McAfee
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
McAFEE
Origin / History
An old variety of Kentucky origin. Downing says it "can only be traced to Kentucky." His McAfee's Nonsuch entry, and Budd and Hansen, place its origin at McAfee's old fort in Kentucky. Beach and Hedrick place it near Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Warder calls it "this choice Western apple" and supposes it to have originated in Kentucky, "possibly further South." Beach says it was at first called Nonesuch and afterward became widely known as McAfee's Nonsuch. Beach also notes that Dr. Howsley gave an extended account of its origin and of its dissemination under various synonyms. Elliott called attention to it in 1854 (Hedrick).
In The Western Fruit Book (1865) Elliott carried McAFEE in two entries. One was "Striped Pearmain," grown in Kentucky, from which fruit was received; its description was copied from Mr. Ernst's manuscript. The other was "McAfee's Nonsuch." Downing likewise described it under both Striped Winter Pearmain and McAfee's Nonsuch. Thomas refers Striped Pearmain and Striped Winter Pearmain to McAfee's Nonsuch.
Elliott calls it somewhat grown in the Southwest. Warder calls it much grown in Kentucky and found in Eastern Ohio, Southern Indiana and Illinois, and Missouri. He says that "in all places it seems to be doing well, and giving entire satisfaction," excepting the bursting of the bark. Downing calls it considerably grown all through the West, largely under the name Striped Sweet Pippin. Beach calls it well known in portions of the South and of the Middle West. He judges its quality in Western New York "not very satisfactory" and does not recommend it for planting in New York. Hedrick writes that it was "once very popular in the South and parts of the Middle West, now but little planted."
Tree
Tree medium in size, moderately vigorous to vigorous, thrifty, roundish, spreading to somewhat spreading (Beach). Downing calls it hardy, and a good grower. Hedrick finds "no remarkable tree-characters." Warder reports the bark bursting near the ground, even in bearing trees, root-grafted.
Shoots rather slender and dark. Twigs medium in length, with dark bark, slightly pubescent toward the tips (Beach). Young shoots smooth and reddish brown: clear reddish brown with a slight bloom on the ends (Downing), dark reddish brown (Beach). Foliage dark green, abundant on young trees (Warder).
Productive to very productive. In Western New York a reliable bearer, giving moderately heavy crops; the fruit hangs well to the tree (Beach).
Fruit
Size: Medium to large; Elliott's McAfee's Nonsuch entry gives medium alone.
Form: Roundish to globular, slightly to decidedly flattened, inclining to oblate. Warder and Beach call it regular; Elliott's McAfee's Nonsuch entry calls it oblique and angular. Warder finds it more flattened in the West than in Ohio, large specimens there becoming almost a flat or oblate apple.
Stem: Short to long, slender, small. Most authors give short, and Warder short, medium, or rather long. Budd and Hansen call it fleshy.
Cavity: Large, broad, wide, open, rather deep to deep, wavy or gently furrowed. Russet ranges from a little (Elliott) to russet surrounding the cavity (Downing), often thin and outspreading (Beach). Warder calls the cavity brown. Beach calls it acute; Budd and Hansen describe it as regular, green, and obtuse.
Calyx: Small, closed; Budd and Hansen give the segments connivent. Elliott's McAfee's Nonsuch entry calls it medium, with segments short, stiff, half open, erect, reflexed.
Beach describes the calyx tube as funnel-form, sometimes elongated and constricted at the base of the limb, enlarging somewhat below and extending to the core. Budd and Hansen call the tube conical. Stamens median to basal.
Basin: Shallow in most accounts. Warder calls it medium, Elliott's McAfee's Nonsuch entry deep. Small, very narrow to broad: Beach gives usually rather narrow, sometimes broad. Beach describes it as sometimes compressed, wrinkled and gently furrowed, and Downing as broad and uneven. Warder calls it regular, sometimes cracked; Budd and Hansen call it smooth.
Skin: Rather thin, smooth, polished. Ground yellow to yellowish green or greenish yellow, showing through the shading.
