Western Beauty
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin/History
Origin unknown. The variety is considerably grown in Central Ohio. William F. English (also recorded as William T. English) of Rhinehart, Auglaize County, Ohio, brought it into notice. According to Warder (1867), English carried grafts into Auglaize County from Pickaway County and in a most disinterested manner exerted himself to distribute the variety. In a communication to the Western Horticultural Review for February 1853, English described the tree's distinctive habit. The variety was at one time thought to be the Cooper, and attracted attention under several alternate names. It was first referenced in Gardeners' Monthly in 1861 and listed in the American Pomological Society Catalog in 1877.
Beach (1905) notes that three varieties — Western Beauty, Grosh, and Summer Rambo — resemble each other so closely in fruit that it is practically impossible to distinguish one from the other by examination of the fruit alone. Summer Rambo, however, ripens about a month earlier and can consequently be readily distinguished in the orchard. Pomologists are in doubt as to whether Grosh and Western Beauty are two distinct varieties or the same variety under two names; Beach was unable to obtain sufficient evidence to determine this point. Beach refers the reader to Grosh for a technical description of the fruit.
Beach also notes that Hyde King was received at the New York station for testing under the name Western Beauty and is consequently referred to under that name erroneously in some published accounts.
Tree
Tree very vigorous, making a large, spreading, open head; productive, an early and good bearer. English (quoted by Warder, 1867) describes: "leaves upon young shoots are often three to three and a half inches broad, and four or five, and even six inches long; shoots stout, being often as large as your little finger at the end of the summer's growth. The form of the tree is peculiar, and its appearance beautiful; once seen, it may be recognized anywhere by its habit."
Fruit
Size: Large, sometimes very large.
Form: Roundish oblate, regular. Warder (1867) describes it as beautiful and not disposed to rot, except when attacked by birds, which are very fond of it.
Stem: Warder (1867) describes the stem as either short or long. Downing (1900) describes the stalk as of medium length, slender.
Cavity: Wide, regular, green and partly brown (Warder, 1867). Downing (1900) describes the cavity as large, sometimes with light russet.
Calyx: Downing (1900) describes the calyx as large, closed. Warder (1867) describes the eye as large, closed.
Basin: Wide, regular, sometimes cracked open (Warder, 1867). Downing (1900) describes the basin as large, broad, slightly corrugated.
Skin: Quite thin (Warder). Surface smooth, pale yellow, partially covered with mixed red, striped and often distinctly splashed with bright red (Warder, 1867). Downing (1900) describes the skin as pale yellow, shaded with bright red in the sun, some rather obscure splashes and stripes of light red in the shade, thickly sprinkled with large light and gray dots, the light ones being areole. Warder (1867) describes dots as numerous, gray, prominent.
Flesh/Flavor: Warder (1867): flesh light yellow, almost white, brittle, tender, juicy, almost melting, never water-cored; flavor sub-acid, vinous, delicious, satisfying; quality best. Downing (1900): flesh whitish yellow, coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, mild subacid; good to very good. Warder rates the quality as "best," while Downing rates it "good to very good." Warder describes the texture as "brittle" and "almost melting," while Downing describes it as "coarse" and "crisp."
Core/Seeds: Core large, nearly closed, clasping the eye; seeds numerous, medium, pointed (Warder, 1867). Downing (1900) describes the core as rather small. The two sources disagree on core size — Warder says large, Downing says rather small.
Season
Warder (1867): In August they may be house-ripened and found good, but the proper season is September to Christmas; if properly cared for they may be preserved plump until March, but lose some of their refreshing flavor. Downing (1900): October, February.
Uses
Either for table or cooking; for the latter purpose they may be taken when half grown in the beginning of July (Warder, 1867).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Beach (1905) provides a bibliography of references: Gardeners' Monthly (1861:124); Kenrick in Magazine of Horticulture (29:73, 1863, with figure); Warder (1867:464, with figure); Downing (1869:89 and 1872:37 app.); Barry (1883:356); Thomas (1885:528); Bailey in American Horticulture (1892:252); Burrill and McCluer in Illinois Station Bulletin (45:345, 1896).
The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914) includes the variety only in a coded characteristic table:
Description absent; variety present in variety-characteristic table.
