Mere de Menage

Apple

Mere de Menage

Origin / History

Origin most probably Continental (E. A. Bunyard). George Bunyard & Co. (1914) record that the variety was imported from the Continent about 1800. E. A. Bunyard and George Bunyard & Co. (1914) both state it is not the Mère de Ménage of France. The 1914 catalog describes that French apple as "a large pale yellow fruit" and adds, "We are unable, so far to determine its real name." Grown in Belgium as Queen Emma and under other names, and much grown in East Anglia (E. A. Bunyard).

Tree

Growth vigorous, making a large spreading tree, large or big as a standard. Wood long jointed. It does not form a pyramid readily (George Bunyard & Co., 1901), and the 1914 George Bunyard & Co. catalog calls it too long jointed for pyramids. Extra fine on Paradise (George Bunyard & Co., 1901). Leaf very large, curved serrate, little undulating, flat, gray-green (E. A. Bunyard). Fertility moderate (E. A. Bunyard). Crops best on old trees (George Bunyard & Co., 1901).

Fruit

Size: Very large, often attaining an enormous size (Veitch). George Bunyard & Co. (1914) call it large. E. A. Bunyard gives 3½ by 2½.

Form: Flat or somewhat flat to flat conical or conical; very irregular; ribbed.

Stem: Very short and stout (E. A. Bunyard).

Cavity: Wide, irregular, much russeted (E. A. Bunyard).

Calyx: Eye closed (E. A. Bunyard).

Basin: Broad, much ribbed, and channeled (E. A. Bunyard).

Skin: Ground yellow to yellowish green. It is overspread, shaded, and striped with red, or almost covered with dull brown crimson with darker broad stripes. The color is also given as rich dark crimson (George Bunyard & Co., 1901), reddish bronze streaked (Veitch), and dark brown with crimson stripes and flush (George Bunyard & Co., 1914). Very showy and handsome.

Dots: Conspicuous, white, widely spaced (E. A. Bunyard).

Flesh and flavor: Firm and solid, crisp, juicy, greenish. Downing calls it brisk and subacid; E. A. Bunyard calls it acid.

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

The recorded season runs from October to March. Most authors carry it to March, and George Bunyard & Co. (1914) begin it in December. Downing alone ends it in December, giving October to December. Keeps well (E. A. Bunyard).

Uses

Culinary; cooks well and is a useful kitchen fruit. Downing calls it "a very showy market Apple, and good for cooking." George Bunyard & Co. (1901) call it valuable as an exhibition variety.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 5 catalogs (1900–1913) from England, Illinois

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

View original book sources (5)

Mere de Menage. Fruit very large, conical, yellow, overspread, shaded, and striped with red. Flesh firm, crisp, brisk, juicy, subacid. October, December. A very showy market Apple, and good for cooking.

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

MÈRE DE MÉNAGE. Culinary, till March, very large, 3½ by 2½, flat conical, very irregular. Colour, yellowish-green almost covered with dull brown crimson and darker broad stripes, and conspicuous white dots widely spaced. Flesh, firm, greenish, acid. Eye, closed in a broad much ribbed, and chanelled basin. Stem, very short and stout, in a wide, irregular, much russeted cavity. Growth vigorous, makes a large spreading tree; fertility moderate. Leaf, very large, curved serrate, little undulating, flat, grey-green. Origin, most probably Continental, but not the Mère de Ménage of France. It is grown in Belgium as Queen Emma and under other names. Much grown in East Anglia. A useful kitchen fruit, keeping well.

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

Very large, flat, rich dark crimson colour, extra fine on Paradise; does not form a Pyramid readily; large tree as a Standard, and valuable as an exhibition variety; crops best on old trees.

— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Fruit Catalogue (1901) (1901)

very large and handsome, reddish bronze streaked, flesh firm and solid, the fruit is somewhat flat but often attains an enormous size ... Oct. to Mar.

— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)

Culinary; Dec.-Mar. Large, ribbed, dark brown, crimson stripes and flush; cooks well; too long jointed for pyramids; makes a big standard. This variety was imported from the continent about 1800, but is not the Mére de Ménage of France, which is a large pale yellow fruit. We are unable, so far to determine its real name.

— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)

Queen Emma Summer Rambo