Vaughan's Winter
Apple
Origin/History
Vaughan's Winter originated in Christian County, Kentucky (Downing). It was introduced by J. S. Downer, whom Warder identifies as of Fairview, Kentucky, while Downing gives his location as Elkton, Kentucky. Warder notes it was one of "several other new southern apples of merit" sent by Downer.
Tree
Hardy, vigorous, and productive. Warder adds that the tree bears fruit early.
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Sources differ. Warder describes the fruit as regular, round-oblate. Downing describes it as oblate, with sides unequal. Elliott and Thomas describe it as oblate oblique, with Elliott adding angular.
Stem: Small and short (Downing, Elliott). Warder describes the stem simply as short.
Cavity: Sources differ. Warder describes the cavity as medium, colored yellow and brown. Downing and Elliott describe it as deep and uneven, with Elliott adding that it is surrounded by very thin green russet.
Calyx: Sources conflict. Warder describes the eye as large and open, with reflexed segments. Downing describes the calyx as closed. Elliott describes the calyx as open or partially closed.
Basin: Sources differ. Warder describes the basin as regular, abrupt, medium, and leather-cracked. Downing and Elliott describe it as deep, abrupt, open, and slightly corrugated.
Skin: Warder describes the surface as smooth, greenish-yellow, mixed and splashed with bright red and splashes of carmine, with small gray and yellow dots. Downing and Elliott describe the skin as whitish waxen yellow, shaded with crimson and lilac, sometimes obscurely striped, and thickly covered with conspicuous light dots. Thomas describes it simply as whitish-yellow, shaded red.
Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish, tender, and juicy. Warder describes the flesh as yellow, breaking, fine-grained, and juicy, with sub-acid flavor, rated good. Downing describes it as yellowish, tender, juicy, mild subacid, rated Good. Elliott describes it as yellowish, tender, juicy, "with a brisk, very agreeable vinous flavor." Thomas describes the flavor as agreeable.
Core/Seeds: Core small, regular, closed, meeting the eye. Seeds few, large, brown (Warder). Not described by other sources.
Season
December (Warder). January to March (Downing, Elliott). Thomas gives winter.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Vaughan's Winter.
This Kentucky variety was sent to me by my friend J. S. Downer, of Fairview, Kentucky, with several other new southern apples of merit. Tree vigorous, hardy and productive, bearing fruit early.
Fruit medium, regular, round-oblate; Surface smooth, greenish-yellow, mixed and splashed with bright red and splashes of carmine; Dots small, gray and yellow.
Basin regular, abrupt, medium, and leather-cracked; Eye large, open; Segments reflexed.
Cavity medium, yellow and brown; Stem short.
Core small, regular, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds few, large, brown; Flesh yellow, breaking, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, good; December.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Vaughn's Winter.
Origin, Christian Co., Ky. Tree hardy, vigorous, and productive. Introduced by J. S. Downer, of Elkton, Ky.
Fruit medium, oblate. Sides unequal, whitish, waxen yellow, shaded with crimson and lilac, and sometimes obscurely striped, and thickly covered with conspicuous light dots. Stalk small and short. Deep, uneven cavity. Calyx closed. Basin deep, abrupt, open, slightly corrugated. Flesh yellowish, tender, juicy, mild subacid. Good. January to March.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Vaughan's Winter.
Origin, Kentucky. Tree, hardy, vigorous and productive. Fruit, medium, oblate oblique angular; skin, whitish waxen yellow, shaded with crimson and lilac, and sometimes obscurely striped and thickly covered with conspicuous light dots; stalk, small and short, inserted in a deep, uneven cavity, surrounded by very thin green russet; calyx, open, or partially closed; basin, deep, abrupt, open, slightly corrugated; flesh, yellowish, tender, juicy, with a brisk, very agreeable vinous flavor. January to March.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Vaughan's Winter. Medium, oblate oblique, whitish-yellow, shaded red; agreeable. Winter. Ky.