Western Beauty (29).......... L | rob | rs | VG | b | S | l | 4*
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 6 catalogs (1886–1901) from Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Oregon
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- Oregon Wholesale Nurseries , Salem , Oregon — 1893
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
View original book sources (4)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Western Beauty.
MUSGROVE'S COOPER—BIG RAMBO—OHIO BEAUTY.
A valuable fall and early winter fruit, the origin of which is not known; it is considerably grown in Central Ohio, and has attracted attention under its synonyms as given. It was at one time thought to be the Cooper.
Mr. W. F. English, of Auglaize County, Ohio, carried grafts into that region from Pickaway County, and in a most disinterested manner exerted himself to distribute the variety. In a communication to the Western Horticultural Review, for February, 1853, he says: "The tree is vigorous, leaves upon young shoots are often three to three and a half inches broad, and four or five, and even six inches long; shoots stout, being often as large as your little finger at the end of the summer's growth. The form of the tree is peculiar, and its appearance beautiful; once seen, it may be recognized anywhere by its habit."
Having fruited this variety in my own orchard, I can confirm the above, and add:
Tree vigorous, large, spreading, open head, productive, an early bearer.
Fruit large, sometimes very large, beautiful, regular, oblate, not disposed to rot, except when attacked by the birds, which are very fond of it; Surface smooth, pale yellow, partially covered with mixed red, striped and often distinctly splashed with bright red; Dots numerous, gray, prominent; Skin quite thin.
Basin wide, regular, sometimes cracked open; Eye large, closed.
Cavity wide, regular, green, and partly brown; Stem either short or long.
Core large, nearly closed, clasping the eye; Seeds numerous, medium, pointed; Flesh light yellow, almost white, brittle, tender, juicy, almost melting, never water-cored; Flavor sub-acid, vinous, delicious, satisfying; Quality best; either for table or cooking, for the latter purpose they may be taken when half grown in the beginning of July.
In August they may be house-ripened and found good, but the proper season is September to Christmas; if properly cared for they may be preserved plump until March, but lose some of their refreshing flavor.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Western Beauty.
Musgrove's Cooper. Big Rambo. Ohio Beauty.
Origin unknown. William T. English, of Rhinehart, O., seems to have brought it into notice, and furnished us specimens. Tree very vigorous, making a large, spreading, open head; an early and good bearer.
Fruit large to very large, roundish oblate, regular; skin pale yellow, shaded with bright red in the sun, some rather obscure splashes and stripes of light red in the shade, thickly sprinkled with large light and gray dots, the light ones being areole; stalk of medium length, slender; cavity large, sometimes light russet; calyx large, closed; basin large, broad, slightly corrugated; flesh whitish yellow, coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, mild subacid; good to very good; core rather small. October, February.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)WESTERN BEAUTY.
REFERENCES.
- Gardeners' Monthly, 1861:124 (cited by 2). 2. Kenrick, Mag. Hort., 29:73. 1863. fig. 3. Warder, 1867:464. fig. 4. Downing, 1869:89. 5. Ib., 1872:37 app. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1877. 7. Barry, 1883:356. 8. Thomas, 1885:528. 9. Bailey, Am. Hort., 1892:252. 10. Burrill and McCluer, Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:345. 1896.
SYNONYMS. BEAUTY OF THE WEST (4). Beauty of the West (10). Big Rambo (3, 5). Musgrove's Cooper (3, 4, 5). OHIO BEAUTY (1). Ohio Beauty (3, 4, 5). WESTERN BEAUTY (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).
The three varieties, Western Beauty, Grosh and Summer Rambo, resemble each other so closely in fruit that it is practically impossible to distinguish the one from the other from the examination of the fruit alone. The Summer Rambo, however, ripens about a month earlier than the other two varieties and it can consequently be readily distinguished in the orchard. Pomologists are in doubt as to whether the Grosh and Western Beauty are two distinct varieties or the same variety under two names. We have been unable to obtain sufficient evidence to determine this point. For a technical description of the fruit, see Grosh, page 89.
Hyde King was received here for testing under the name Western Beauty and consequently is referred to under that name erroneously in some published accounts of its record at this Station. See Volume I, page 166.
Historical. Origin unknown. First introduced to notice by William F. English of Rhinehart, Auglaize county, Ohio (1, 2).
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Western Beauty (29).......... L | rob | rs | VG | b | S | l | 4*