Wandering Spy
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Wandering Spy
Origin/History
This variety originated in the Ozarks with Wyatt Coffelt in Mason Valley, Benton County, Arkansas. It has not yet been fruited to any considerable extent outside the locality of its origin. As grown in that region, the fruit appears to be pretty uniform in size, above the average of Jonathan, fairly free from disease, and of satisfactory color.
Tree
The tree is a vigorous grower, comes into bearing early, and gives evidence of being a reliable biennial bearer. It is quite probable that on warmer, lighter soils it would develop better color and flavor; as tested on heavy clay loam at the New York Station, growth was vigorous but fruit quality was not fully developed.
Fruit
Form and Size: Fruit large to medium. Form slightly oblate inclined to conic. Stem medium to short.
Cavity: Acute to acuminate, deep, rather narrow to moderately wide, symmetrical or slightly furrowed, russeted and often with outspreading russet rays.
Calyx: Small to medium, partly open, sometimes closed. Basin abrupt, symmetrical or somewhat compressed.
Skin: Rather thick and tough. Ground color dull greenish becoming yellow, blushed with dull red sparingly and faintly striped with dull carmine. In highly colored specimens, developing deep dull red over a large part of the fruit. Dots scattering, medium to large, pale gray or russet.
Calyx Tube: Short cone-shape varying to short funnel-form, with fleshy pistil point projecting into the base.
Core: Medium to below medium in size. Cells closed. Core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels roundish, deeply emarginate. Seeds medium to large, light brown, rather narrow, acute.
Flesh and Flavor: Whitish or tinged with green, firm, fine, moderately crisp, very tender, moderately juicy to juicy. Flavor subacid, good.
Season and Storage
In season from January to April or May. Said to keep well in storage, holding firm with good color and fine flavor till late in the season.
Quality Assessment and Uses
Stock of this variety was received for testing at the New York Station in 1900 from J. B. Wild & Bros., Sarcoxie, Missouri. The fruit has not been nearly so attractive in color nor as good in quality as Tompkins King, Baldwin, or Northern Spy, but it averages good marketable size and is superior in quality to Ben Davis and other apples of that class. Whether it promises to be of value for commercial planting in New York has not yet been sufficiently determined.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)WANDERING SPY.
REFERENCES. 1. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:252. 2. Mo. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1902:204.
This variety originated in the Ozarks with Wyatt Coffelt, Mason Valley, Benton county, Ark. It has not yet been fruited to any considerable extent outside the locality of its origin. As grown in that region the fruit appears to be pretty uniform in size, above the average of Jonathan, fairly free from disease and of satisfactory color and is in season from December to March.
It is said to keep well in storage, holding firm with good color and fine flavor till late in the season.
Stock of this variety was received for testing at this Station in 1900 from J. B. Wild & Bros., Sarcoxie, Mo. It has not yet been tested here sufficiently to show whether it promises to be of value for commercial planting in New York. Thus far the fruit has not been nearly so attractive in color nor as good in quality as Tompkins King, Baldwin or Northern Spy, but it averages good marketable size and is superior in quality to Ben Davis and other apples of that class. It has been grown here on heavy clay loam. It is quite probable that on warmer, lighter soils it would develop better color and flavor. The tree is a vigorous grower, comes into bearing early and gives evidence of being a reliable biennial bearer.
FRUIT.
Fruit large to medium as grown at this Station. Form slightly oblate inclined to conic. Stem medium to short. Cavity acute to acuminate, deep, rather narrow to moderately wide, symmetrical or slightly furrowed, russeted and often with outspreading russet rays. Calyx small to medium, partly open, sometimes closed. Basin abrupt, symmetrical or somewhat compressed.
Skin rather thick, tough, dull greenish becoming yellow, blushed with dull red sparingly and faintly striped with dull carmine, in highly colored specimens developing deep dull red over a large part of the fruit. Dots scattering, medium to large, pale gray or russet.
Calyx tube short cone-shape varying to short funnel-form with fleshy pistil point projecting into the base.
Core medium to below; cells closed; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels roundish, deeply emarginate. Seeds medium to large, light brown, rather narrow, acute.
Flesh whitish or tinged with green, firm, fine, moderately crisp, very tender, moderately juicy to juicy, subacid, good.
Season January to April or May.