Shackleford
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Shackleford
Origin/History
Originated near Athens, Missouri, and was in general dissemination in that locality as early as 1883 (Beach). Hedrick dates the discovery to some time previous to 1883. An apple of the Ben Davis type (Beach, Hedrick). Beach notes that while it ranks close to Ben Davis in quality, it is less highly colored and is hardly as good a keeper as that variety. Under favorable conditions the fruit develops good color, but as grown at the New York Station on rather heavy clay loam its general appearance was not especially attractive; Beach concluded it requires a warm slope and warm soil to develop good color when grown as far north as New York, and is evidently less desirable than Ben Davis for planting there. Hedrick observes that several rivals of the same season's group surpass Shackleford in flavor, keeping qualities, and appearance, though notes the tree's merits of bearing young and regularly, and of being hardy and productive. At the New York Station the variety had been planted only in an experimental way as of 1905.
Tree
Medium in size. Beach describes vigor as moderately vigorous; Hedrick describes the tree simply as vigorous. Form rather flat, spreading, somewhat drooping, open. Thomas characterizes it as a "free grower."
Twigs: Short to above medium, curved or nearly straight, moderately stout; internodes short. Bark clear brownish-red with some olive-green, partly streaked with scarf-skin, smooth or slightly pubescent near tips. Lenticels inconspicuous, scattering, small to medium, varying from roundish to elongated, not raised.
Buds: Set deeply in the bark, small, with large broad shoulders, flat, obtuse, appressed, slightly pubescent.
Fruit
Size: Beach describes the fruit as medium to rather large; Thomas and Hedrick describe it simply as large.
Form: Beach and Hedrick agree on roundish to roundish ovate (Hedrick: round or round-ovate), pretty regular and symmetrical. Thomas describes the form as roundish, oblate — a divergence from Beach and Hedrick's roundish-ovate characterization. Uniform in size and shape (Beach, Hedrick).
Stem: Long, rather slender (Beach); long, slender (Hedrick).
Cavity: Beach: medium to rather small, acuminate or approaching acute, shallow to medium in depth, narrow to medium in width, usually symmetrical and slightly russeted. Hedrick: small, acuminate, shallow, narrow, symmetrical, russeted.
Calyx: Above medium to medium (Beach), usually closed; lobes long, moderately broad (Beach) to broad (Hedrick), acute to acuminate (Beach) / acute (Hedrick).
Basin: Beach: medium to rather large, medium in depth to sometimes deep, moderately wide to wide, rather abrupt to very abrupt, usually wrinkled and furrowed. Hedrick: large, deep, wide, abrupt, wrinkled and furrowed.
Skin: Moderately thick (Beach) to thick (Hedrick), tough, waxy, smooth. Ground color pale greenish-yellow becoming nearly clear yellow (Beach); Hedrick describes it simply as yellow. Washed with red, mottled and striped with carmine. Thomas describes the surface color as red. Dots inconspicuous, small, numerous, sometimes submerged, sometimes russet.
Calyx tube: Beach notes variation: short to long and from cone-shape to funnel-form, often with a fleshy pistil point projecting into the base. Hedrick describes it as short, cone-shape, often with a fleshy pistil point projecting into the base. Stamens median to basal (Beach); median (Hedrick).
Core/Seeds: Core usually axile (Beach, Hedrick). Size above medium to rather small (Beach); Hedrick describes it as small. Cells usually symmetrical, closed or sometimes open (Beach, Hedrick); core lines meeting or clasping (Beach) / meeting (Hedrick). Carpels pointed ovate, emarginate. Seeds numerous, medium or above in size (Beach) / wide (Hedrick), moderately wide (Beach), plump, acute or nearly so (Beach) / acute (Hedrick).
Flesh and Flavor: Slightly tinged with yellow (Beach); yellow (Thomas, Hedrick). Firm, crisp, juicy, mild subacid. Beach describes texture as moderately coarse and moderately tender; Hedrick describes it as coarse and tender. Fair to good in quality (Beach, Hedrick).
Season
November to April (Beach, Hedrick). Thomas notes Winter.
Uses
The fruit is smooth and uniform and develops good color under favorable conditions, making it a marketable commercial apple, though Beach considers it less attractive than Ben Davis as grown on heavy clay loam in northern latitudes.
