Northampton

Apple

Northampton

Origin/History

Northampton is a Pennsylvania apple originating from Northampton County, though its exact origin is unknown. It is valued especially as a table fruit where known.

Tree

The tree is vigorous, upright, and spreading, an early bearer, and very productive. A notable characteristic, more pronounced with trees of some age, is that the lower half of the tree bears fruit one year and the upper part bears the next year, alternating in this fashion.

Fruit

Size and Form

Fruit is medium in size, oblate in form, often depressed.

Skin

Skin is smooth, pale whitish yellow, shaded, striped, and splashed rather thinly over most of the surface with light and dark red, with many large and small light dots and a few areole.

Stem

Stalk short and slender.

Cavity

Cavity rather large, deep, and regular.

Calyx

Calyx closed or nearly so.

Basin

Basin medium, slightly plaited.

Flesh and Flavor

Flesh white, fine, tender, and juicy, with a pleasant mild subacid flavor; rated very good quality.

Core and Seeds

Core small.

Season

October through February. Described as early winter by Thomas (1903).

Uses

Grown for family use; valued especially as a table fruit where known.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 3 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois

Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913

View original book sources (3)

Northampton.

A Pennsylvania apple from Northampton County, but exact origin unknown; tree vigorous, upright, spreading, an early bearer, and very productive; it is said the lower half of the tree bears one year and the upper part the next year, and this is more characteristic with trees of some age; valued especially as a table fruit where known.

Fruit medium, oblate, often depressed; skin smooth, pale whitish yellow, shaded, striped and splashed rather thinly over most of the surface with light and dark red, and many large and small light dots, a few areole; stalk short, slender; cavity rather large, deep, regular; calyx closed or nearly so; basin medium, slightly plaited; flesh white, fine, tender, juicy, pleasant mild subacid and very good; core small. October, February.

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

Northampton is a medium-sized apple of oblate form, rated very good quality, grown for family use.

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

Northampton. Medium, oblate, red streaked; good. Early winter.

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

Perle d'Angleterre