Pyle's Red Winter
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Pyle's Red Winter
Origin/History
Pyle's Red Winter originated as a chance seedling on the farm of Baynard Pyle, Thornbury Township, Pennsylvania.
Tree
The tree is vigorous and spreading, an early and good bearer annually. According to the Central Experimental Farm catalogue (Agassiz, BC), where trees were planted in the spring of 1895, Pyle's Red Winter is a strong grower. Downing records it as producing large fair fruit of uniform size with excellent quality and good keeping ability.
Fruit
Size and Form
The two sources conflict on fruit size. Downing describes the fruit as large, roundish, oblate, slightly conic, and sometimes slightly oblique. The Central Experimental Farm catalogue describes the fruit as below medium size and conical.
Stem
The stalk is short and small (Downing).
Cavity
The cavity is rather large (Downing).
Calyx
The calyx is small and closed (Downing).
Basin
The basin is large, deep, and slightly wrinkled (Downing).
Skin
Both sources agree on a greenish yellow ground color. Downing specifies this appears as greenish yellow, or pale yellow at full maturity, shaded with pale red over two-thirds of the surface, with some rather obscure stripes and splashes of a darker color, and moderately sprinkled with light and brown dots. The Central Experimental Farm catalogue describes the skin as greenish yellow with streaks and splashes of dull red, and sprinkled with brown dots.
Flesh and Flavor
Downing describes the flesh as whitish yellow, half fine, crisp, tender, juicy, with a pleasant lively subacid flavor. The Central Experimental Farm catalogue describes the flesh as yellowish, fine grained, crisp, and juicy, with a pleasant flavour, rating the quality as good.
Core and Seeds
The core is rather small (Downing).
Season
Downing gives the season as January to March. The Central Experimental Farm catalogue gives the season as December and January.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 6 catalogs (1891–1913) from Illinois, Missouri, Washington
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- 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
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Pyle's Red Winter.
A chance seedling on the farm of Baynard Pyle, Thornbury Township, Pa.; tree vigorous, spreading; an early and good bearer annually of large fair fruit of uniform size, of excellent quality, and keeping well.
Fruit large, roundish, oblate, slightly conic, sometimes slightly oblique; skin greenish yellow, or pale yellow at full maturity, shaded with pale red over two-thirds its surface, with some rather obscure stripes and splashes of a darker color, and moderately sprinkled with light and brown dots; stalk short, small; cavity rather large; calyx small, closed; basin large, deep, slightly wrinkled; flesh whitish yellow, half fine, crisp, tender, juicy, pleasant lively subacid; core rather small. January, March.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1895. Tree a strong grower. Fruit below medium size, conical. Skin greenish yellow, with streaks and splashes of dull red, and sprinkled with brown dots. Flesh yellowish, fine grained, crisp, juicy, with a pleasant flavour, quality good. Season December and January.