Montreal Beauty
Crab Apple
Montreal Beauty
Origin/History
Montreal Beauty originated in Quebec, Canada, and was propagated as early as 1833 (Beach; Hedrick). Budd-Hansen describe it as "of American origin." It is well known in the vicinity of Montreal and other portions of Quebec, and although it is quite frequently listed by nurserymen in both Canada and the United States, it is not generally known and is now seldom found in orchards except near Montreal and in parts of Quebec (Beach; Hedrick). Bailey noted it as frequently listed by nurserymen in the United States as of 1892 (Beach).
Tree
The tree is a strong, vigorous grower and very ornamental (Thomas; Budd-Hansen; Beach; Hedrick). Beach and Hedrick describe it as rather large, at first very close and upright (Hedrick: "upright, compact"); it does not come into bearing early, but bears heavily. Gibb (cited by Beach) states the tree is less hardy than that of Transcendent; Hedrick describes the tree as hardy. The Central Experimental Farm catalogue (planted Spring 1891 at Agassiz, BC) likewise records it as a vigorous grower.
Fruit
Size
Large (Downing; Thomas; Budd-Hansen; Beach; Hedrick; Central Experimental Farm). Beach notes it is "large for its class" (a crab).
Form
Sources give somewhat varying form descriptions:
- Downing: roundish oblate.
- Thomas: round-obovate.
- Budd-Hansen: roundish obovate to roundish oblate.
- Beach: oblong conic to roundish oblong and truncate.
- Hedrick: oblong-conic, or round-oblong, truncate.
- Central Experimental Farm: roundish.
Stem
Very long (Budd-Hansen). Not described by other sources.
Cavity
Acute, slightly russeted (Budd-Hansen). Not described by other sources.
Calyx
Closed; segments large, divergent (Budd-Hansen). Not described by other sources.
Basin
Flat, corrugated (Budd-Hansen). Not described by other sources.
Skin
Bright yellow, mostly covered and shaded with rich red (Downing; Thomas — "bright yellow, shaded red"). Budd-Hansen: bright yellow, mostly covered with rich dark red, a beautiful fruit; dots white, minute. Beach: yellowish-green, mostly covered with red. Central Experimental Farm: bright yellow, nearly covered with bright red. Hedrick describes the skin as yellowish-white. Downing calls it "one of the most beautiful of all Crabs, in appearance," and Beach calls it "very beautiful."
Flesh/Flavor
- Downing: yellowish, rich, firm, acid.
- Thomas: yellowish white, firm, acid. Quality rated "Fair."
- Budd-Hansen: yellowish, rich, firm, acid.
- Beach: yellowish-white, tender, rather juicy (unless overripe), subacid, very slightly astringent.
- Hedrick: yellowish-white, tender, juicy, subacid with little astringency; quality "good."
Sources thus disagree on texture (firm per Downing, Thomas, and Budd-Hansen; tender per Beach and Hedrick) and on acidity (acid per Downing, Thomas, and Budd-Hansen; subacid with slight astringency per Beach and Hedrick).
Core/Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Late September and October (Downing; Beach; Hedrick). Budd-Hansen: September, October. Thomas: "Late." Central Experimental Farm: September.
Uses
Not described in source, beyond Thomas's and Budd-Hansen's notes that the tree is very ornamental.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
This is a crab apple variety (Downing; Beach; Hedrick). Beach references the variety being listed under the synonym "Montreal Beauty Crab" in multiple period sources (Downing 1869; Gibb in Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt. 1876; Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 1877; Barry 1883; Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt. 1884; Wickson 1889; Bailey 1892; Me. Sta. Rpt. 1893; Thomas 1897). The Central Experimental Farm trial planting at Agassiz, BC was set out in Spring 1891.
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 13 catalogs (1884–1917) from Alabama, California, England, Washington
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900 — listed as Montreal Beauty, or Mammoth
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1910
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1911
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1914
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1915
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1916
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1917
View original book sources (6)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Montreal Beauty.
This is one of the most beautiful of all Crabs, in appearance.
Fruit large, roundish oblate, bright yellow, mostly covered and shaded with rich red. Flesh yellowish, rich, firm, acid. September, October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Montreal Beauty. Large, round-obovate; bright yellow, shaded red; flesh yellowish white, firm, acid. Fair. Tree a free grower and very ornamental. Late.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)MONTREAL BEAUTY.
REFERENCES.
- Downing, 1869:425. 2. Gibb, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1876:17. 3. Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1877:112. 4. Barry, 1883:360. 5. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1884:39. 6. Wickson, 1889:249. 7. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:244. 8. Me. Sta. Rpt., 1893:134. 9. Thomas, 1897:299. 10. Budd-Hansen, 1903:223.
SYNONYMS. MONTREAL (10). Montreal Beauty (10). MONTREAL BEAUTY CRAB (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9).
This very beautiful fruit originated in Quebec and was propagated as early as 1833. Gibb (2, 5) states the tree is less hardy than that of Transcendent, but is strong, vigorous, rather large, at first very close and upright, does not come into bearing early, but bears heavily. The fruit is large for its class, oblong conic to roundish oblong and truncate, yellowish-green, mostly covered with red; flesh yellowish-white, tender, rather juicy, unless overripe, subacid, very slightly astringent; season, late September and October. It is well known in the vicinity of Montreal and other portions of Quebec. In the United States it is quite frequently listed by nurserymen (7), yet it is not generally known.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Montreal (Montreal Beauty). — Of American origin; tree a strong grower and very ornamental.
Fruit large, roundish obovate to roundish oblate, bright yellow, mostly covered with rich dark red, a beautiful fruit; dots white, minute; cavity acute, slightly russeted; stem very long; basin flat, corrugated; calyx closed; segments large, divergent; flesh yellowish, rich, firm, acid. September, October.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)MONTREAL BEAUTY. This crab is listed by nurserymen in both Canada and the United States, but is now seldom found in orchards except in the vicinity of Montreal and in parts of Quebec. The variety originated in Quebec some time previous to 1833. Tree hardy, strong, vigorous, large, upright, compact, bearing heavily but does not come in bearing early. Fruit large, oblong-conic, or round-oblong, truncate; skin yellowish-white; flesh yellowish-white, tender, juicy, subacid with little astringency; good; late September and October.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1891. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit large, roundish. Skin bright yellow, nearly covered with bright red. Season September.