Newark Pippin
Apple
Origin/History
Newark Pippin is an old variety which appears to have been well known in portions of New Jersey a century ago. It belongs to the Fall Pippin group (Beach). Coxe described it in 1817, noting it was called the French Pippin in East Jersey and the Yellow Pippin in other places. It was being cultivated by some fruit growers in New York early in the nineteenth century and was highly esteemed for table use and for cider (Beach). Downing called it unprofitable, and Beach noted that notwithstanding the excellence of its fruit it appears to have become nearly obsolete in New York state by 1905. Warder similarly found the tree "not very productive or satisfactory" and suggested its place was supplanted by Grimes' Golden, "which is a much better tree, with fruit of similar good qualities, and better."
Tree
The tree is easily known by its crooked, irregular growth and the drooping habit of the branches. Warder describes the tree as not large, brushy, with limbs crooked, twiggy, and drooping. Coxe notes the tree requires great attention to pruning, which, when properly done, may be made conducive to the improvement of the natural growth, and that its excellence will remunerate any expense in rearing the tree in the best form to promote its growth. Young shoots are slender, dull brownish red, smooth (Downing). The tree is an abundant bearer (Coxe), though Warder found it not very productive — and Downing and Beach considered it not profitable. The fruit is apt to drop early in the autumn (Coxe).
Fruit
Size: Above medium to rather large, pretty uniform in shape and size (Beach). On young trees sometimes large; usually above the middling size (Coxe).
Form: Roundish oblong to oblong, often somewhat elliptical or obscurely angular (Beach). Coxe describes the form as oblong, full, even, and fair, hollowed at both ends. Warder describes it as oblong, cylindrical, truncated very abruptly, slightly angular. Downing calls it roundish oblong, regularly formed. Thomas describes it as round-oblong, regular.
Stem: Rather long, moderately slender (Beach). Warder: long, slender. Downing: moderately long, deeply inserted.
Cavity: Acute to acuminate, rather wide, deep, sometimes faintly russeted (Beach). Warder: wide, regular. Elliott: deep.
Calyx: Large, open or sometimes closed (Beach). Warder: eye large, open. Thomas: calyx deep set.
Basin: Large, wide, abrupt, deep, somewhat furrowed (Beach). Warder: wide, regular. Downing: regular and rather deep. Elliott: deep.
Skin: Smooth or slightly roughened with capillary russet lines, slightly waxy, moderately thin, tough, greenish, eventually developing a rich yellow tone (Beach). The skin has a greenish cast, turning yellow when fully ripe, with clouds of small black dots (Coxe). Downing describes it as greenish yellow, becoming a fine yellow when fully ripe, with clusters of small black dots, and rarely a very faint blush. Warder: surface smooth, rich yellow when ripe. Prevailing effect yellow (Beach).
Dots: Numerous, varying from minute to rather large, rather conspicuous (Beach). Coxe describes clouds of small black dots. Warder: minute. Downing: clusters of small black dots.
Calyx Tube: Large, wide, cone-shape or approaching funnel-form. Stamens median to basal (Beach).
Core/Seeds: Core large, abaxile to nearly axile; cells pretty symmetrical, open or closed; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly roundish to oval, mucronate, tufted (Beach). Warder describes the core as large, oval or pyriform, regular, closed, clasping. Seeds numerous, short, wide, medium or below, plump, rather light brown (Beach). Warder: seeds numerous, angular, plump.
Flesh/Flavor: Rather deeply tinged with yellow, tender, rather fine-grained, breaking, rich, juicy, subacid, aromatic, sprightly, very good to best for either dessert or culinary use (Beach). Coxe describes the flesh as firm, very rich, juicy, and highly flavoured, "in taste and colour like the yellow flesh of a pear." Downing: yellow, tender, very rich, juicy, and high flavored. Warder: deep yellow, breaking, fine-grained, juicy; flavor sub-acid, aromatic, rich, sprightly; quality best. Thomas: tender, rich, and high flavored. Elliott: yellow, tender, sub-acid. Coxe's description of firmness stands alone among the sources; the others describe the flesh as tender and breaking.
Season
Coxe describes it as the finest early winter apple of the middle States, continuing in full perfection until the maturity of the Newtown Pippin. Beach, Downing, and Elliott give the season as November to February. Warder gives December to February. Thomas calls it early winter.
Uses
Dessert, cooking, and cider. Beach rates it very good to best for either dessert or culinary use. Warder rates quality as best, use dessert and cooking. Coxe calls it a much admired cider apple and notes it was highly esteemed for table use.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Beach provides a bibliography of references: Coxe, 1817:133 (with figure); Buel, N. Y. Bd. Agr. Mem., 1826:476; Downing, 1845:121; Thomas, 1849:183; Elliott, 1854:149; Hooper, 1857:63; Warder, 1867:690 (with figure); Downing, 1869:285.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
View original book sources (6)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 56. NEWARK PIPPIN.
