Ontario
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Ontario
Origin / History
Raised by Charles Arnold, in the town of Paris, Ontario, Canada, from seed of Northern Spy crossed with Wagener. Budd and Hansen speak of "the late Charles Arnold." E.A. Bunyard dates the cross before 1874. Hedrick says it was first described in 1874, and the earliest reference in Beach's list is the Horticulturist for 1874. In most of its characters it is intermediate between its parents, Northern Spy and Wagener.
Downing calls it "this handsome and excellent apple." E.A. Bunyard calls it "an excellent late variety, worthy of extended cultivation." Beach, at Geneva, was "not favorably impressed with it," finding it inferior to Northern Spy in both color and quality. As grown in portions of Ontario and in some parts of Michigan, it is on the average larger and more highly colored than at Geneva. Beach judged there were "doubtless" localities in New York where it would succeed much better than at Geneva. On its good Canadian record for hardiness and productiveness, he thought it "certainly worthy of trial in Northern New York and in those portions of the state where the Spy succeeds best." Hedrick writes that Ontario, "at one time much heralded," has been widely distributed but "is nowhere largely grown unless it be in Ontario."
Tree
Tree medium to large, vigorous, sturdy (E.A. Bunyard). Budd and Hansen rate it of moderate vigor only. Form upright, becoming spreading, or somewhat spreading.
Twigs rather short to moderately long, rather slender to moderately stout, quite pubescent; internodes medium or above. Bark dull, dark reddish-brown over olive-green, lightly mottled with scarf-skin. Lenticels rather numerous, small to medium or sometimes large, usually oblong. Buds medium size, plump, acute to somewhat obtuse, projecting, pubescent (Beach).
Leaves usually long and rather large. E.A. Bunyard describes the leaf as rich green, very long oval, upcupped, much undulating, coarsely serrate.
Bears young and heavily: "quite young and abundantly" (Downing), "an early and heavy bearer" (Budd and Hansen). At Geneva it has been a strictly biennial bearer, yielding heavy crops in alternate years (Beach). E.A. Bunyard calls its fertility "remarkably regular." Beach finds it superior to Northern Spy in productiveness but less productive than Wagener. He also finds it hardier and longer-lived than Wagener, with a good record in Canada for hardiness and productiveness.
Fruit
Size: Large to very large, uniform in size and shape. Hedrick says the fruits are usually larger than those of either parent. Fruit grown in Ontario and parts of Michigan averages larger than at Geneva (Beach). E.A. Bunyard alone calls it medium, measuring 2⅔ by 2.
Form: Oblate to roundish, rather flat, slightly conic or inclined to conic. Distinctly ribbed (Beach), slightly angular to angular. The oblate shape and ribbing follow Wagener. Beach calls it pretty symmetrical; E.A. Bunyard calls it flat and irregular.
Stem: Short to moderately long, rather stout to rather slender. Downing and Budd and Hansen give it short and rather stout, and Beach medium in length and thickness. E.A. Bunyard alone calls it moderately long and rather slender.
Cavity: Characteristically like that of Northern Spy: large, deep, acute or approaching acuminate, broad. Its width runs moderately wide to wide; E.A. Bunyard calls it extremely wide and ribbed. Sometimes to often slightly or thinly russeted, with outspreading rays of russet (Beach).
Calyx: Very small to medium, closed or nearly so to slightly open; Budd and Hansen give it open or closed. Lobes rather narrow, acute. Calyx tube narrow, funnel-form. Stamens median to basal (Beach).
Basin: Small to large, narrow to broad, medium to deep, abrupt, slightly to often furrowed and wrinkled, slightly corrugated. Downing calls it large and deep, and E.A. Bunyard broad and rather deep. Beach calls it small to medium, narrow to rather wide.
Skin: Thin, tough, smooth (Beach). Ground whitish yellow, pale yellow, bright pale yellow, or greenish. The ground is more or less washed with brownish-red, or nearly to mostly covered with bright rich red, or flushed bright red. The red carries faint or rather obscure stripes and splashes, which Budd and Hansen and Beach call carmine. The George Bunyard catalog has it "pinkly crimson in places." In highly colored specimens it becomes bright pinkish-red striped with bright carmine over a clear, pale yellow background, like the color of Northern Spy (Beach). Often coated with whitish bloom, which Budd and Hansen call pale pink. Mottled and streaked with whitish scarf-skin, particularly over the base (Beach). At Geneva it has been too deficient in color (Beach). Hedrick finds it inferior in color to both parents.
Dots: Few to rather numerous, light, distinct, small, whitish, gray or russet, the skin moderately sprinkled (Downing). Budd and Hansen call them few, Beach rather numerous.
Flesh and flavor: Whitish yellow, whitish tinged with yellow, yellowish white, or pale yellow. Fine to moderately fine or a little coarse, rather firm, crisp, tender, juicy to very juicy. The George Bunyard catalog calls the flesh "hard and firm."
Sprightly, subacid to rather brisk or brisk subacid, refreshing (Downing), slightly aromatic to aromatic. Beach finds it more brisk than Northern Spy.
