Shockley
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Shockley
Origin / History
Originated in Jackson County, Georgia (Warder; Budd & Hansen). Downing also gives the origin simply as Georgia. Hedrick, however, states that its origin is not known and reports that it had been long grown in Maryland. An old southern sort widely grown under several names (Hedrick), and a popular variety at the South (Budd & Hansen). Warder describes it as "this long-keeper from the South" that "promises to be an acquisition of value for market orchards, unless its small size may make an objection." Downing calls it "one of the most profitable varieties at the South, where it not only bears abundantly, but keeps and sells remarkably well." Hedrick notes that before cold storage became common, Shockley was a favorite variety because of the long season of the fruits, which ripen in October and keep until the following summer.
Tree
Vigorous (Warder; Budd & Hansen; Hedrick), with Downing describing it as moderately vigorous. Upright (Downing; Budd & Hansen; Hedrick describes it as erect). Very productive (Warder; Downing; Hedrick), and an early and very abundant bearer (Budd & Hansen), bearing young and regularly (Downing), coming into bearing early (Hedrick). Young wood reddish, grayish on the under side (Downing).
Fruit
Size
Medium to small (Warder); small to medium (Budd & Hansen); below medium, roundish conical (Downing); medium (Elliott; Thomas); medium size, uniform in size and shape (Hedrick).
Form
Conic, truncated, regular (Warder); conical, truncated, regular (Budd & Hansen); roundish conical (Downing); roundish conical (Elliott); roundish-oblong, narrowing to the eye (Thomas); round-conical (Lowther; Hedrick).
Stem / Stalk
Slender, long (Warder; Budd & Hansen); stalk long, slender, inserted in a deep acute cavity (Downing); long, slender (Elliott; Thomas).
Cavity
Acute, deep, regular (Warder); deep, acute, regular, slightly russeted (Budd & Hansen); deep acute (Downing); deep, narrow (Elliott); narrow, deep (Thomas).
Calyx / Eye
Eye small, closed (Warder); calyx partially closed, set in a shallow corrugated basin (Downing); calyx small, half open (Budd & Hansen); calyx closed (Elliott).
Basin
Shallow, plaited (Warder); shallow, corrugated, narrow (Budd & Hansen); shallow corrugated (Downing); shallow (Elliott).
Skin / Surface
Surface very smooth, waxen yellow, marbled or blushed scarlet and crimson (Warder); surface very smooth, pale waxen yellow, mostly covered with marbled and blushed bright red and crimson (Budd & Hansen); pale yellow overspread with red (Downing); yellow, clouded and striped with red, little russet (Elliott); yellow striped and clouded with red, with dark greenish russet blotches (Thomas); yellow-red (Lowther); yellow, with a bright crimson cheek (Hedrick). Dots scattered, minute, gray (Warder); inconspicuous minute dots (Downing); dots few, obscure, minute, gray (Budd & Hansen).
Flesh / Flavor
Flesh yellow, fine grained; flavor mildly sub-acid, rich, saccharine, agreeable (Warder). Flesh yellow, fine-grained, juicy, crisp, rich, saccharine subacid (Budd & Hansen). Flesh crisp, juicy, rich, saccharine, slightly vinous, and pleasant (Downing). Flesh firm, juicy, saccharine; "very good" (Elliott). Flesh firm, of good but not high flavor (Thomas). Flesh firm, subacid or almost sweet, with a distinctive flavor (Hedrick).
Quality
Very good (Warder; Budd & Hansen; Elliott); good (Downing; Lowther); good but not high flavor (Thomas); fair to good (Hedrick).
Core / Seeds
Core long heart-shaped, closed, meeting the eye (Warder); core closed, meeting; tube conical; stamens median (Budd & Hansen). Seeds numerous, plump, dark (Warder); seeds many, plump (Budd & Hansen).
