Miller

Apple

Origin & History

Two distinct apples share the name Miller:

Miller (New York). Supposed to be a seedling, brought to notice by James O. Miller, Montgomery, Orange County, New York (Downing, Elliott, Beach). Lyon referred to it as a promising fruit for market and general purposes (Beach). Beach notes: "We are unacquainted with this variety and have received no report concerning it from any of our correspondents."

Miller (Pennsylvania). Origin, Berks County, Pennsylvania (Downing). Thomas also notes this as a separate variety: "Another Miller Apple, in Pa."

Miller (New York) — Primary Variety

Tree

Vigorous and productive (Downing, Elliott). Young wood smooth, light reddish brown (Downing).

Fruit

Size. Rather large (Downing, Elliott, Beach). Thomas describes it simply as "large."

Form. Roundish oblate, inclining to conic (Downing, Beach). Elliott describes it as oval or conical. Thomas says ovate.

Stem. Short, inserted in a deep, large cavity (Elliott).

Cavity. Deep (Downing, Elliott). Elliott adds that it is large.

Calyx. Downing describes the calyx as large, partially closed. Elliott describes it as open — a direct conflict between sources.

Basin. Deep, furrowed (Downing). Elliott describes it as broad and uneven.

Skin. Yellow, shaded, striped, and splashed with rich red, with large light or areole dots (Downing). Elliott gives simply yellow, striped with red. Beach, paraphrasing Downing, says "yellow shaded, striped and splashed with light red" — notably "light red" where Downing's own text reads "rich red."

Flesh & Flavor. Yellowish, tender, crisp, pleasant subacid; rated good to very good (Downing, Beach). Elliott describes the flesh as yellow, tender, juicy, with a rather mild, rich, pleasant flavor. Thomas says mild subacid, rich.

Core & Seeds. Not described in sources for this variety.

Season

October and November (Downing, Beach). Elliott gives September and October. Thomas says autumn.

Uses

Lyon considered it a promising fruit for market and general purposes (Beach).

Miller (Pennsylvania) — Distinct Variety

Tree

Moderately vigorous, very productive (Downing). Young shoots grayish dull reddish brown, downy (Downing).

Fruit

Size. Below medium (Downing). Thomas says rather small.

Form. Roundish oblate (Downing).

Skin. Whitish yellow, shaded, splashed, and striped with shades of red (Downing). Thomas notes simply "striped."

Flesh & Flavor. White, sometimes stained with red next the skin, juicy, tender, mild subacid; rated good (Downing). Thomas confirms "white flesh."

Core. Large (Downing).

Stem, Cavity, Calyx, Basin, Seeds. Not described in sources.

Season

September to November (Downing). Thomas gives October.

Uses

Not described in sources.

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois

Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913

View original book sources (4)

Miller. Origin, Berks Co., Pa. Tree moderately vigorous, very productive. Young shoots grayish dull reddish brown, downy. Fruit below medium, roundish oblate, whitish yellow, shaded, splashed, and striped with shades of red. Flesh white, sometimes stained with red next the skin, juicy, tender, mild subacid. Good. Core large. September, November.

Miller. Introduced by James O. Miller, Montgomery, Orange Co., N. Y. Tree vigorous and productive. Young wood smooth, light reddish brown. Fruit rather large, roundish oblate, inclining to conic, yellow, shaded, striped, and splashed with rich red, large light or areole dots. Cavity deep. Calyx large, partially closed. Basin deep, furrowed. Flesh yellowish, tender, crisp, pleasant subacid. Good to very good. October, November.

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

MILLER

REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1857:172. 2. Horticulturist, 13:530. 1858. 3. Warder, 1867:726. 4. Downing, 1869:275. 5. Leroy, 1873:469. fig. 6. Thomas, 1875:506. 7. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:294.

SYNONYMS. MILLER (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). MILLER SEEDLING (2).

This apple was brought to notice by James O. Miller, Montgomery, Orange county, N. Y. (1). Downing (4) describes the fruit as rather large, roundish oblate inclined to conic, yellow shaded, striped and splashed with light red. Flesh yellowish, crisp, pleasant subacid, good to very good. Season October and November (3). Lyon refers to it as a promising fruit for market and general purposes (7). We are unacquainted with this variety and have received no report concerning it from any of our correspondents.

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

Miller Apple.

Supposed to be a seedling, and brought to notice by James O. Miller, Montgomery, Orange Co., N. Y. Tree, vigorous and productive. Fruit, rather large, oval or conical; skin, yellow, striped with red; stalk, short, inserted in a deep, large cavity; calyx open, in a broad, uneven basin; flesh, yellow, tender, juicy, with a rather mild, rich, pleasant flavor. September and October. (Downing.)

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Miller Apple. Large, ovate, striped; mild sub-acid, rich. Autumn. N. Y. [Another Miller Apple, in Pa., is rather small, striped, with white flesh. October.]

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

Miller Seedling