Called the French Pippin in East-Jersey ; and in other places denominated the yellow Pippin: this apple, on young trees, is sometimes large ; it is usually above the middling size : the form is oblong full, even, and fair, hollowed at both ends the skin has a greenish cast, turning yellow when fully ripe, with clouds of small black dots the flesh is firm, very rich, juicy, and highly flavoured ; in taste and colour like the yellow flesh of a pear: it is the finest early winter apple of the middle States, and continues in full perfection until the maturity of the Newton Pippin ; it is also a much admired cider apple, and an abundant bearer, but apt to drop early in the autumn: the tree is of an irregular growth, the branches crooked and drooping, requiring great attention to pruning, which, when properly done, may be made conducive to the improvement of the natural growth its excellence will remunerate any expense in rearing the tree, in the best form to promote its growth.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Newark Pippin.
Origin, New Jersey. Tree not large, brushy, limbs crooked, twiggy, drooping, not very productive or satisfactory.
Fruit above medium, oblong, cylindrical, truncated very abruptly, slightly angular; Surface smooth, rich yellow when ripe; Dots minute.
Basin wide, regular; Eye large, open.
Cavity wide, regular; Stem long, slender.
Core large, oval or pyriform, regular, closed, clasping; Seeds numerous, angular, plump; Flesh deep yellow, breaking, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic,
Fig. 289. — NEWARK PIPPIN.
rich, sprightly; Quality best; Use, dessert, cooking; Season, December to February.
A delicious fruit for amateurs, but its place is supplanted by Grimes' Golden, which is a much better tree, with fruit of similar good qualities, and better.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Newark Pippin.
French Pippin. Yellow Pippin.
A handsome and excellent early winter variety, easily known by the crooked, irregular growth of the tree, and the drooping habit of the branches. Not profitable. Young shoots slender, dull brownish red, smooth.
Fruit rather large, roundish oblong, regularly formed, greenish yellow, becoming a fine yellow when fully ripe, with clusters of small black dots, and rarely a very faint blush. Calyx in a regular and rather deep basin. Stalk moderately long, and deeply inserted. Flesh yellow, tender, very rich, juicy, and high flavored. Very good. November to February.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)NEWARK PIPPIN.
REFERENCES.
- Coxe, 1817:133. fig. 2. Buel, N. Y. Bd. Agr. Mem., 1826:476. 3. Downing, 1845:121. 4. Thomas, 1849:183. 5. Elliott, 1854:149. 6. Hooper, 1857:63. 7. Warder, 1867:690. fig. 8. Downing, 1869:285.
SYNONYMS. French Pippin (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, of East New Jersey 1). Yellow Pippin (1, 3, 5, 8).
This is an apple of the Fall Pippin group, of good size, attractive yellow color and excellent quality. It is easily known by the crooked, irregular growth of the tree and the drooping habit of the branches (3). Coxe's description of this variety (1) is here given.
"Called the French Pippin in East-Jersey; and in other places denominated the yellow Pippin: this apple, on young trees, is sometimes large; it is usually above the middling size; the form is oblong—full, even and fair, hollowed at both ends—the skin has a greenish cast, turning yellow when fully ripe, with clouds of small black dots—the flesh is firm, very rich, juicy, and highly flavored; in taste and color like the yellow flesh of a pear: it is the finest early winter apple of the Middle States, and continues in full perfection until the maturity of the Newtown Pippin; it is also a much admired cider apple, and an abundant bearer, but apt to drop early in the autumn: the tree is of an irregular growth, the branches crooked and drooping, requiring great attention to pruning, which, when properly done, may be made conducive to the improvement of the natural growth—its excellence will remunerate any expense in rearing the tree, in the best form to promote its growth."
Historical. Newark Pippin is an old variety which appears to have been well known in portions of New Jersey a century ago (1). It was being cultivated by some fruit growers in New York early in the last century and was highly esteemed for table use and for cider (2). Downing calls it unprofitable (8). Notwithstanding the excellence of its fruit it appears to have become nearly obsolete in this state.
FRUIT.
Fruit above medium to rather large, pretty uniform in shape and size. Form roundish oblong to oblong, often somewhat elliptical or obscurely angular. Stem rather long, moderately slender. Cavity acute to acuminate, rather wide, deep, sometimes faintly russeted. Calyx large, open or sometimes closed. Basin large, wide, abrupt, deep, somewhat furrowed.
Skin smooth or slightly roughened with capillary russet lines, slightly waxy, moderately thin, tough, greenish, eventually developing a rich yellow tone. Dots numerous, varying from minute to rather large, rather conspicuous. Prevailing effect yellow.
Calyx tube large, wide, cone-shape or approaching funnel-form. Stamens median to basal.
Core large, abaxile to nearly axile; cells pretty symmetrical, open or closed; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly roundish to oval, mucronate, tufted. Seeds numerous, short, wide, medium or below, plump, rather light brown.
Flesh rather deeply tinged with yellow, tender, rather fine-grained, breaking, rich, juicy, subacid, aromatic, sprightly, very good to best for either dessert or culinary use.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Newark Pippin. French Pippin, | Yellow Pippin. Tree, crooked, irregular growth. Fruit, large, roundish, oblong ; greenish to clear yellow, small black dots ; cavity and basin, deep ; flesh, yellow, tender, sub-acid ; "very good." November to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Newark Pippin. (French Pippin, of some.) Rather large, round-oblong, regular; greenish yellow, becoming yellow; stalk and calyx deep set; flesh tender, rich, and high flavored. Growth crooked, irregular. Early winter.