Neversink
AppleNeversink
Origin/History
Originated in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Warder notes it is "an old apple, supposed to have come from New Jersey; found in the oldest orchards of grafted fruits in Southwestern Ohio, seldom elsewhere in the West." The description circulated by Elliott (attributed to W. D. B.) and quoted by Warder derives from a report of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Warder notes he had not had an opportunity to examine the fruit himself and quotes the Society's report ad interim.
Tree
Vigorous, upright spreading. (Downing; not described in Elliott or Warder.)
Fruit
Size and Form
Large, roundish. Downing adds "inclining to conic."
Stem
Short and rather stout. Elliott and Warder specify "very short and rather stout"; Downing gives only "short."
Cavity
Narrow, acuminate, shallow.
Calyx
Large.
Basin
Deep, rather wide, furrowed.
Skin
Of an exceedingly beautiful waxen orange-yellow color, with a few russet dots, and a delicately striped and richly mottled carmine cheek.
Flesh and Flavor
Flesh yellowish, somewhat tough — Elliott and Warder attribute the toughness to the fruit being much shriveled. Downing adds that the flesh is moderately juicy and subacid.
Elliott and Warder describe the flavor as approaching that of a pineapple; Downing instead characterizes the flavor as quince-like, with no mention of pineapple.
Quality rated "very good" by Elliott and Warder; Downing rates it "Good."
Core and Seeds
Seeds grayish yellow, acute ovate. (Elliott only; not described in Warder or Downing.)
Season
December to April (Warder); December to March (Downing).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Neversick.
From Berks Co., Pennsylvania. Fruit, large, roundish; exterior of an exceedingly beautiful waxen orange yellow color, with a few russet dots, and a delicately striped and richly mottled carmine cheek; stem, short and rather stout; cavity, narrow, acuminate, shallow; calyx, large; basin, deep, rather wide, furrowed; seeds, grayish yellow, acute ovate; flesh, yellowish, somewhat tough, owing probably to the fruit being much shriveled; flavor, approaching that of the Pine Apple; quality, "very good." (W. D. B.)
[Additional entry in this volume: "Neversink", pp. 166–166]
Neversick.
From Berks Co., Pennsylvania. Fruit, large, roundish; exterior of an exceedingly beautiful waxen orange yellow color, with a few russet dots, and a delicately striped and richly mottled carmine cheek; stem, short and rather stout; cavity, narrow, acuminate, shallow; calyx, large; basin, deep, rather wide, furrowed; seeds, grayish yellow, acute ovate; flesh, yellowish, somewhat tough, owing probably to the fruit being much shriveled; flavor, approaching that of the Pine Apple; quality, "very good." (W. D. B.)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Neversink.
Not having had an opportunity of examining this fruit, I quote the ad interim report of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society;
"Origin Berks County, Pennsylvania.
"Fruit large, roundish, exterior of an exceedingly beautiful waxen orange-yellow color, with a few russet dots, and a delicately striped and richly mottled carmine cheek; Stem very short and rather stout, cavity narrow, acuminate, shallow; Calyx large, basin deep, rather wide, furrowed; Flesh yellowish, somewhat tough, owing to the fact of its being shriveled; Flavor approaches to that of a pineapple; Quality very good; December to April."
An old apple, supposed to have come from New Jersey; found in the oldest orchards of grafted fruits in Southwestern Ohio, seldom elsewhere in the West that I have seen.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Neversink. Origin, Berks Co., Pa. Tree vigorous, upright spreading. Fruit large, roundish, inclining to conic, beautiful waxen orange-yellow color, with a few russet dots, and a delicately striped and richly mottled carmine cheek. Stalk short. Cavity narrow, acuminate, shallow. Calyx large. Basin deep, rather wide, furrowed. Flesh yellowish, somewhat tough, moderately juicy, subacid, quince-like. Good. December to March.