Spectator
AppleSpectator
Origin/History
Originated with J. W. Bailey, Plattsburgh (also spelled Plattsburg), N. Y. Downing's reference dates to 1869. By the time Beach compiled The Apples of New York (1905), the variety was unknown to him and his colleagues, suggesting it had fallen out of circulation by the early twentieth century.
Tree
Spreading habit; very productive.
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Roundish oblong oval, ribbed.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Yellow, shaded with red in the sun.
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh white, tender, juicy, subacid. Quality rated "hardly good."
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Beach's treatment of this variety consists entirely of a citation to Downing (1869:357) and the note that the variety was unknown to him at the time of writing, indicating it was already rare or extinct in commercial cultivation by 1905.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Spectator.
Originated by J. W. Bailey, Plattsburgh, N. Y. Tree spreading, very productive.
Fruit medium, roundish oblong oval, ribbed, yellow, shaded with red in the sun. Flesh white, tender, juicy, subacid. Hardly good. September.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)SPECTATOR.
Reference 1. Downing, 1869:357. Synonyms. None.
Originated with J. W. Bailey, Plattsburg, N. Y. According to Downing (1) this is an apple of medium size, ribbed, yellow, shaded with red in the sun; flesh white, subacid, hardly good; season September. The variety is unknown to us.