Other
Very hardy; comes into bearing young; produces good crops regularly (Beach). Hedrick confirms the tree bears young and regularly and is productive and hardy. These bearing and hardiness characteristics are cited as the variety's principal merits.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 16 catalogs (1891–1913) from Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Oregon, Washington
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1896
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- North-Western Nurseries , Walla Walla , Washington
View original book sources (3)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)SHACKLEFORD.
REFERENCES. 1. Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883:57, 126, 129. 2. Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1885:34. 3. Gano, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1889:130. 4. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:249. 5. Stinson, Ark. Sta. Bul., 43:104. 1896. 6. Thomas, 1897:653.
SYNONYM. Shackleford's Best (1).
An apple of the Ben Davis type. It ranks close to Ben Davis in quality but is less highly colored and is hardly as good a keeper as that variety. The fruit is smooth, uniform, of good size and under favorable conditions it develops good color but as grown at this Station on rather heavy clay loam its general appearance is not especially attractive. When grown as far north as this it evidently requires a warm slope and warm soil to develop good color. So far as tested in this region it sustains the reputation it has gained elsewhere of being very hardy, coming into bearing young and of producing good crops regularly. It is evidently less desirable than Ben Davis for planting in New York.
Historical. Originated near Athens, Missouri. It was generally disseminated in that locality as early as 1883 (1). Thus far it has been planted in New York only in an experimental way.
TREE.
Tree medium in size, moderately vigorous. Form rather flat, spreading, somewhat drooping, open. Twigs short to above medium, curved or nearly straight, moderately stout; internodes short. Bark clear brownish-red with some olive-green, partly streaked with scarf-skin, smooth or slightly pubescent near tips. Lenticels inconspicuous, scattering, small to medium, varying from roundish to elongated, not raised. Buds set deeply in the bark, small, with large broad shoulders, flat, obtuse, appressed, slightly pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium to rather large, uniform in size and shape. Form roundish to roundish ovate, pretty regular and symmetrical. Stem long, rather slender. Cavity medium to rather small, acuminate or approaching acute, shallow to medium in depth, narrow to medium in width, usually symmetrical and slightly russeted. Calyx above medium to medium, usually closed; lobes long, moderately broad, acute to acuminate. Basin medium to rather large, medium in depth to sometimes deep, moderately wide to wide, rather abrupt to very abrupt, usually wrinkled and furrowed.
Skin moderately thick, tough, waxy, smooth, pale greenish-yellow becoming nearly clear yellow, washed with red, mottled and striped with carmine. Dots inconspicuous, small, numerous, sometimes submerged, sometimes russet. Calyx tube varies from short to long and from cone-shape to funnel-form, often with a fleshy pistil point projecting into the base. Stamens median to basal.
Core usually axile, above medium to rather small; cells usually symmetrical, closed or sometimes open; core lines meeting or clasping. Carpels pointed ovate, emarginate. Seeds numerous, medium or above, moderately wide, plump, acute or nearly so.
Flesh slightly tinged with yellow, firm, moderately coarse, crisp, moderately tender, juicy, mild subacid, fair to good.
Season November to April.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Shackleford. Large, roundish, oblate, red; flesh yellow, mild sub-acid. Said to be hardy and free grower. West. Winter.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)SHACKLEFORD. Shackleford's Best. Shackleford is an apple of the Ben Davis type. The fruits of several rivals in season of the same group surpass it in flavor, in keeping qualities, and in appearance. The trees have the merits of bearing young and regularly, and of being productive, hardy. Shackleford was discovered near Athens, Missouri, some time previous to 1883.
Tree medium in size, vigorous, flat, spreading, drooping, open. Fruit large, uniform in size and shape, round or round-ovate, regular and symmetrical; stem long, slender; cavity small, acuminate, shallow, narrow, symmetrical, russeted; calyx usually closed; lobes long, broad, acute; basin large, deep, wide, abrupt, wrinkled and furrowed; skin thick, tough, waxy, smooth, yellow washed with red, mottled and striped with carmine; dots inconspicuous, small, numerous, sometimes submerged, sometimes russet; calyx-tube short, cone-shape, often with a fleshy pistil point projecting into the base; stamens median; core axile, small; cells symmetrical, closed or open; core-lines meeting; carpels pointed ovate, emarginate; seeds numerous, wide, plump, acute; flesh yellow, firm, coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, mild subacid; fair to good; November to April.