Plumb's Cider
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Plumb's Cider
Origin / History
Origin uncertain. Introduced by the late J. C. Plumb of Milton, Wisconsin. In 1874 Mr. Plumb stated that the variety was brought from Ohio to Wisconsin in 1844 by his father, "that the original tree, planted by him, in Jefferson County, still stands, a model of form and fruitfulness" (Hansen). Beach, following Williams's account in the Horticulturist of 1874, says it was brought from Ohio in 1844 to Wisconsin by Mr. Plumb. Hedrick adds that beyond its removal from Ohio to Wisconsin in 1844, "what its history otherwise may be does not appear." Thomas lists it as a Wisconsin apple.
Beach's earliest reference is the Wisconsin Horticultural Society Report for 1869. It appeared in the Horticulturist in 1872 and 1873 and in the American Pomological Society Catalogue of 1873. It was later noticed by Budd in Iowa (1879), by Barry (1883), by Alwood in Virginia (1901), and by Hansen in South Dakota (1902).
Beach writes that it "has been received with some favor in many parts of the country on account of its hardiness and productiveness," but that "as grown in New York state it is inferior to standard varieties of its season." Hedrick holds that its hardiness and productiveness commend it to the fruit-growers of Wisconsin, and that "it is little known elsewhere." It was planted on test at the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, British Columbia, in the spring of 1893.
Tree
Vigorous and round-headed. Hardy; Hedrick calls it very hardy, healthy, productive, and long-lived. An early bearer, very productive in alternate years. In Wisconsin it proved a good grower, hardy and productive (Beach, after Williams). A vigorous grower at Agassiz, British Columbia.
Fruit
Size: Medium to above medium; Beach calls it of good medium size, and Hedrick, condensing Beach, calls it large. Lowther alone calls it small.
Form: Roundish to roundish oblong or round-ovate, slightly conic to conical, the conic form in some specimens only (Beach). Hansen describes it as ribbed, angular, sometimes furrowed, unequal. Lowther gives it as roundish (oblate).
Stem: Short; small (Downing), stout (Beach).
Cavity: Small, narrow, shallow; acute (Hansen).
Calyx: Small to very small, closed. Calyx tube long, very narrow, funnel-shaped. Stamens extremely marginal, touching the segments, "a marked characteristic" (Hansen).
Basin: Small, narrow to very narrow, shallow to very shallow; corrugated, wrinkled, wavy, slightly plaited.
Skin: Greenish yellow to yellowish. Thinly shaded with light, pale, or dull red, and striped and splashed with red. The stripes and splashes are darker bright red on the sunny side (Hansen), or rather obscure and dull red (Downing). Fairly attractive in color (Beach). The Agassiz station describes the skin as golden yellow, and Lowther's table gives the color as red.
Dots: Some to few; light, minute, fine, white to gray, obscure. The Agassiz station reports the skin "freely sprinkled with grayish dots."
Flesh and flavor: Greenish white or of a greenish cast, whitish in Downing's account. Firm, fine-grained, juicy, brisk subacid, with Beach adding breaking. Downing calls it half fine and tender, and he and Thomas give the flavor as mild subacid; at Agassiz it was firm, rich, juicy, and sub-acid. Quality good; the Agassiz station rates it "very good."
Core and seeds: Core small (Downing) to little above medium (Beach), which Hedrick, condensing Beach, gives as large. Cells open; core lines clasping; carpels cordate. Seeds many, pale brown, short, plump, pointed.
Season
Autumn into winter. The recorded season runs from September to January, and most accounts give October to January. Thomas calls it an autumn apple and Lowther's table a winter one; at Agassiz it was in season in November and December.
Uses
Both kitchen and market (Lowther).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther's table entry closes with the notation "N. Div.: rs."
Book Sources
Described in 7 period pomological works
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Plumb Cider
- Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902) — listed as Plumb Cider
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905) — listed as Plumb Cider
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922) — listed as PLUMB CIDER
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 9 catalogs (1894–1921) from Alabama, Illinois, Nebraska, Oregon
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901 — listed as Plum Cider
- Galbraith Nursery Co. (DeWitt Hansen , Pres.-Mgr.), Fairbury , Nebraska — 1911
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as Plum Cider
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
View original book sources (8)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Plumb's Cider.
Origin uncertain, introduced by J. C. Plumb, Milton, Wisconsin; tree hardy, vigorous, round headed; an early bearer, and very productive alternate years.
Fruit medium, roundish, slightly conic; skin greenish yellow, shaded and rather obscurely striped and splashed with dull red, some light dots; stalk short, small; cavity small; calyx small, closed; basin small, corrugated; flesh whitish, half fine, tender, juicy, mild subacid; core small. September, January.
