Occident
Apple
Occident
Origin / History
Originated by L. J. Fish, Martinez, California. Said to be a seedling of Yellow Bellflower. Scions were received in 1883 from Ellwanger and Barry for testing at the New York Station, where it was then regarded as one of the promising new varieties. This fruit is of the Yellow Bellflower type.
Tree
The tree is a little slow in coming into bearing but it is a strong grower, a reliable cropper and very productive. The fruit hangs well to the tree.
Fruit
Size: Above medium to below medium. As grown at the New York Station it is not large, sometimes averaging above medium and sometimes below medium. Usually pretty uniform for the crop both in size and shape.
Form: Roundish oblate to roundish conic, often faintly ribbed.
Stem: Long, stout.
Cavity: Rather large, acuminate to acute, deep and moderately broad, sometimes russeted.
Calyx: Closed or somewhat open; lobes long, acuminate, reflexed. Calyx tube rather narrow, funnel-form. Stamens median to basal.
Basin: Small to medium, shallow, medium in width to narrow, often abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled.
Skin: Smooth, clear yellow, often with a shade of brownish-red, sometimes blushed with bright red. Attractive bright yellow in general appearance.
Dots: Numerous, light or russet.
Flesh and flavor: Whitish or slightly tinged with yellow, firm, fine-grained, rather tender, crisp, juicy, sprightly, rich subacid, very good. Excellent in quality.
Core and seeds: Core large, usually abaxile; cells usually wide open as in Yellow Bellflower; core lines clasp the funnel cylinder. Carpels large, broadly roundish, tufted, slightly emarginate. Seeds long, acute, tufted.
Season
Season January to May. Usual commercial limit in cellar storage March or April. A remarkably good keeper.
Uses
Excellent in quality for eating. Apparently a desirable variety for commercial planting in New York were it not somewhat deficient in size.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Cited in: Goff, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 2:35, 1883; Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:245; Beach, W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1896:52; Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:135, 1904.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
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 (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)OCCIDENT.
REFERENCES. 1. Goff, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 2:35. 1883. 2. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:245. 3. Beach, W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1896:52. 4. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:135. 1904.
This fruit is of the Yellow Bellflower type, attractive bright yellow, excellent in quality and a remarkably good keeper. The tree is a little slow in coming into bearing but it is a strong grower, a reliable cropper and very productive. The fruit hangs well to the tree. As grown here it is not large. It sometimes averages above medium and sometimes below medium size. Usually it is pretty uniform for the crop both in size and shape. Apparently it would be a desirable variety for commercial planting in New York were it not somewhat deficient in size.
Historical. Originated by L. J. Fish, Martinez, California. Said to be a seedling of Yellow Bellflower. Scions of it were received in 1883 from Ellwanger and Barry for testing at this Station. It was being then regarded as one of the promising new varieties.
FRUIT.
Fruit above medium to below medium. Form roundish oblate to roundish conic, often faintly ribbed. Stem long, stout. Cavity rather large, acuminate to acute, deep and moderately broad, sometimes russeted. Calyx closed or somewhat open; lobes long, acuminate, reflexed. Basin small to medium, shallow, medium in width to narrow, often abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled. Skin smooth, clear yellow often with a shade of brownish-red, sometimes blushed with bright red. Dots numerous, light or russet. Calyx tube rather narrow, funnel-form. Stamens median to basal. Core large, usually abaxile; cells usually wide open as in Yellow Bellflower; core lines clasp the funnel cylinder. Carpels large, broadly roundish, tufted, slightly emarginate. Seeds long, acute, tufted. Flesh whitish or slightly tinged with yellow, firm, fine-grained, rather tender, crisp, juicy, sprightly, rich subacid, very good.
Season January to May; usual commercial limit in cellar storage, March or April (4).