Walker Beauty
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Walker Beauty
Origin and History
Walker Beauty was received in 1892 from W. and T. Smith of Geneva, New York, for testing at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. The variety is reported to have originated in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, though this origin statement could not be verified. The fruit corresponds closely with Downing's brief description of Walker Yellow, a native of Pulaski County, Georgia. The variety has had limited dissemination in New York.
Tree
Tree vigorous. Branches long, slender, and curved. Form upright or roundish, dense. Twigs moderately long, curved, slender; internodes medium.
In the nursery, the tree makes fine upright growth. However, it is somewhat subject to bark-splitting in the spring.
The tree is a good grower and comes into bearing rather young. It is an annual cropper but not very productive.
[Bark characteristics and other tree details cut off in source text]
Fruit
Color and Appearance: Predominantly yellow, rather attractive in color, but not very uniform in size or shape.
Flavor: Rather too acid in flavor, not acceptable for dessert use.
Size and Form: Not very uniform in size or shape.
Specific structural features (cavity, calyx, basin, skin texture, dots, seeds, core): Not described in source.
Season and Storage
Not described in source.
Uses
The high acidity unsuitable for fresh dessert consumption suggests the variety's primary use for cooking or processing.
Synonyms and Variant Names
- Walker (refs. 4, 5)
- Walker's Beauty (ref. 5)
- Walker Yellow (refs. 7, 8, 9) — possibly; may refer to the Georgia variety
- Walker's Winter (ref. 6) — possibly
[NOTE: Source text is incomplete — ends mid-sentence at "Bark"]
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)WALKER BEAUTY.
REFERENCES. 1. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:223. 1892. 2. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:252. 3. Smith Co., W. and T., Cat., 1897:14. 4. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:47. 1903. 5. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:223. 1905.
DOUBTFUL REFERENCES. 6. ? Warder, 1867:735. 7. ? White, Gard. for the South, 1868:349. 8. ? Downing, 1869:395. 9. ? Thomas, 1875:515.
SYNONYMS. WALKER (4, 5). Walker's Beauty (5). WALKER YELLOW (7, 8, 9)? Walker's Winter (6)?
Fruit predominantly yellow, rather attractive in color but not very uniform in size or shape and rather too acid in flavor to be acceptable for dessert. As tested at this Station the tree is a good grower, comes into bearing rather young and is an annual cropper but not very productive. In the nursery the tree makes a fine upright growth but it is somewhat subject to bark-splitting in the spring.
Historical. Received in 1892 from W. and T. Smith, Geneva, N. Y., for testing at this Station (1). Walker Beauty is reported to have originated in Allegheny county, Pa. (3), but we have been unable to verify this statement. The fruit corresponds closely with Downing's brief description of Walker Yellow, a native of Pulaski county, Ga. (8). Thus far it has been disseminated but little in New York.
TREE.
Tree vigorous; branches long, slender, curved. Form upright or roundish, dense. Twigs moderately long, curved, slender; internodes medium. Bark