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Plumb Cider—Introduced by the late J. C. Plumb, Milton, Wisconsin. Mr. Plumb, in 1874, said that it was brought from Ohio, in 1844, to Wisconsin, by his father; "that the original tree, planted by him, in Jefferson County, still stands, a model of form and fruitfulness.'' Tree vigorous, round-headed, an early bearer, very productive in alternate years—Fruit above medium, roundish oblong, conical, ribbed, angular, sometimes furrowed, unequal; surface greenish yellow, thinly shaded with light red, with darker bright red splashes and stripes on sunny side; dots minute, white, obscure; cavity acute, narrow; stem short; basin very shallow, narrow, wrinkled, wavy; calyx closed. Core open, clasping, cordate; tube long, very narrow, funnel-shaped; stamens extremely marginal, touching the segments, a marked characteristic; seeds many, short, plump, pointed; flesh greenish white, firm, fine grained, juicy, brisk subacid, good. October to January.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Plumb's Cider. Medium, roundish, greenish-yellow with some stripes, juicy, mild sub-acid. Autumn. Wis.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)PLUMB CIDER.
REFERENCES. 1. Wis. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1869 (cited by 2). 2. Horticulturist, 27:310. 1872. 3. Ib., 28:119. 1873. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1873. 5. Williams, Horticulturist, 29:16. 1874. fig. 6. Downing, 1876:65 app. 7. Budd, Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1879:472. 8. Barry, 1883:352. 9. Thomas, 1885:520. 10. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:246. 11. Rural N. Y., 53:94. 1894. 12. Alwood, Va. Sta. Bul., 130:124. 1901. 13. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:35. 1902. fig. 14. Budd-Hansen, 1903:151. fig. 15. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:138. 1904.
SYNONYMS. PLUMB CIDER (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15). PLUM CIDER (10, 11).
This variety has been received with some favor in many parts of the country on account of its hardiness and productiveness. The fruit is of good medium size, fairly attractive in color, yellowish shaded and splashed with red. As grown in New York state it is inferior to standard varieties of its season.
Historical. Origin unknown. It was brought from Ohio in 1844 to Wisconsin by Mr. Plumb, where it proved to be a good grower, hardy and productive (5).
FRUIT (5, 13, 14). Fruit above medium. Form round-ovate, slightly conic in some specimens. Stem stout, short. Cavity shallow, narrow. Calyx very small, closed. Basin very narrow and shallow, slightly plaited. Skin yellowish shaded with pale red and somewhat striped with brighter red. Dots few, fine, gray. Calyx tube long, very narrow, funnel-form. Stamens extremely marginal touching the segments, a marked characteristic. Core little above medium; cells open; core lines clasping. Carpels cordate. Seeds pale brown, short, plump, pointed. Flesh of a greenish cast, firm, fine, breaking, juicy, brisk subacid, good. Season October to January.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Plumb Cider. — Introduced by the late J. C. Plumb, Milton, Wis. Mr. Plumb, in 1874, said that it was brought from Ohio, in 1844, to Wisconsin by his father — "that the original tree, planted by him in Jefferson County, still stands, a model of form and fruitfulness." Tree vigorous, round-headed, an early bearer, very productive in alternate years.
Plumb Cider.
Fruit above medium, roundish oblong, conical, ribbed, angular, sometimes furrowed, unequal; surface greenish yellow, thinly shaded, with light red, with darker bright red splashes and stripes on sunny side; dots minute, white, obscure; cavity acute, narrow; stem short; basin very shallow, narrow, wrinkled, wavy; calyx closed. Core open, clasping, cordate; tube long, very narrow, funnel-shaped; stamens extremely marginal, touching the segments, a marked characteristic; seeds many, short, plump, pointed; flesh greenish white, firm, fine-grained, juicy, brisk subacid, good. October to January.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Plumb's Cider. Size: small. Form: roundish (oblate). Color: red. Quality: good. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: winter. N. Div.: rs.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)PLUMB CIDER. The hardiness and productiveness of this variety commend it to the fruit-growers of Wisconsin—it is little known elsewhere. The variety was taken from Ohio to Wisconsin in 1844, but what its history otherwise may be does not appear.
Tree vigorous, very hardy, healthy, productive, long-lived. Fruit large, round-ovate, sometimes conic; stem stout, short; cavity shallow, narrow; calyx small, closed; basin narrow, shallow, plaited; skin yellow shaded with pale red and striped with brighter red; dots few, fine, gray; calyx-tube long, narrow, funnel-form; stamens marginal, touching the segments, a marked characteristic; core large; cells open; core-lines clasping; carpels cordate; seeds pale brown, short, plump, pointed; flesh greenish, firm, fine, breaking, juicy, brisk subacid; good; October to January.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1893. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit of medium size, roundish, oblong. Skin golden yellow, freely sprinkled with grayish dots. Flesh firm, rich, juicy, sub-acid, quality very good. Season November and December.