Mixed, washed, shaded, blended, splashed and striped with two shades of red, mostly overspread (Elliott), the prevailing effect striped red. The red is pale purplish red (Warder), carmine over a faint red wash (Beach), or crimson (Downing). Budd and Hansen describe fine solid crimson almost wholly but thinly covering the fruit, only obscurely striped. Elliott's McAfee's Nonsuch entry notes a bluish tinge.
Thin bloom (Downing; Budd and Hansen). Beach finds the base often marked with thin, grayish, mottled or streaked scarf-skin, and sometimes with fine, irregularly broken russet lines.
Fair, handsome, attractive; develops good color in Western New York (Beach). Warder adds "though not so beautifully colored as some others."
Dots: Numerous, distinct, minute, gray to whitish or white, giving the fruit a general gray appearance, or somewhat the appearance of a bloom. Warder and Beach call them indented; Elliott's McAfee's Nonsuch entry says they are "apparently raised on surface." Beach adds some larger, areolar dots mingled with the minute ones.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellow to yellowish, whitish or white, juicy. Texture tender, crisp, breaking or somewhat breaking, firm or solid, somewhat coarse-grained; Budd and Hansen call it fine-grained.
Flavor subacid; aromatic (Elliott's McAfee's Nonsuch entry). Downing's Striped Winter Pearmain is "very mild, rich, pleasant, scarcely subacid." Beach gives mild subacid approaching sweet; Budd and Hansen give lively subacid. Hedrick finds the apples "well flavored" but "rather too mild and characterless in flavor."
Quality good to very good. Elliott's McAfee's Nonsuch entry, Downing's Striped Winter Pearmain entry, and Budd and Hansen give "very good"; Downing's McAfee's Nonsuch entry and Beach give "good to very good." Warder rates it "quite good." Beach finds its quality "not very satisfactory" as grown in Western New York.
Core and seeds: Core medium, roundish, regular, open, decidedly abaxile (Beach). Elliott's McAfee's Nonsuch entry alone calls the core compact. Cells pretty symmetrical, open; Budd and Hansen give the cells ovate, entire, abaxile.
Core lines clasp the funnel cylinder. Carpels rather concave, tufted, very broadly obovate or approaching obcordate, narrowing toward the stem (Beach).
Seeds numerous and large. Beach describes them as long, rather wide, obtuse, dark; Warder as angular, some imperfect. Elliott's McAfee's Nonsuch entry calls them short, ovate, and Budd and Hansen small, plump.
Season
The recorded season runs from October to March, centering on December to February, the season given by Elliott and Warder. Beach and Downing's Striped Winter Pearmain entry open it in October, the latter closing in January. Budd and Hansen give November to March, and Downing's McAfee's Nonsuch entry December to March. In Western New York it is a late keeper (Beach).
Uses
Market, kitchen, and table (Warder). Warder highly recommends it for commercial orchards, whether for shipping North or South, particularly the latter.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 7 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 1 (1905)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867) — listed as Large Striped Pearmain
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as Striped Winter Pearmain
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as McAfee (McAfee Red)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903) — listed as McAfee's Nonsuch
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 6 catalogs (1894–1913) from Illinois, Oregon, Washington
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- 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
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904 — listed as Missouri Superior
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912 — listed as McAfee's Nonsuch
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (7)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Striped Pearmain.
Large Striped Pearmain. | Snorter.
Grown in Ky., from whence we have received fruit. We copy description from Mr. Ernst's manuscript. Fruit, medium to large, globular, slightly flattened, yellow, striped and blended with two shades of red; calyx, small closed; basin, shallow; stem, short, slender; core, open; seeds, large; flesh, yellow, tender, juicy, sub-acid. December to February.
[Additional entry in this volume: "McAfee's Nonsuch", pp. 163–163]
McAfee's Nonsuch. From Kentucky ; somewhat grown Southwest. Fruit medium, roundish flattened, oblique angular; yellowish, mostly overspread with two shades red, bluish tinge, and grayish dots apparently raised on surface ; stem, short, slender; cavity, open, little russeted, broad, deep; calyx, medium; segments, short, stiff, half open, erect, reflexed ; basin, deep ; flesh, yellowish, firm, crisp, juicy, sub-acid, aromatic ; core, medium, compact ; seeds, short, ovate; "very good." December to February.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Large Striped Pearmain.
