RIDGE.

REFERENCES. 1. Genesee Farmer, 1833. (cited by 10). 2. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:46. 1851. col. pl. No. 55. 3. Downing, 1857:184. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1852. 5. Warder, 1867:536. 6. Thomas, 1875:510. 7. Barry, 1883:354. 8. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:248. 9. Budd-Hansen, 1903:166. 10. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul. 56:262. 1905.

SYNONYMS. RIDGE PIPPIN (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). RIDGE Pippin (9). Ridge Pippin (10). RIDGED PIPPIN (2). Not the RIDGE of Bul. of this Station.

Fruit of good yellow color, not particularly attractive in form, a late keeper and good in quality for either dessert or culinary uses. It averages pretty uniform in size with comparatively few culls. The tree is healthy, hardy, long-lived and a reliable cropper yielding good crops biennially. Some growers consider it a fairly profitable variety for local markets.

Since Bulletin 248 was published it has been discovered that the variety therein mentioned under the name of Ridge or Ridge Pippin is in fact Ribston. It appears that the name Ridge Pippin is used by some dealers as a trade synonym for Ribston, and this use of it led us into the error of publishing a duplicate report on Ribston under the name Ridge.

Historical. According to Warder (5) this variety originated in the vicinity of Philadelphia but Downing (3) regarded this as uncertain. Although it has long been known in cultivation it has gained but little recognition in New York state either for home or for commercial orchards.

TREE. Tree large, vigorous. Form upright. Twigs erect, long to below medium, somewhat stout, straight or somewhat bent toward the tip and rather blunt; internodes medium. Bark dull brownish-red overlaid with a thin to rather heavy scarf-skin, quite pubescent. Lenticels not conspicuous, scattering, medium to small, slightly raised, roundish or elongated. Buds medium, moderately projecting, roundish, quite pubescent, appressed.

FRUIT. Fruit above medium to large. Form flat at the base, roundish conic to oblong conic, prominently and irregularly ribbed; axis sometimes oblique. Stem short to long, pubescent. Cavity small to large, acute to acuminate, very shallow to deep, usually furrowed, often with outspreading russet rays. Calyx small to sometimes medium, usually closed. Basin rather small, often oblique, moderately shallow to rather deep, moderately wide, abrupt, characteristically ridged and wrinkled.

Skin smooth, glossy, clear yellow, often with a faint blush which sometimes deepens to a pinkish-red shade similar to that seen in a highly colored Yellow Newtown, sometimes veined and flecked with russet. Dots numerous, fine to moderately coarse, russet, or pinkish-white and areolar or submerged.

Calyx tube rather large, wide at top, cone-shape to funnel-form. Stamens marginal to median.

Core axile, rather small; cells usually closed; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels roundish, rather wide, broadly emarginate, slightly tufted. Seeds light and dark reddish-brown, short to moderately long, wide, plump, obtuse, sometimes tufted.

Flesh tinged with yellow, very firm, somewhat coarse, crisp, moderately tender, juicy, slightly aromatic, mild subacid, good.

Season February to April or May.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)