May
Apple
May
[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — Elliott's description, an early apple ripening at the latter end of May in the South and "valued only for its earliness," appears to describe a different, summer variety of the same name, not the long-keeping winter May of the other sources. His details are kept below and attributed to him.]
Origin / History
An old apple of unknown origin, widely disseminated and considerably grown throughout the West. Warder heads it as May "of Myers" and as Rhenish May "of Illinois." He could find neither its history nor its origin, and says its reputed foreign origin is discredited. In his account it was exhibited at all the winter meetings and found favor on account of its productiveness and its long-keeping properties. Downing says its only value is its long keeping quality. Planted spring 1896 at the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, British Columbia, among fruit trees under test.
Tree
Tree healthy, vigorous, and believed to be hardy (Warder), or a poor grower (Downing). At Agassiz it proved a medium grower. Productive, a good bearer. Young shoots dark reddish brown, somewhat downy toward the ends (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Medium; small at Agassiz.
Form: Round, inclined to conical, regular (Warder), to roundish conical. Conical at Agassiz. Elliott's early apple is roundish conical, flattened.
Stem: Long, rather slender (Warder).
Cavity: Deep, narrow, regular, brown (Warder).
Calyx: Eye small, closed (Warder).
Basin: Shallow, generally regular (Warder).
Skin: Smooth, often shining (Warder), pale greenish yellow. It may be often faintly blushed or bronzed (Warder), slightly brownish in the sun (Downing), or bear a dull red cheek (Agassiz). Elliott's early apple is greenish yellow with dull red streaks.
Dots: Not described in source.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellow (Warder) or whitish to white (Downing, Agassiz). Fine-grained, compact, solid. Juiciness runs from "sufficiently juicy" (Warder) through "not very juicy" (Downing) to "not juicy" (Agassiz). Flavor mild subacid; "mildly acid" at Agassiz. Quality "fair" (Warder), "Good" (Downing). Elliott's early apple has tender, juicy, sub-acid flesh.
Core and seeds: Core large to rather large, regular, heart-shaped, reaching the eye (Warder), open (Downing). Seeds numerous, pointed, plump, brown (Warder).
Season
A long keeper, in season from February through spring and into summer. Downing gives February to June, and Warder spring and into summer. At Agassiz the season was February. Elliott's early apple ripens in the South at the latter end of May.
Uses
Market and kitchen (Warder). Elliott values his early apple only for its earliness.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 7 catalogs (1894–1913) from Alabama, Illinois, Oregon, Washington
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894 — listed as Winter May
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894 — listed as Winter May
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as May of Myers
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900 — listed as Winter May
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901 — listed as May of Myers
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912 — listed as May of Myers
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as May of Myers
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)May.
Medium sized, roundish conical, flattened ; greenish yellow, with dull red streaks; flesh, tender, juicy, sub-acid; valued only for its earliness, which, in the South, is the latter end of May.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)May. MAY (of Myers)—RHENISH MAY (of Illinois.)
This long-keeping apple has been widely disseminated throughout the West, and yet I do not find its history nor origin. It has been exhibited at all our winter meetings, and finds favor on account of its productiveness and its long-keeping properties. Tree healthy, vigorous and productive—believed to be hardy. Its reputed foreign origin is discredited.
Fruit medium, round, inclined to conical, regular; Surface smooth, often shining, pale greenish-yellow, often faintly blushed, or bronzed.
Basin shallow, generally regular; Eye small, closed. Cavity deep, narrow, regular, brown; Stem long, rather slender. Core large, regular, heart-shaped, reaching the eye; Seeds numerous, pointed, plump, brown; Flesh yellow, compact, fine, sufficiently juicy; Quality fair; Use market and kitchen; Season spring and into summer.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)May. May Apple. Pilliken. Plymouth Greening. Rhenish May. Winter May. May of Myers. May Seek-no-further of some.
An old Apple, considerably grown at the West. Origin unknown. Its only value is because of its long keeping quality. Tree a poor grower, but a good bearer. Young shoots dark reddish brown, downy somewhat towards the end.
Fruit medium, roundish conical, pale greenish yellow, slight brownish in sun. Flesh whitish, fine-grained, compact, not very juicy, mild subacid. Core rather large, and open. Good. February to June.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1896. Tree a medium grower. Fruit small, conical. Skin greenish yellow, with a dull red cheek. Flesh white, solid, not juicy, but mildly acid. Season February.