Red Queen

Apple

Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Red Queen

Origin/History

Russian variety, listed as No. 316 in the Budd numbering system (Hansen 1902; Budd & Hansen 1914; Thomas 1903). At the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC, trees were planted Spring 1895 (CEF 1900).

Tree

A vigorous grower (CEF 1900).

Fruit

Size: Sources conflict. CEF (1900) gives one entry as "medium" and a second entry as "below medium." Thomas (1903) gives "medium." Hansen (1902) and Budd & Hansen (1914) give "above medium to large."

Form: Roundish conical and regular (Hansen; Budd & Hansen; CEF first entry). CEF's second entry describes it as roundish, tapering to the eye. Thomas describes it as irregular conical.

Stem: Short, stout (Hansen; Thomas; Budd & Hansen).

Cavity: Regular, shallow, obtuse, russeted (Hansen; Budd & Hansen). Thomas gives it as small.

Calyx: Closed (Hansen; Budd & Hansen).

Basin: Narrow, small, abrupt, wrinkled or wavy (Hansen; Budd & Hansen). Thomas gives it as small.

Skin: Surface greenish yellow, sometimes with a dull reddish blush (Hansen; Budd & Hansen). Thomas describes it as greenish yellow with red blush on the sunny side. CEF's first entry describes it as greenish yellow with a bright blush on the sunny side; CEF's second entry describes it as green with a dull red blush. Dots large, white, some with a minute dark dot in the centre, numerous towards the basin (Hansen; Budd & Hansen).

Flesh/Flavor: Sources differ in detail. Hansen and Budd & Hansen describe the flesh as greenish white with green veinings, sprightly acid, and good for culinary use. Thomas describes it as white with green veinings, quite acid. CEF's first entry describes the flesh as white, not juicy, firm, mildly sub-acid, quality medium. CEF's second entry describes it as white, crisp, moderately juicy, pleasantly sub-acid, quality medium.

Core/Seeds: Core closed, distant, barely clasping; tube conical; stamens basal (Hansen; Budd & Hansen).

Season

Sources differ. CEF's first entry gives early Winter; CEF's second entry gives November. Hansen and Budd & Hansen give Winter. Thomas gives late winter.

Uses

Good for culinary use (Hansen; Budd & Hansen).

Subtypes/Variants

Fisher (USDA ARS, 1963) reports a Red Queen received from Henry Miller, Paw Paw, W. Va., that is of the delicious type, colors earlier and darker than Starking, and is a stripe type — clearly a distinct later cultivar bearing the same name, rather than the Russian No. 316 described by the earlier pomological sources. Station accession number: AP-H-163. Reported by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (NyC), the Agricultural Experiment Station, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania (PaU), and the Agricultural Research Service, Irrigation Experiment Station, Prosser, Washington (WaP).

Other

Illustrated as Fig. 458 in Thomas (1903).

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

USDA Nomenclature (1905)

From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56

This may be Red Reinette of Gibb.

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 2 catalogs (1900–1901) from Illinois

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

View original book sources (5)

Planted Spring 1895. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit of medium size, roundish conical. Skin greenish yellow, with a bright blush on sunny side. Flesh white, not juicy, firm, mildly sub-acid, quality medium. Season early Winter. Red Queen (No. 316 BUDD). Planted Spring 1895. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit below medium size, roundish, tapering to the eye. Skin green with a dull red blush. Flesh white, crisp, moderately juicy, pleasantly sub-acid, quality medium. Season November.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)

Red Queen (No. 316)—Origin, Russia—Fruit above medium to large, regular, roundish conical; surface greenish yellow, sometimes with dull reddish blush; dots large, white, some with minute dark dot in center, numerous towards the basin; cavity regular, shallow, obtuse, russeted; stem short, stout; basin narrow, small, abrupt, wrinkled or wavy; calyx closed. Core closed, distant, barely clasping; tube conical; stamens basal; flesh greenish white, with green veinings, sprightly acid, good for culinary use. Winter.

— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)

Red Queen. Medium, irregular conical; greenish yellow, red blush on sunny side; cavity small; stem short, stout; basin small; flesh white, green veinings, quite acid. Late winter. Fig. 458. Russian.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Red Queen (No. 316). — Origin, Russia. Fruit above medium to large, regular, roundish conical; surface greenish yellow, sometimes with dull reddish blush; dots large, white, some with minute dark dot in centre, numerous towards the basin; cavity regular, shallow, obtuse, russeted; stem short, stout; basin narrow, small, abrupt, wrinkled or wavy; calyx closed. Core closed, distant, barely clasping; tube conical; stamens basal; flesh greenish white with green veinings, sprightly acid, good for culinary use. Winter.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

Red Queen was received from Henry Miller, Paw Paw, W. Va. The fruit is of the delicious type, colors earlier and darker than Starking. Stripe type. Station accession number: AP-H-163. Reported by NyC, the Agricultural Experiment Station, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania (PaU), and the Agricultural Research Service, Irrigation Experiment Station, Prosser, Washington (WaP).

— H.H. Fisher (USDA ARS), A Survey of Apple Clones in the United States (1963)

No. 316 White Vochin