Oslin

Origin/History

A very old Scottish apple, supposed to have originated at Arbroath or to have been introduced from France by monks of the Abbey which formerly existed at that place. The latter opinion is considered the more probable, though the name or any of its synonyms are not now to be found in modern French lists. In the Jardinier François (1651), an apple is mentioned under the name "Orgeran," which is so similar in pronunciation to "Orgeline" that it may be the same variety under a changed orthography, as early writers were not careful to preserve unaltered the names of foreign introductions. This apple was figured in the Pomological Magazine, Pl. 5. Downing lists the variety under the alternate designation White Oslin.

Tree

Grows freely but is subject to canker as it grows old; habit upright; bears freely (Herefordshire Pomona). The branches are generally covered with a number of knobs or burrs which, when planted in the ground, take root readily and produce fresh plants — a feature giving rise to the synonym Burr Knot. Downing describes the tree as vigorous and productive.

Fruit

Size: Sources conflict. The Herefordshire Pomona gives medium sized, 2½ inches wide and 2 inches high. Downing describes the fruit as below medium size. Elliott describes it as small.

Form: Roundish oblate, evenly and regularly formed (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing gives oblate. Elliott gives roundish.

Stem: Short and thick, inserted in a very shallow cavity (Herefordshire Pomona).

Cavity: Very shallow (Herefordshire Pomona).

Calyx: Eye scarcely at all depressed (Herefordshire Pomona).

Basin: Not described in sources.

Skin: The Herefordshire Pomona describes the skin as thick and membranous, of a fine pale yellow color, and thickly strewed with brown dots; very frequently cracked, forming large and deep sinuosities on the fruit. Downing describes the skin as rather tough, clear lemon yellow when quite ripe, and sprinkled with a few grayish green dots. Elliott gives pale yellowish. The sources conflict on the dots: the Herefordshire Pomona describes them as brown and thickly strewed; Downing describes them as grayish green and sparse.

Flesh/Flavor: Flesh yellowish, firm, crisp, and juicy (Herefordshire Pomona and Downing). The Herefordshire Pomona characterizes the flavor as rich and sugary, with a highly aromatic flavor peculiar to this apple. Downing similarly describes it as spicy aromatic, rating it Good. Elliott, however, describes the flesh as acid — a direct conflict with the sweet character reported by the other two sources.

Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.

Season

Ripe by the end of August and continues through September, but does not keep long (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing gives September. Elliott gives August.

Uses

A dessert apple of the highest excellence (Herefordshire Pomona). Nichol is quoted in the Herefordshire Pomona: "As to flavour, it is out-done by none but the Nonpareil; over which it has this advantage, that it will ripen in a worse climate and a worse aspect." Lindley is also quoted: "This delicious variety is the best, except the Kerry Pippin, of all the early Summer Apples." Downing calls it an excellent Scotch apple.