Ross Nonpareil

Origin / History

Irish; Elliott calls it simply "foreign." The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "a variety of Irish origin, but without any published history." It credits Mr. Robertson, of Kilkenny, with having first introduced it to notice, and records that it is figured by Lindley (Pl. 90) and by Ronalds (Pl. xxxiv). E.A. Bunyard dates its introduction to England to 1820. The 1914 George Bunyard catalog says it was "introduced from Ireland in the early part of the last century."

Warder headed his account "Spice Russet? of Ohio." He wrote that the fruit "is believed to be the celebrated Irish apple mentioned by Thompson, Lindley, and others; if not, we have found another choice fruit, which deserves to be better known." In his account it is frequently found at the exhibitions in Ohio and Indiana, "often shown as Spice Russet, flatter and irregular."

Ross Nonpareil is highly esteemed as a dessert fruit. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "one of the richest flavoured dessert apples." E.A. Bunyard calls it "a first rate garden fruit, as good in flavour as it is attractive in appearance." The 1914 Bunyard catalog calls it "a most delicious and attractive fruit which every amateur should grow." Downing, however, pronounces it unprofitable, and Thomas calls it "of little value."

Tree

Growth slender, making a compact tree; E.A. Bunyard says it makes "a nice round headed standard." Leaves rather small, pea green, held up, flat, very irregularly serrate, often nearly entire (E.A. Bunyard).

Productive to profuse, fertile. The Herefordshire Pomona says it bears abundantly and names as "its great merit" that "it is a free bearer on an open standard." The 1901 Bunyard catalog calls it "excellent as a Standard, and most prolific, forming fertile Pyramids on Paradise."

Very hardy, succeeding well upon most soils (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing finds it very subject to rot before ripening.

Fruit

Size: Small to medium. The sources divide about evenly between small or rather below medium and medium or middle sized. The Herefordshire Pomona gives two and a half inches broad by two inches high.

Form: Roundish to round, even and regularly formed, narrowing a little toward the eye. Warder calls it oblate-conical.

Stem: Long and slender, inclined (Warder). The Herefordshire Pomona gives an inch long, inserted half its length.

Cavity: Deep, and narrow by E.A. Bunyard's account. Warder calls it acute and wavy, and the Herefordshire Pomona round and even.

Calyx: The eye is medium by the accounts of Elliott and Warder, and small by the Herefordshire Pomona's. Warder calls it closed. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it open, and E.A. Bunyard "wide open like a clove."

Basin: Shallow, even (Herefordshire Pomona) and regular (E.A. Bunyard). Warder calls it wide and folded.

Skin: Smooth (Warder), covered with thin mellow russet, entirely so by the Herefordshire Pomona's account; ground yellowish to greenish yellow. The red beneath the russet runs from faint to full. At the faint end it is a tinge or stain on the sunny side (Herefordshire Pomona, Downing) or "rarely blushed dull carmine" (Warder). At the full end it is a crimson flush and stripes (E.A. Bunyard), "bronzy crimson" (1901 Bunyard catalog), or "dark crimson markings" (1914 Bunyard catalog). Elliott describes the fruit as dull red, blotched and striped, with a marbling of thin mellow russet over it. Attractive in appearance.

Dots: Minute, gray (Warder).

Flesh and flavor: Greenish white, white by Warder's account; juicy, fine grained. Tender, and to Warder also breaking; soft by the Bunyard catalogs' account; but firm and crisp by the Herefordshire Pomona's. Flavor rich, subacid, aromatic. The Herefordshire Pomona calls it "brisk and sugary, charged with a rich and aromatic flavour," and E.A. Bunyard strongly scented. The 1901 Bunyard catalog calls it "highly flavoured," and the 1914 catalog speaks of a "rich nonpareil flavour." Quality "very good" (Downing) to nearly or almost best; Elliott gives "very good," nearly "best," and Warder "almost best."

Core and seeds: Core regular, open, scarcely meeting the eye; axis short. Seeds numerous, medium, plump (Warder).

Season

The recorded season runs from October into January. Most American authors give October, or October to November; Warder gives December. The Bunyard accounts carry it to January, the 1914 catalog from November.

Uses

Dessert; for the table (Warder). E.A. Bunyard ranks it as a garden fruit.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.