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.

— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)

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.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

GROSH.

REFERENCES. 1. Western Horticultural Review, 1853 (cited by 4). 2. Gard. Monthly, 1861:124 (cited by 3). 3. Kenrick, Mag. Hort., 29:73. 1863. fig. 4. Warder, 1867:464, 735. fig. 5. Warder, 1867:720. 6. Downing, 1869:205. 7. Ib., 1869:89. 8. Ib., 1872:37 app. 9. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1877:16. 10. Barry, 1883:356. 11. Thomas, 1885:528. 12. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:252. 13. Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:345. 1896. 14. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1897:13. 15. Lyon, Mich. Sta. Bul., 143:200. 1897. 16. Van Deman, Rural N. Y., 58:722. 1899. fig. 17. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:132. 1905.

SYNONYMS. BEAUTY OF THE WEST (7, 13). Beauty of the West (17). Big Rambo (4, 8, 16, 17). Cummings Rambo (17). English Rambo (16). French Rambo of some (17). GROSH (5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17). Grosh (9). Grosh's Mammoth (17). Large Rambo (17). Large Summer Rambo (17). Lothringer Rambour (17). Mammoth Rambo (17). Monstrous Rambo (17). Musgrove (16). Musgrove's Cooper (4, 7, 8, 17). Naylor Rambo (17). OHIO BEAUTY (2). Ohio Beauty (4, 7, 8, 16, 17). Pickaway Rambo (17). Rambour Lorraine (17). Summer Rambo (9, 17). Sweet Rambo incorrectly (17). WESTERN BEAUTY (3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12). Western Beauty (7, 13, 16, 17, ? 14).

Fruit large, uniform and when well colored rather attractive, being mottled and striped with red. The flesh is tender, sprightly, pleasant subacid, in season from September till early winter. The tree is a strong grower, comes into bearing early and is a reliable cropper, yielding moderate to good crops almost annually. There is apt to be considerable loss from premature dropping of the fruit. So far as we can learn this variety has been as yet but little grown in New York. It appears to be worthy of further testing. Summer Rambo much resembles this variety in general appearance but ripens about a month earlier.

Historical. Origin unknown. It was first brought to notice in Ohio, where it has been much grown under the name of Western Beauty.

TREE. Tree vigorous with very long, moderately stout, curved branches. Form upright spreading to roundish, open. Twigs long to below medium, somewhat curved, moderately stout; internodes medium or below. Bark clear reddish-brown mingled with olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; pubescent near tips. Lenticels clear brownish, conspicuous, quite numerous, medium or above, roundish, raised. Buds medium to large, prominent, broad, plump, obtuse, free or nearly so, slightly pubescent.

FRUIT. Fruit large or very large, very uniform in size and shape. Form roundish oblate to somewhat conical, regular or sometimes elliptical. Stem short to above medium, moderately thick. Cavity acuminate to acute, deep, wide, often somewhat compressed, smooth and green or sometimes russeted, symmetrical or gently furrowed, sometimes lipped. Calyx above medium to very large, usually somewhat open disclosing the yellow calyx tube; lobes separated at the base, rather long, often leafy, acute to acuminate. Basin often oblique, large, medium in depth and width to deep and rather wide, abrupt, usually somewhat furrowed. Skin thick, tough, waxy, greenish-yellow becoming clear bright yellow when fully mature, washed and mottled with bright red and striped and splashed with carmine, except in highly-colored specimens the yellow predominates. Dots numerous, small to rather large, pale gray or russet, often areolar or whitish and submerged. Calyx tube rather large, wide at the top, conical or approaching funnelform. Stamens nearly basal to above median. Core small to medium, axile or somewhat abaxile with hollow cylinder in the axis; cells symmetrical, closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly roundish to ovate, emarginate, often tufted. Seeds moderately numerous, moderately dark brown, often abortive, medium size, moderately wide, obtuse to acute. Flesh whitish, slightly tinged with yellow, rather firm, medium to rather coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid, a little aromatic, good or sometimes very good. Season September to January.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Western Beauty (29). Size: large. Form: roundish (oblate). Color: striped or splashed (red). Quality: very good. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: summer. N. Div.: l. C. Div.: 4 (asterisk indicating the variety is also reported in another division). S. Div.: (blank).

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

Beauty of the West.

Large, round, red striped on greenish yellow ; flesh, coarse, sweet. October, November.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Beauty of the West. Large, roundish, regular, striped; sweet, pleasant, of moderate flavor. Autumn.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

GROSH. Grosh's Mammoth. Large Rambo, Ohio Beauty. Summer Rambo. Western Beauty.

The number of synonyms is usually a measure of merit not so in the case of Grosh. While the apples are handsome when well-colored, they are not high in quality; and the trees, though good in most characters, have the fatal fault of not being able to carry the crop, much of which drops prematurely. The variety is at its best in Ohio, where it is reputed to have originated about 1840; it was described first in 1853.

Tree vigorous, upright-spreading, open, with long, stout, curved branches. Fruit large, uniform in size and shape, round-oblate to conical, regular or elliptical; stem short, thick; cavity acuminate, deep, wide, often compressed, smooth and green or russeted, symmetrical or gently furrowed, sometimes lipped; calyx large, usually open disclosing the yellow calyx-tube; lobes separated at the base, long, often leafy, acute; basin often oblique, large, medium in depth and width, abrupt, somewhat furrowed; skin thick, tough, waxy, greenish-yellow becoming bright yellow, washed and mottled with bright red and striped and splashed with carmine; except in highly colored specimens, yellow predominates; dots numerous, large, gray or russet, often areolar or white and submerged; calyx-tube large, wide at the top, conical; stamens basal to median; core small, axile or abaxile with hollow cylinder in the axis; cells symmetrical, closed or partly open; core-lines clasping; carpels ovate, emarginate, often tufted; seeds numerous, dark brown, often abortive, wide, obtuse; flesh slightly tinged with yellow, firm, coarse, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid, aromatic; good to very good; September to January.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)