Occident
Apple
Occident
Origin and History
Originated by L. J. Fish of Martinez, California. Said to be a seedling of Yellow Bellflower. Scions were received at the New York Station in 1883 from Ellwanger and Barry for testing, at which time it was being regarded as one of the promising new varieties.
Tree
A little slow in coming into bearing but a strong grower. Reliable cropper and very productive. Fruit hangs well to the tree.
Fruit
Size and Form: Above medium to below medium, though variable by season—sometimes averages above medium, sometimes below medium; usually pretty uniform within a crop both in size and shape. Not large as grown in New York. 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. 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. Dots numerous, light or russet.
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 and Flavor: Whitish or slightly tinged with yellow. Firm, fine-grained, rather tender, crisp, juicy. Sprightly, rich subacid. Very good. Of the Yellow Bellflower type, attractive bright yellow, excellent in quality. A remarkably good keeper.
Season and Storage
January to May. Usual commercial limit in cellar storage: March or April.
Uses and Suitability
Would be a desirable variety for commercial planting in New York were it not somewhat deficient in size.
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).