Payne
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Payne
Origin / History
Payne originated on the farm of J.G. Payne near Everton, Missouri, from seeds supposed to have been brought from North Carolina around 1840. The variety has been valued in the Ozark region primarily for its excellent keeping qualities. Beach (1905) notes that it is duller in color than Ben Davis but better in flavor and quality, and that at the time of his writing it had not been sufficiently tested in New York to establish its value there, and was probably not well suited to conditions in that state.
Tree
Budd-Hansen (1914) describe the tree as vigorous and productive. Beach offers no additional tree characteristics.
Fruit
Size
The two sources differ on size. Beach describes the fruit as below medium to above medium, sometimes rather large. Budd-Hansen characterize it simply as large.
Form
Beach: roundish conic, somewhat elliptical, ribbed very obscurely if at all. Budd-Hansen: roundish, slightly conical, very regular.
Stem
Beach: short, usually not exserted, rather slender. Budd-Hansen: medium.
Cavity
The sources differ in their characterization of the cavity. Beach describes it as large, remarkably acuminate, very deep, often somewhat furrowed or compressed, usually covered with thin outspreading russet. Budd-Hansen describe it as deep, regular, obtuse, with a large stellate russet patch extending out over the base. (Beach's "acuminate" and Budd-Hansen's "obtuse" are in direct conflict.)
Calyx
Beach: small, closed or partly open; lobes often flat and convergent, sometimes separated at the base. Budd-Hansen: half open; segments flat and convergent.
Basin
Beach: commonly very small to medium, often oblique. Budd-Hansen: flat or nearly so, narrow, smooth.
Skin
Beach: smooth, moderately thick, very tough; yellow or greenish, washed and blushed with red and pencilled with narrow, obscure, carmine stripes; more or less streaked over the base with thin, dull scarf-skin. Highly colored specimens are almost wholly covered with bright deep red. Budd-Hansen: surface pale greenish yellow, mostly covered with solid rather light red.
Dots
Both sources agree the dots are large with a russet character, but differ in other respects. Beach: scattering, moderately conspicuous, rather large, pale gray or whitish, often with a russet point. Budd-Hansen: few, distinct, very large, raised, russet with light bases.
Flesh and Flavor
The sources differ on flesh color and juiciness. Beach: flesh tinged with yellow, firm, a little coarse, moderately juicy to somewhat dry, moderately tender, pleasant in flavor, mild subacid becoming nearly sweet; quality good to very good. Budd-Hansen: flesh white, moderately juicy, firm, mild, pleasant subacid; quality good.
Core and Seeds
Beach: calyx tube small, funnel-form or nearly so. Stamens median to basal. Core medium in size, slightly abaxile; cells often not quite uniform in size but usually symmetrical, partly open or closed; core lines clasp the funnel cylinder. Carpels tender, slightly tufted, ovate, mucronate, but slightly emarginate if at all. Seeds medium or above, wide, rather flat, obtuse, tufted, often adhering to the carpels, rather dark.
Budd-Hansen: core wide open, irregular, meeting, long, tapering to eye; cells round, slit, abaxile, roomy; tube funnel-shaped, small, short; stamens medium; seeds large, short, plump. (Beach's "partly open or closed" and Budd-Hansen's "wide open" are in conflict; Beach's seed description of "wide, rather flat, obtuse" also conflicts with Budd-Hansen's "short, plump.")
Season
Both sources agree: January to June. Budd-Hansen add "and later."
Uses
Valued as a keeper apple, particularly in the Ozark region (Beach). The common synonym "Keeper" embedded in alternate names reflects the variety's primary commercial virtue.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 1 (1905)
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Payne Late Keeper
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1901) from Missouri
- Mountain Grove Nurseries (Tippin & Moore , Proprietors; Geo. T. Tippin, J. W. Tippin, J. C. Moore), Mountain Grove , Missouri — 1901 — listed as Payne's Keeper
View original book sources (2)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)PAYNE.
REFERENCES. 1. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:246. 2. Wild, Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1902:203. 3. Stinson, Mo. Fr. Sta. Bul., 3:23. 1902. fig. 4. Budd-Hansen, 1903:146.
SYNONYMS. PAYNE'S KEEPER (1, 2, 3). Payne Late Keeper (4).
An attractive apple, valued in the Ozark region because of its excellent keeping qualities. It is somewhat deficient in size, good in quality and nearly sweet. It is duller in color than Ben Davis, but better in flavor and quality. It has not yet been sufficiently tested in New York to indicate its value for this region, but it is probably not well suited to the conditions existing in this state.
Historical. Originated on the Payne farm near Everton, Missouri. It is supposed to have originated from seed brought from North Carolina about 1840.
FRUIT.
Fruit below medium to above medium, sometimes rather large. Form roundish conic, somewhat elliptical, ribbed very obscurely if at all. Stem short, usually not exserted, rather slender. Cavity large, remarkably acuminate, very deep, often somewhat furrowed or compressed, usually covered with thin outspreading russet. Calyx small, closed or partly open; lobes often flat and convergent, sometimes separated at the base. Basin commonly very small to medium, often oblique. Skin smooth, moderately thick, very tough, yellow or greenish washed and blushed with red and pencilled with narrow, obscure, carmine stripes, more or less streaked over the base with thin, dull scarf-skin. Highly colored specimens are almost wholly covered with bright deep red. Dots scattering, moderately conspicuous, rather large, pale gray or whitish often with russet point. Calyx tube small, funnel-form or nearly so. Stamens median to basal. Core medium in size, slightly abaxile; cells often not quite uniform in size but usually symmetrical, partly open or closed; core lines clasp the funnel cylinder. Carpels tender, slightly tufted, ovate, mucronate, but slightly emarginate if at all. Seeds medium or above, wide, rather flat, obtuse, tufted, often adhering to the carpels, rather dark. Flesh tinged with yellow, firm, a little coarse, moderately juicy to somewhat dry, moderately tender, pleasant in flavor, mild subacid becoming nearly sweet, good to very good. Season January to June.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Payne Late Keeper. — Originated on the J. G. Payne farm, near Everton, Mo., some sixty years ago, from seeds supposed to have been brought from North Carolina; tree vigorous and productive. Fruit large, roundish, slightly conical, very regular; surface pale greenish yellow, mostly covered with solid rather light red; dots few, distinct, very large, raised, russet with light bases; cavity deep; regular, obtuse, with large stellate russet patch out over base; stem medium; basin flat, or nearly so, narrow, smooth; calyx half open; segments flat convergent. Core wide open, irregular, meeting, long, tapering to eye; cells round, slit, abaxile, roomy; tube funnel-shaped, small, short; stamens medium; seeds large, short, plump; flesh white, moderately juicy, firm, mild, pleasant subacid, good. January to June and later.