Quality "very good" (Budd and Hansen) or "good to very good" (Beach). The George Bunyard catalog says "rather fine flavour." Beach finds it inferior to Northern Spy in quality, and Hedrick inferior to both parents in flavor.
Core and seeds: Core small (Downing, Budd and Hansen), usually rather small (Beach). Abaxile, with a rather large hollow cylinder at the axis. Cells symmetrical, closed or partly open; core lines clasping the funnel cylinder. Carpels smooth or nearly so, roundish, narrowing toward the apex, often nearly truncate at the base, slightly emarginate. Seeds medium in size, moderately wide to wide, obtuse to acute, rather dark (Beach).
Season
The recorded season runs from November till April, coinciding with that of Northern Spy (Hedrick). Downing and Budd and Hansen give January to April; Beach gives November to March or April. So far as tested at Geneva, it follows Northern Spy in showing considerable variation in keeping quality in different seasons (Beach). E.A. Bunyard says it does not shrivel when kept long, and the George Bunyard catalog calls it very late storing.
Uses
Culinary or dessert (E.A. Bunyard); culinary (George Bunyard catalog). Beach calls it especially desirable for culinary use. In portions of Ontario it is regarded as one of the best apples both for commercial purposes and home use (Beach, citing Macoun). At Geneva, Beach found it "too deficient in color to rank as a good commercial sort."
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
E.A. Bunyard cites "New York, I., 240." Beach's references to the variety run from the Horticulturist of 1874 and the Downing appendix of 1876 to Ragan's 1905 bulletin. Between them come the Montreal Horticultural Society report for 1880 and the Canadian Horticulturist articles of Brown, Nicol, and Edwards, 1890 to 1900. The list also includes Bailey (1892) and the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association and Ontario Fruit Stations reports (Dempsey, Woolverton, 1894 to 1896). Further entries are the American Pomological Society report and catalogue (1895, 1897), Macoun (1901), Budd-Hansen (1903), and Powell and Fulton (1903).
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
Described in Hort'74, 312, previous to being named.
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 13 catalogs (1900–1921) from England, Illinois, Oregon, Washington
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
View original book sources (6)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Ontario.
This handsome and excellent apple was raised by Charles Arnold, Paris, Ontario, from seed of Northern Spy crossed with the Wagener; tree vigorous, somewhat spreading, bears quite young and abundantly.
Fruit large, oblate, slightly conic, slightly angular; skin whitish yellow, nearly covered with bright rich red, some rather obscure stripes and splashes, and moderately sprinkled with light dots; stalk short, rather stout; cavity broad, deep, sometimes slight russet; calyx closed or nearly so; basin large, deep, slightly corrugated; flesh whitish yellow, fine, tender, juicy, subacid, refreshing, slightly aromatic; core small. January, April.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)ONTARIO.
REFERENCES. 1. Horticulturist, 1874:312. (cited by 22). 2. Downing, 1876:61 app. fig. 3. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1880:100. 4. Brown, Can. Hort., 13:114, 351. 1890. 5. Ib., 14:138. 1891. 6. Nicol, Can. Hort., 15:117. 1892. 7. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:245. 8. Brown, Amer. Gard., 14:426. 1893. 9. Ont. Fr. Gr. Assn. An. Rpt., 1:65. 1894. 10. Dempsey, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 1:24. 1894. 11. Edwards, Can. Hort., 17:212. 1894. 12. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1895:78. 13. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 3:11. 1896. figs. 14. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1897. 15. Can. Hort., 23:231. 1900. 16. Beach, E. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1900:43. 17. Ib., W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1900:36. 18. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Bul., 37:45. 1901. 19. Budd-Hansen, 1903:143. 20. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:51. 1903. 21. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:136. 1904. 22. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:220. 1905.
Fruit in many respects intermediate in character between its parents, Northern Spy and Wagener. Like Wagener, it is oblate and ribbed; like the Spy, it has a large, deep cavity and its color when highly developed is pinkish-red with carmine stripes over a clear, pale yellow background. As grown at this Station we have not been favorably impressed with it because it is inferior to Northern Spy both in color and quality. In fact it has been too deficient in color to rank as a good commercial sort. It is in season from November to March or April. So far as tested here it appears to follow Northern Spy in that it shows considerable variation in different seasons in its keeping quality (21). It has been a strictly biennial bearer, yielding heavy crops in alternate years. It appears to be superior to Northern Spy in productiveness, but is less productive than Wagener. It is hardier and longer-lived than Wagener. In portions of Ontario it is regarded as one of the best apples both for commercial purposes and home use. (18). As grown in that region and also in some parts of Michigan it is on the average larger and more highly colored than we have found it to be at this Station. Doubtless there are localities in New York where it would succeed much better than it does at Geneva. On account of its good record in Canada as to its hardiness and productiveness it is certainly worthy of trial in Northern New York and in those portions of the state where the Spy succeeds best.
Historical. Originated by Charles Arnold, Paris, Ont., by crossing Northern Spy with Wagener.
