Martha.* Medium, oblate; yellow with a red cheek; acid, good. Season early. Minnesota.

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

MARTHA.

REFERENCES. 1. ? Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1879:452. 2. Ib., 1880:68. 3. Rural N. Y., 45:284. 1886. figs. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1887:134. 5. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:244. 6. Thomas, 1897:299. 7. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1897:11. 8. Budd-Hansen, 1903:222. 9. Rural N. Y., 62:235. 1903. 10. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:47. 1903.

SYNONYMS. None.

Fruit large, very handsome clear yellow more or less overspread with bright red; excellent in flavor and quality; one of the very best of its class for all culinary purposes. The tree is of medium size, moderately vigorous, roundish or spreading, very hardy, comes into bearing young, and is a reliable cropper, yielding good to heavy crops annually or nearly annually. The fruit hangs well to the tree, is uniform, reliable, and satisfactory in appearance and quality. Season, September to late fall. It should be more generally grown in New York.

Historical. Originated with Peter M. Gideon, Excelsior, Minn. It has as yet been grown but little in this state.

TREE.

Tree medium in size, moderately vigorous. Form spreading, open and somewhat inclined to droop. Twigs long, curved, slender; internodes long. Bark reddish-brown tinged with green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin, not pubescent. Lenticels quite numerous, small, oblong, not raised. Buds very prominent, large, long, acute, free, not pubescent. Leaves rather long, somewhat twisted and drooping.

FRUIT.

Fruit usually rather large, uniform in size and shape. Form roundish or oblate, regular or very faintly ribbed, usually symmetrical; sides sometimes unequal. Stem long, slender. Cavity acute to somewhat obtuse, medium in depth to rather shallow, rather broad, sometimes furrowed, often thinly russeted. Calyx medium to small, closed or partly open, occasionally deciduous. Basin shallow, wide, obtuse, smooth. Skin moderately thin, tough, smooth, clear pale yellow almost entirely covered with an attractive bright light red overspread with bluish bloom; sometimes faint narrow stripes extend from the cavity to calyx. Dots rather numerous, light-colored, small to medium size. Calyx tube short, rather narrow, very small, conical or somewhat funnelform. Stamens median to marginal. Core medium size, axile; cells closed or nearly so. Carpels roundish or somewhat obovate, slightly tufted. Seeds medium size, rather narrow, acute to acuminate. Flesh yellowish, firm, moderately coarse, crisp, juicy, rather brisk subacid, good to very good in flavor and quality. Season September to November.

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

Martha. — Originated by the late Peter M. Gideon, Excelsior, Minnesota.

Fruit large, oblate, very regular; surface smooth, yellow, almost entirely covered with a beautiful bright red, with a bluish bloom, no stripes or splashes; dots white, conspicuous; cavity wide, regular; stem long; basin very wide, nearly flat; segments often nearly obsolete. Core closed; flesh yellowish white, acid, good for culinary use. September to December.

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

MARTHA. Fig. 68. The large fruits, handsomely colored with bright red on a yellow background, perfectly turned in oblate spheres, and the uniformity in size and shape, make Martha one of the most prepossessing of all crabs. The yellowish flesh, though a little coarse, is so crisp, juicy, and well-flavored that one is tempted to say that this is the very best crab for culinary purposes. The trees, while of but medium size and vigor, are hardy, come into bearing young, bear annually, and are usually fruitful. Furthermore, the season, late fall, makes this one of the most desirable crabs for home or market. This is another of Peter Gideon's crab-apples first described in 1839.

Tree medium in size, vigorous, spreading, open, drooping. Fruit large, uniform in size and shape, round or oblate, regular or faintly ribbed, usually symmetrical, sides sometimes unequal; stem long, slender; cavity acute, broad, sometimes furrowed, often thinly russeted; calyx small, closed or partly open, occasionally deciduous; basin shallow, wide, obtuse, smooth; skin thin, tough, smooth, pale yellow almost covered with bright, light red overspread with bloom; sometimes faint narrow stripes extend from the cavity to calyx; dots numerous light colored, small; calyx-tube short, narrow, very small, conical; stamens median to marginal; core of medium size, axile; cells closed; carpels round or obovate, tufted; seeds narrow, acute; flesh yellow, firm, coarse, crisp, juicy, brisk subacid; good to very good; September to November.

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

Planted Spring 1895. Tree a strong grower. Fruit above medium size. Skin clear yellow, nearly covered with bright red. Season October.

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

Another origination of the late Peter M. Gideon; a beautiful fruit, bright yellow, shaded red. Tree handsome, vigorous, and very hardy—a moderate bearer. Flavor mild and tart, excellent for cooking, and fair for eating fresh. NNCS

— Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co., Stark Bros. Year Book (1910) (1910)