth, red, mixed and striped; Dots yellow, prominent.
Basin wide, shallow, regular; Eye small, open; Calyx reflexed.
Cavity wide, not deep, regular, brown; Stem long.
Core turbinate, regular, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, pointed, long; Flesh yellow, crisp, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, rich, aromatic, very agreeable; Quality best; Season, November to January.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Margil. Neverfail. Munche's Pippin. An old English dessert Apple, of slender growth. Fruit small, roundish oblate, yellow, striped with red. Flesh yellow, firm, aromatic. Good. October, November.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)MARGIL. Ronalds, p. 12. F., Reinette Musquée; G., Muskat Reinette. (Reinette d'Hiver Musquée, Small Ribston.) Dessert, October to January, small, 2¼ by 2¼, rounded conical, angular. Colour, pale yellow with dull brown-red flush and russet. Flesh, firm, yellow, highly flavoured. Eye, very small, closed in a ribbed basin. Stem, slender, in a narrow cavity. Growth, very weak; fertility, moderate. Leaf, very narrow, much upfolded, dark, boldly crenate. Origin, doubtless Continental (probably Norman). Of the highest possible quality; it makes a small tree and should be given a trial in every garden. The name is derived from Marg=marle=marrow, according to one author.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1894. Tree a slender grower. Fruit below medium size, roundish, oblate. Skin yellow, striped with red. Flesh yellow, firm, crisp, aromatic, quality very good. Season November and December.
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)small, but fine flavour, bright yellow, with a bright shading through much of the surface, somewhat unproductive, but esteemed as a prime favourite by connoisseurs, it ripens late in spring and is best picked at the end of November and stored until November. Sept. to Dec.