Season
March to June (Warder); April, May (Downing); October to March (Elliott; Thomas); winter (Lowther); March, June (Budd & Hansen); October to May or June (Hedrick). A good keeper (Warder); ripens in October and keeps until the following summer (Hedrick).
Uses
Dessert (Warder); both kitchen and market (Lowther). Notable as a market and long-keeping variety (Warder; Downing; Hedrick).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture, 1914) reports station data with the following coded notation: "Northern Division: . Central Division: *. Southern Division: 13 stations reporting, with cross-division reporting indicated by the asterisk." Hedrick notes that catalog descriptions of the variety are the basis for his physical description, the variety being widely grown under several names.
Book Sources
Described in 7 period pomological works
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Waddel's Hall
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 15 catalogs (1886–1913) from Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Oregon, Washington
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- 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 — 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
- Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1911
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (7)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Shockley.
Origin Jackson County, Georgia. This long-keeper from the South promises to be an acquisition of value for market orchards, unless its small size may make an objection.
Tree vigorous, very productive.
Fruit medium to small, conic, truncated, regular; Surface very smooth, waxen yellow, marbled or blushed scarlet and crimson; Dots scattered, minute, gray.
Basin shallow, plaited; Eye small, closed.
Cavity acute, deep, regular; Stem slender, long.
Core long heart-shaped, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, plump, dark; Flesh yellow, fine grained; Flavor mildly sub-acid, rich, saccharine, agreeable; Quality very good; Use, dessert; Season, March to June; a good keeper.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Shockley.
Origin, Georgia. Tree moderately vigorous, upright, very productive, bearing young and regularly. Young wood reddish, grayish on under side.
Shockley.
Fruit below medium, roundish conical, pale yellow overspread with red, inconspicuous minute dots. Stalk long, slender inserted in a deep acute cavity. Calyx partially closed, set in a shallow corrugated basin. Flesh crisp, juicy, rich, saccharine, slightly vinous, and pleasant. Good. April, May.
This is one of the most profitable varieties at the South, where it not only bears abundantly, but keeps and sells remarkably well.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Shockley. Form: round-conical. Color: yellow-red. Quality: good. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: winter. Northern Division: . Central Division: *. Southern Division: 13 stations reporting, with cross-division reporting indicated by the asterisk.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Waddel's Hall. Shockley. Southern. Fruit, medium, roundish conical, yellow, clouded and striped with red, little russet ; stem, long, slender ; cavity, deep, narrow ; calyx, closed ; basin, shallow; flesh, firm, juicy, saccharine ; "very good." October to March.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Shockley. (Waddel's Hall.) Medium, roundish-oblong, narrowing to the eye; yellow striped and clouded with red, with dark greenish russet blotches; stalk long, slender; cavity narrow, deep; flesh firm, of good but not high flavor. Georgia. Ripens from October to March. Wm. N. White.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Shockley.— Origin, Jackson Co., Georgia, a popular variety at the South; tree vigorous, upright, an early and very abundant bearer. Fruit small to medium, conical, truncated, regular; surface very smooth, pale waxen yellow, mostly covered with marbled and blushed bright red and crimson; dots few, obscure, minute, gray; cavity deep, acute, regular, slightly russeted; stem slender, long; basin shallow, corrugated, narrow; calyx small, half open. Core closed, meeting; tube conical; stamens median; seeds many, plump; flesh yellow, fine-grained, juicy, crisp, rich, saccharine subacid, very good. March, June.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)SHOCKLEY. Sweet Romanite.
This is an old southern sort widely grown under several names. Before cold storage became common, Shockley was a favorite variety because of the long season of the fruits, which ripen in October and keep until the following summer. Its origin is not known, but it is reported as having been long grown in Maryland. Catalogs describe it as follows:
Tree erect, vigorous, coming into bearing early and very productive ; fruit of medium size, round-conical, uniform in size and shape, yellow, with a bright crimson cheek ; flesh firm, subacid or almost sweet, with a distinctive flavor ; quality fair to good ; October to May or June.