Victuals And Drink
Apple
Victuals And Drink
Origin/History
An old American apple variety which, according to Downing, originated in the neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey, about 1750. It found great favor in its western home and has been popular in some portions of the West, though it was not esteemed or much cultivated in the Eastern States, except in the vicinity of Newark, New Jersey. Thomas (1903) associates it with Kentucky. It was entered in the catalogue of the American Pomological Society in 1873 but was dropped from that list in 1897. Bailey does not mention it in his Inventory of Apples Offered by American Nurserymen in 1892. So far as Beach (1905) knew, it had never been much cultivated in New York, though he considered it undoubtedly an excellent variety for the home orchard.
Tree
Tree medium to rather large, of vigorous, upright or roundish, stocky habit; Downing describes it as vigorous and upright-spreading, Warder as spreading and large. Branches twiggy and slender. A moderate bearer according to Downing; very productive according to Beach, often carrying so heavy a load of fruit that many of the apples are small. Warder calls it moderately productive.
Fruit
Size and Form
Large. Form variously described: conical, regular but uneven (Warder); oblong, rather irregular, and varying a good deal in size (Downing, Elliott); oblate (Lowther).
Stem and Cavity
Stem short (Warder); stalk moderately long and slender, deeply inserted in an irregular cavity (Downing). Cavity wide, wavy, green (Warder).
Calyx and Basin
Calyx (eye) small to medium, closed, set in a rather shallow basin (Downing); basin medium, sometimes abrupt, regular or folded (Warder).
Skin
Skin thin but rough; surface somewhat rough, dull green to dull yellow, often veined or marbled with russet, with a faint russet blush on the sunny side. Dots numerous, minute.
Flesh and Flavor
Flesh yellowish, or greenish-white to yellowish, very tender, fine-grained, light, breaking; flavor rich, sprightly, very sweet, very rich. Elliott describes it as sweet and dry. Quality very good to best.
Core and Seeds
Core small, regular, oval, clasping, closed. Seeds numerous, angular, imperfect, dark.
Season
September and October according to Warder—in the North later, but it is not a housing apple. Downing states it is in perfection from October to January, but will keep till April. Beach gives the season as October to January or later. Elliott: October, January. Thomas: early winter and later. Lowther: winter.
Uses
Baking, table, and stock (Warder). Primary use is family (Lowther). Suited for the home orchard.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
View original book sources (6)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Victuals and Drink. GREEN SWEET OF INDIANA.—POMPEY.—FALL GREEN SWEET.
This old variety has met with great favor in its western home, though not esteemed or much cultivated in the Eastern States, unless about Newark, New Jersey, where it originated about 1750, according to Downing. Tree spreading, large; Branches twiggy, slender, moderately productive. Fruit large, conical, regular, but uneven; Surface somewhat rough, dull green to dull yellow, often veined russet; Dots numerous, minute. Basin medium, sometimes abrupt, regular or folded; Eye medium, closed. Cavity wide, wavy, green; Stem short. Core small, regular, oval, clasping, closed; Seeds numerous, angular, imperfect, dark; Flesh greenish-white or yellowish, very tender, fine-grained, light; Flavor very sweet, very rich; Quality best; Use, baking, table and stock; Season, September and October—in the North later, but is not a housing apple.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Victuals and Drink.
Big Sweet. Pompey.
An old Apple, which originated in the neighborhood of Newark, N. J., about 1750. Tree of vigorous, upright spreading habit, and a moderate bearer.
Fruit large, oblong, rather irregular, and varies a good deal in size. Skin thin, but rough, dull yellow, marbled with russet, with a faint russet blush on the sunny side. Stalk moderately long and slender, deeply inserted in an irregular cavity. Calyx small, set in a rather shallow basin. Flesh yellowish, tender, breaking, rich, sprightly, sweet. Very good. In perfection from October to January, but will keep till April.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)VICTUALS AND DRINK.
REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1845:141. 2. Thomas, 1849:163. 3. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:88. 1851. 4. Elliott, 1854:179. 5. Hooper, 1857:94. 6. Warder, 1867:499. fig. 7. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1873. 8. Taylor, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1895:200.
SYNONYMS. Big Sweet (1, 4, 5). Fall Green Sweet (6). Green Sweet of Indiana (6). Pompey (1, 4, 5, 6). VICTUALS AND DRINK (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
A large, somewhat rough, dull green or yellowish apple often veined with russet. The flesh is sweet, very tender, fine-grained, very good to best in quality; in season from October to January or later. The tree is medium to rather large, upright or roundish, stocky, vigorous, very productive, often carrying so heavy a load of fruit that many of the apples are small. Downing states that it originated in the neighborhood of Newark, N. J., about 1750 (1). In 1873 (7) it was entered in the catalogue of the American Pomological Society but was dropped from that list in 1897. Bailey does not mention it in his Inventory of Apples Offered by American Nurserymen in 1892.¹ It has been popular in some portions of the West but so far as we know has never been much cultivated in New York. It is undoubtedly an excellent variety for the home orchard.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Victuals and Drink is large in size, oblate in form, and yellow with russet skin. Quality is good. Primary use is family. Season is winter.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Victuals and Drink. Big Sweet, | Pompey. American. Large, oblong, rough, dull yellow, russet blush, sweet, dry. October, January.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Victuals and Drink. Large, oblong, dull yellow; rich, sweet, very good. Early winter and later. Ky.