← All varieties

Newark Pippin

Apple

Newark Pippin

Origin / History

Origin, New Jersey (Warder). An old variety. Beach says it appears to have been well known in portions of New Jersey a century before his writing, on the evidence of Coxe's account of 1817. There it was "called the French Pippin in East-Jersey; and in other places denominated the yellow Pippin." Coxe judged it "the finest early winter apple of the middle States."

Early in the nineteenth century some fruit growers in New York were cultivating it, and there it was highly esteemed for table use and for cider (Buel, 1826, as cited by Beach). Beach's references trace it through Buel (1826), Downing (1845, 1869), Thomas (1849), Elliott (1854), Hooper (1857), and Warder (1867). Beach places it in the Fall Pippin group, an apple of good size, attractive yellow color, and excellent quality.

Downing calls it a handsome and excellent early winter variety, but "not profitable." Warder calls it "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." Beach writes that "notwithstanding the excellence of its fruit it appears to have become nearly obsolete" in New York.

Tree

Growth crooked and irregular; branches crooked and drooping. Downing says the variety is easily known by this habit. Tree not large, brushy, limbs twiggy (Warder). Young shoots slender, dull brownish red, smooth (Downing).

Coxe says the irregular growth 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." Coxe calls it "an abundant bearer, but apt to drop early in the autumn." Warder calls it "not very productive or satisfactory."

Fruit

Size: Above medium to large. Most authors give above medium to rather large. Coxe calls it usually above the middling size and sometimes large on young trees, and Elliott calls it large. Pretty uniform in shape and size (Beach).

Form: Roundish oblong to oblong, regular. Full, even, and fair, hollowed at both ends (Coxe). Often somewhat elliptical or obscurely angular (Beach). Warder describes it as cylindrical, truncated very abruptly, and slightly angular.

Stem: Long to moderately long, slender to moderately slender, deeply inserted.

Cavity: Wide to rather wide, deep, and regular. Acute to acuminate and sometimes faintly russeted (Beach).

Calyx: Large, deep set, open or sometimes closed (Beach). Calyx tube large, wide, cone-shaped or approaching funnel-form; stamens median to basal (Beach).

Basin: Wide and regular, rather deep to deep. Large, abrupt, and somewhat furrowed (Beach).

Skin: Smooth, or slightly roughened with capillary russet lines; slightly waxy, moderately thin, tough (Beach). Greenish or greenish yellow, becoming a fine, clear, rich yellow when fully ripe. Prevailing effect yellow. Rarely a very faint blush (Downing). Handsome and attractive in appearance.

Dots: Small and black, in clouds or clusters. Warder calls them minute. Beach calls them numerous, varying from minute to rather large, and rather conspicuous.

Flesh and flavor: Yellow to deep yellow, rather deeply tinged with yellow; Coxe says it is "in taste and colour like the yellow flesh of a pear." Fine-grained to rather fine-grained, breaking, juicy. Coxe calls the flesh firm; Elliott, Downing, Thomas, and Beach call it tender.

Flavor subacid, rich to very rich, high flavored, aromatic, sprightly. Quality "very good" (Elliott, Downing) to "best" (Warder); Beach gives "very good to best" for either dessert or culinary use.

Core and seeds: Core large, oval or pyriform, regular, abaxile to nearly axile. Cells pretty symmetrical, closed or open; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly roundish to oval, mucronate, tufted (Beach). Seeds numerous, plump; angular (Warder); short, wide, medium or below in size, rather light brown (Beach).

Season

Early winter, November or December to February. Coxe says it "continues in full perfection until the maturity of the Newton Pippin."

Uses

Dessert and cooking. Coxe calls it "a much admired cider apple."

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 6 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 1 catalog (1845) from Massachusetts

View original book sources (6)

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.

— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)

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.

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

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.

— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)

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.

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

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.

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

NEWARK PIPPIN.

REFERENCES.

  1. 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.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)
French Pippin Yellow Pippin yellow Pippin Ortley Pomme Grise Roman Stem Scarlet Pearmain Sigler's Red Summer Rose White Spanish Reinette Yellow Pippin