Ridge Pippin
AppleRidge Pippin
Origin/History
Ridge Pippin originated near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where it appears to have been a favorite market apple (Warder; Budd & Hansen). Downing notes the origin as unknown but supposed to be Pennsylvania.
Tree
A good grower and bearer (Downing); vigorous and productive (Budd & Hansen).
Fruit
Size and Form
Rather large, roundish-conical. Warder describes the form as very irregular and ribbed; Downing and Elliott describe it as very much ribbed; Budd & Hansen describe it as very regular and strongly ribbed. Lowther characterizes it simply as large and round in form.
Stem
Rather short, inserted generally in a large cavity (Downing, Elliott); short (Warder, Budd & Hansen).
Cavity
Wide and regular (Warder); large (Downing, Elliott); large, wide, regular (Budd & Hansen).
Calyx
Closed; small (Warder, Budd & Hansen).
Basin
Abrupt and uneven (Downing, Elliott); abrupt, furrowed and folded (Warder); abrupt, furrowed, corrugated (Budd & Hansen).
Skin
Surface yellow, lightly/thinly shaded and blushed with red, and sprinkled with russet and crimson spots/dots (Warder; Budd & Hansen). Downing and Elliott describe it as yellow, very slightly shaded, sprinkled with russet and crimson dots. Budd & Hansen note the dots are distinct and few. Lowther describes the skin color as yellow with russet.
Flesh and Flavor
Flesh yellow to yellowish, crisp, juicy. Flavor mild sub-acid, rich (Warder); a mild, almost saccharine, slightly aromatic flavor, rated good (Downing, Elliott); mild, aromatic (Thomas); mild, aromatic, rich subacid, good (Budd & Hansen). Lowther rates the quality as good.
Core/Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
Keeps until March and April (Warder; Downing; Elliott). Thomas gives the season as spring. Budd & Hansen give late winter. Lowther reports the season as early autumn.
Uses
Valued mainly as a long keeper and salable in market (Downing). A favorite market apple in the neighborhood of Philadelphia (Warder). Primary use is market (Lowther).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther reports the variety from 1 station in the Northern Division, 4 stations in the Central Division, and 1 station in the Southern Division; the asterisk on each division count indicates the variety is reported as adapted to more than one of the three divisions.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
View original book sources (6)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Ridge Pippin.
This fruit appears to be quite a favorite market apple in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, where it originated.
Fruit rather large, round-conic, very irregular, ribbed; Surface yellow, lightly shaded and blushed with red, and sprinkled with russet and crimson spots.
Basin abrupt, furrowed and folded; Eye small, closed.
Cavity wide, regular; Stem short.
Flesh yellow, crisp, juicy; Flavor mild sub-acid, rich.
Season, until March and April.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Ridge Pippin.
Origin unknown, supposed Pennsylvania. Tree a good grower and bearer.
Fruit rather large, roundish conical, very much ribbed. Yellow, very slightly shaded, sprinkled with russet and crimson dots. Stalk rather short, inserted generally in a large cavity. Calyx closed, set in an abrupt uneven basin. Flesh yellowish, juicy, crisp, with a mild, almost saccharine, slightly aromatic flavor. Good. March, April.
Valued mainly as a long keeper and salable in market.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Ridge Pippin is large in size, round in form, and yellow with russet skin color. Quality is good. Primary use is market. Season is early autumn. Reported by 1 station in the Northern Division, 4 stations in the Central Division, and 1 station in the Southern Division; the asterisk on each division count indicates the variety is reported as adapted to more than one of the three divisions.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Ridge Pippin. Fruit rather large, roundish conical, very much ribbed ; skin, yellow, very slightly shaded, sprinkled with russet and crimson dots ; stalk, rather short, inserted generally in a large cavity ; calyx, closed, set in an abrupt, uneven basin : flesh, yellowish, juicy, crisp, with a mild, almost saccharine, slightly aromatic flavor. March, April. (Downing.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Ridge Pippin. Large, roundish-conic, yellow; mild, aromatic. Spring.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Ridge Pippin. — Supposed origin near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; tree vigorous, productive.
Fruit rather large, roundish conical, very regular, strongly ribbed; surface yellow, thinly shaded and blushed with red; dots distinct, few, russet and crimson; cavity large, wide, regular; stem short; basin abrupt, furrowed, corrugated; calyx small, closed; flesh yellow, crisp, juicy, mild, aromatic rich subacid, good. Late winter.