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Melrose

Apple

Melrose

[NOTE: Source text may be incorrect — the sources appear to describe two different apples under one name: an old Scotch apple (Downing, Bunyard) and an Ohio Experiment Station cross of Jonathan and Delicious (Zielinski).]

Origin / History

Old Scotch apple, little known (Downing). Bunyard, after Hogg, calls it an old Scotch apple, probably introduced by the monks of Melrose Abbey. Bunyard heads his entry "White Melrose", and Downing lists White Melrose beneath Melrose. Bunyard says it is "highly thought of in the North and Midlands, but with me is of no special excellence compared with the number of good fruits ripening at the same period."

A separate Melrose was originated by the Ohio Experiment Station as a cross of Jonathan and Delicious, and was released for commercial trial in 1944 (Zielinski).

Tree

Old Scotch type: strong, healthy grower and free bearer (Downing); growth vigorous, upright, very fertile (Bunyard).

Ohio type: crotch angles of the scaffold limbs distinctly less narrow than Delicious. Late in blooming, comparable to Rome Beauty. As susceptible to scab as Jonathan, but more tolerant of mildew.

Fruit

Size: Old Scotch type large (Downing); fairly large, 3 by 3 (Bunyard). Ohio type medium to large, uniform, regular.

Form: Old Scotch type roundish, conical or roundish oblate conical, ribbed, much ribbed toward the apex (Downing). Ohio type round to oblate-conic, somewhat like Jonathan in shape, fairly resistant to bruising.

Stem: Short (Bunyard, Old Scotch type).

Cavity: Deep, russet (Bunyard, Old Scotch type).

Calyx: Eye closed (Bunyard, Old Scotch type).

Basin: Deep, ribbed (Bunyard, Old Scotch type).

Skin: Old Scotch type palest yellow to pale yellow, becoming deeper in the sun, with an occasional reddish flush (Bunyard) and at times many crimson spots (Downing). Ohio type thick, tough, with a nearly solid, bright red washed and striped color; fruits color uniformly.

Dots: Old Scotch type: at times many crimson spots (Downing). Not described for the Ohio type.

Flesh and flavor: Old Scotch type: yellowish white (Downing) or pale yellow (Bunyard); firm, juicy; sweet subacid (Downing) or slightly acid (Bunyard). Ohio type: firm, crisp, tender, aromatic, mildly subacid, pleasant for dessert purposes.

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

Old Scotch type: October to December.

Ohio type: harvest 7 to 14 days later than Jonathan, picked about October 20 to 25, with mid-October also given. Fruits hang well on the tree until picked. Distinctly a winter variety with exceptional storage qualities, keeping until May under proper cold storage conditions.

Uses

Old Scotch type culinary (Bunyard). Ohio type "an appealing dessert apple", but rated only good in processing since the sauce appears gray and rather dull (Zielinski).

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 3 catalogs (1897–1913) from England, Illinois

View original book sources (3)

Melrose.

White Melrose.

An old Scotch Apple little known. Tree a strong, healthy grower and a free bearer.

Fruit large, roundish oblate conical, much ribbed toward the apex, pale yellow, becoming deeper in the sun, and at times many crimson spots. Flesh yellowish white, firm, sweet subacid. October, December.

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

WHITE MELROSE. Culinary, October to December, fairly large, 3 by 3, roundish, conical, ribbed. Colour, palest yellow with an occasional reddish flush. Flesh, pale yellow, juicy, slightly acid. Eye, closed, in a deep ribbed basin. Stem, short in a deep russet cavity. Growth, vigorous, upright; very fertile.

Origin, according to Hogg, this is an old Scotch apple, probably introduced by the monks of Melrose Abbey. This is highly thought of in the North and Midlands, but with me is of no special excellence compared with the number of good fruits ripening at the same period.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Melrose†

This variety was originated by the Ohio Experiment Station as a cross of Jonathan and Delicious. It was released for commercial trial in 1944. Crotch angles of the scaffold limbs are distinctly less narrow than Delicious. The fruit is medium to large, uniform, regular, round to oblate-conic, somewhat like Jonathan in shape, and fairly resistant to bruising. The skin is thick, tough, with a nearly solid, bright red washed and striped color. Flesh is firm, crisp, tender, aromatic, mildly subacid, and pleasant for dessert purposes. The harvesting season is 7 to 14 days later than Jonathan. Melrose has exceptional storage qualities, keeping until May under proper cold storage conditions. This is distinctly a winter variety that is picked about October 20 to 25. Fruits color uniformly and hang well on the tree until picked. Melrose is an appealing dessert apple, but is rated only good in processing since the sauce appears gray and rather dull. From a disease standpoint, Melrose appears to be as susceptible to scab as Jonathan, but more tolerant of mildew. Melrose is late in blooming, comparable to Rome Beauty.

MELROSE fruits color evenly and hang well on the tree until picked. Harvest time is mid-October.

— Quentin B. Zielinski, Apple Varieties for Oregon (1964)
White Melrose Melrose