Rev. W. Wilks
AppleRev. W. Wilks
Origin / History
Raised by Messrs. Veitch, from Peasgood's Nonsuch × Ribston Pippin (given as Peasgood Nonsuch and Ribston in Bunyard's Handbook); introduced in 1908. Bunyard's catalog notes an A.M. Bunyard's Handbook, citing The Garden, 1910, 572, calls it "a very large and promising fruit."
Tree
Growth stout and dwarf; fertility extraordinary, extremely fertile. Leaf large, dark, lax, undulated, doubly curved serrate.
Fruit
Size: Very large, 3½ by 3.
Form: Flat conical, slightly irregular (Bunyard's Handbook); flat, ribbed, even (Bunyard's catalog).
Stem: Short.
Cavity: Deep, narrow, slightly russet.
Calyx: Eye closed or slightly open.
Basin: Wide, ribbed.
Skin: Pale creamy-white with slight flush and stripes (Bunyard's Handbook); pale yellow (Bunyard's catalog).
Dots: Not described in source.
Flesh and flavor: Tender, white, sub-acid; cooks frothily, pale yellow.
Core and seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September to November in the Handbook; the catalog gives October to November.
Uses
Culinary. Cooks frothily. Bunyard's Handbook: "of excellent cooking qualities"; the catalog: "good cooker."
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (2)
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)REV. W. WILKS. The Garden, 1910, 572. Culinary, September to November, very large, 3½ by 3, flat conical, slightly irregular. Colour, pale creamy-white with slight flush and stripes. Flesh, tender, white, sub-acid, cooks frothily, pale yellow. Eye, closed or slightly open, in a wide ribbed basin. Stem, short, in a deep, narrow, slightly russet cavity. Growth, stout and dwarf; fertility extraordinary. Leaf, large, dark, lax, undulated, doubly curved serrate. Origin, raised by Messrs. Veitch, from Peasgood Nonsuch and Ribston. A very large and promising fruit, of excellent cooking qualities.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)Culinary; Oct.-Nov. Very large, flat, ribbed, even; pale yellow; extremely fertile, dwarf habit; good cooker. Raised by Messrs. Veitch, from Peasgood's Nonsuch × Ribston Pippin, and introduced in 1908. A.M.