TREE.
Tree medium to large, vigorous. Form upright, becoming spreading. Twigs rather short to moderately long, rather slender to moderately stout, quite pubescent; internodes medium or above. Bark dull, dark reddish-brown over olive-green, lightly mottled with scarf-skin. Lenticels rather numerous, small to medium, or sometimes large, usually oblong. Buds medium size, plump, acute to somewhat obtuse, projecting, pubescent. Leaves usually long and rather large.
FRUIT.
Fruit large to very large, uniform in size and shape. Form oblate to roundish inclined to conic, distinctly ribbed or even angular, pretty symmetrical. Stem medium in length and thickness. Cavity characteristically like that of the Northern Spy, large, acute or approaching acuminate, deep, wide to moderately wide, often thinly russeted and with outspreading rays of russet. Calyx small to medium, closed or slightly open; lobes rather narrow, acute. Basin small to medium, deep, narrow to rather wide, abrupt, often furrowed and wrinkled.
Skin thin, tough, smooth, bright pale yellow or greenish more or less washed with brownish-red faintly splashed with carmine, in highly colored specimens becoming bright pinkish-red striped with bright carmine; often coated with whitish bloom and mottled and streaked with whitish scarf-skin, particularly over the base. Dots rather numerous, small, whitish, gray or russet.
Calyx tube narrow, funnel-form. Stamens median to basal.
Core usually rather small, abaxile with a rather large hollow cylinder at the axis; cells symmetrical, closed or partly open; core lines clasping the funnel cylinder. Carpels smooth or nearly so, roundish, narrowing toward the apex, often nearly truncate at the base, slightly emarginate. Seeds medium in size, moderately wide to wide, obtuse to acute, rather dark.
Flesh whitish tinged with yellow, rather firm, moderately fine or a little coarse, crisp, tender, very juicy, sprightly, rather brisk subacid, more so than Northern Spy, aromatic, good to very good; especially desirable for culinary use.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Ontario— Originated by the late Charles Arnold, Paris, Ontario, Canada, from seed of Northern Spy crossed with Wagener; tree of moderate vigor, somewhat spreading, an early and heavy bearer. Fruit large to very large, oblate, sometimes roundish, slightly angular; surface whitish yellow, mostly covered with bright rich red, with obscure carmine splashes and stripes, with pale pink bloom; dots few, light, distinct; cavity deep, broad, slightly russeted; stem short, rather stout; basin medium to rather deep, slightly wrinkled; calyx small, open or closed. Core small; flesh yellowish white, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly, slightly aromatic, brisk subacid, very good. January to April.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)ONTARIO. New York, I., 240. Culinary or dessert, till April, medium, 2⅔ by 2, flat, irregular. Colour, pale yellow with bright red flush and faint stripes. Flesh, crisp, juicy, pale yellow, sub-acid. Eye, very small in a broad rather deep basin. Stem, moderately long, rather slender in an extremely wide ribbed cavity. Growth, vigorous and sturdy; fertility remarkably regular. Leaf, rather large, rich green, very long oval, upcupped, much undulating, coarsely serrate. Origin, a cross between Wagener and Northern Spy, made by Mr. Charles Arnold, in Ontario before 1874. An excellent late variety, worthy of extended cultivation. It does not shrivel when kept long.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)ONTARIO. Fig. 40. In most of its characters, Ontario is an intermediate between its parents, Northern Spy and Wagener. The apple has the oblate shape and the prominent ribbing of Wagener, but the deep cavity and the color of Northern Spy. Usually the fruits are larger than those of either parent, but inferior in both color and flavor. Its season coincides with that of Northern Spy. At one time much heralded, Ontario has been widely distributed, but is nowhere largely grown unless it be in Ontario, where it was produced, in the town of Paris, by Charles Arnold. It was first described in 1874.
Tree medium to large, vigorous, upright-spreading. Leaves long and large. Fruit large to very large, uniform in size and shape, oblate or round-conic, distinctly ribbed or angular, symmetrical; stem medium in length and thickness; cavity large, acute, deep, wide, often thinly russeted and with outspreading rays of russet; calyx small, closed or slightly open; lobes narrow, acute; basin small, deep, narrow, abrupt, often furrowed and wrinkled; skin thin, tough, smooth, pale yellow washed with brownish-red, splashed with carmine, in highly colored specimens bright red striped with carmine, often coated with white bloom and mottled and streaked with scarf-skin; dots numerous, small, white, gray or russet; calyx-tube narrow, funnel-form; stamens median; core small, abaxile with a large hollow cylinder at the axis; cells symmetrical, closed or open; core-lines clasping the funnel cylinder; carpels smooth, round, narrowing toward the apex, often truncate at the base, emarginate; seeds wide, obtuse, dark; flesh yellow, firm, fine, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly, brisk subacid, aromatic; good to very good; November to March.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)Culinary; Syn. named Syn-Pease. Rather flat, pinkly crimson in places. Large size. The flesh is hard and firm. Very late storing. Rather fine flavour.