This choice Western apple is supposed to have originated in Kentucky — possibly further South. It is now to be found in Eastern Ohio, Southern Indiana and Illinois, and in Missouri. Much grown in Kentucky. In all places it seems to be doing well, and giving entire satisfaction, excepting that the bark bursts near the ground even in bearing trees, root-grafted.
Tree vigorous, thrifty, spreading, productive; Shoots rather slender, dark; Foliage dark green, abundant on young trees.
Fruit large, round, flattened, regular, fair, handsome, though not so beautifully colored as some others; Surface smooth, mixed, splashed and striped, pale purplish red on yellow, which shows through the shading; Dots minute, indented, gray, so that the fruit has a general gray appearance.
Basin medium, regular, sometimes cracked; Eye small, closed.
Cavity wide, wavy, rather deep, brown; Stem short, medium, or rather long.
Core roundish, medium, regular, open; Seeds numerous, large, angular, some imperfect; Flesh yellow, breaking, somewhat coarse-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid; Quality quite good; Use, market, kitchen, table; Season, December to February.
In the West it is more flattened than in Ohio, becoming in large specimens almost a flat or oblate apple. Highly recommended for commercial orchards, whether for shipping North or South — particularly the latter.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Striped Winter Pearmain.
Striped Sweet Pippin. Large Striped Winter Pearmain. Snorter. Striped Pearmain. Winter Pearmain of some. Missouri Keeper? Missourian?
An old variety, which can only be traced to Kentucky. It is considerably grown now all through the West, and largely under the name of Striped Sweet Pippin. Tree hardy, vigorous, spreading, productive. Young shoots clear reddish brown, slight bloom on ends.
Fruit medium to large, roundish, inclining to oblate, yellow, striped, splashed, and shaded with shades of red, numerous gray dots, giving it somewhat appearance of bloom. Stalk medium or short, and small, inserted in a large cavity surrounded by russet. Calyx small, closed, set in a broad, uneven basin. Flesh yellow, juicy, crisp, tender, very mild, rich, pleasant, scarcely subacid. Very good. October to January.
[Additional entry in this volume: "McAfee's Nonsuch", pp. 285–285]
McAfee's Nonsuch.
McAfee's Red.
Originated at McAfee's old Fort in Kentucky. Good grower, very productive. Young shoots smooth reddish brown.
Fruit large, globular, inclining to oblate. Skin yellowish green, shaded and striped with crimson and covered with a thin bloom. Stalk short, inserted in a large cavity. Calyx closed, set in a small basin. Flesh whitish, solid, crisp, subacid. Good to very good. December to March.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Striped Pearmain, or Striped Winter Pearmain. See McAfee's Nonsuch.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)McAFEE.
REFERENCES. 1. Elliott, 1854:158. 2. Downing, 1857:170. 3. Downing, Horticulturist, 16:42. 1861. 4. Warder, 1867:601, 725. 5. Howsley, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1871:76. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1871. 7. Downing, 1872:260, 363, app. fig. 8. Fitz, 1872:143. 9. Barry, 1883:349. 10. Thomas, 1885:517. 11. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:294. 12. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:244. 13. Beach, W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. An. Rpt., 41:76. 1901. 14. Budd-Hansen, 1903:119. 15. Bruner, N. C. Sta. Bul., 182:27. 1903.
SYNONYMS. Gray Apple (7). Gray's Keeper (5). Indian Wyandotte (7). LARGE STRIPED PEARMAIN (4). Large Striped Pearmain (1, 5, 6, 7). LARGE STRIPED WINTER PEARMAIN (3). Large Striped Winter Pearmain (7, 9). McAfee (7). McAfee Red (14). MCAFEE'S NONESUCH (8). McAfee's Nonesuch (5). MCAFEE'S NONSUCH (2, 7, 9, 10). McAfees Red (5, 7). MCAFFEE (4). MCAFFEE'S NONESUCH (6). Missouri Superior (5, 7, 13). New Missouri (5). Nonsuch (7). Park (5). Parks Keeper (5, 7, 13). Snorter (1, 7). Stevenson Pippin (13). Slime (15). Storr's Wine (5). STRIPED PEARMAIN (1). Striped Sweet Pippin (7). STRIPED WINTER PEARMAIN (7). Valandingham (5). White Crow (5). Winter Pearmain (5). Winter Pippin of some (7). Zeeke (5).
This is an old variety well known in portions of the South and of the Middle West. As grown in Western New York it is a reliable bearer giving moderately heavy crops, the fruit hangs well to the tree, develops good color and is a late keeper but its quality is not very satisfactory. It is not recommended for planting in this state.
Historical. An old variety which originated near Harrodsburg, Kentucky. At first it was called Nonesuch but afterwards became widely known under the name McAfee's Nonsuch. Dr. Howsley gives an extended account of its origin and of its dissemination under various synonyms (5).
TREE.
Tree medium in size, moderately vigorous to vigorous. Form roundish, somewhat spreading. Twigs medium in length, rather slender with dark bark; slightly pubescent towards the tips; young twigs smooth, dark, reddish-brown.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium to large. Form roundish oblate, regular. Stem short to long. Cavity large, wide, acute, rather deep, gently furrowed, often with thin outspreading russet. Calyx small, closed. Basin shallow, usually rather narrow, sometimes broad, sometimes compressed, wrinkled and gently furrowed. Skin rather thin, smooth, yellow faintly washed with red and splashed and striped with carmine, often marked over the base with thin, grayish, mottled or streaked scarf-skin and sometimes with fine, irregularly broken russet lines. Dots minute, indented, gray or whitish mingled with some that are larger, areolar. Prevailing effect striped red. Calyx tube funnel-form, sometimes elongated and constricted at the base of the limb, enlarging somewhat below and extending to the core. Stamens median to basal. Core medium in size, decidedly abaxile, roundish; cells pretty symmetrical, open; core lines clasp the funnel cylinder. Carpels rather concave, tufted, very broadly obovate or approaching obcordate, narrowing towards the stem. Seeds numerous, large, long, rather wide, obtuse, dark. Flesh yellowish, somewhat coarse, somewhat breaking, tender, juicy, mild subacid approaching sweet, good to very good. Season October to February.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)McAfee (McAfee Red).—Originated at McAfee's old fort, Kentucky; tree a good grower and very productive.
Fruit large, roundish, slightly oblate; surface polished, greenish yellow, almost wholly, but thinly, covered with fine solid crimson, obscurely striped and covered with a thin bloom; dots distinct, numerous, minute, white; cavity regular, green, obtuse; stem short, fleshy; basin smooth, very narrow, shallow; calyx closed; segments connivent. Core open; cells ovate, entire, abaxile; tube conical; stamens median; seeds small, plump; flesh juicy, white, fine-grained, lively subacid, very good. November to March.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)McAFEE. McAfee Red. McAfee's Nonesuch. Striped Sweet Pippin. Winter Pippin. This is an old sort, once very popular in the South and parts of the Middle West, now but little planted. The apples are well flavored and attractive but rather too mild and characterless in flavor. There are no remarkable tree-characters. McAfee originated near Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Elliott called attention to it in 1854. Tree medium in size, vigorous, spreading. Fruit medium to large, round-oblate, regular; stem short to long; cavity large, wide, acute, deep, gently furrowed, often with thin outspreading russet; calyx small, closed; basin shallow, narrow, sometimes broad, wrinkled and gently furrowed; skin thin, smooth, yellow faintly washed with red and splashed and striped with carmine, often marked at the base with thin, gray, mottled scarfskin and sometimes with fine, irregularly broken russet lines; dots minute, indented, gray or white with some large and areolar; prevailing effect striped-red; calyx-tube funnel-form; stamens median to basal; core abaxile, round; cells symmetrical, open; core-lines clasping the funnel cylinder; carpels concave, tufted, broadly obovate; seeds numerous, large, long, wide, obtuse, dark; flesh yellow, coarse, breaking, tender, juicy, mild subacid; good to very good; October to February.