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Western Beauty

Apple
USDA watercolor illustration of Western Beauty

USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection

Editor's Note
This page combines descriptions published under both the Western Beauty and Grosh names. The two might simply be extremely similar rather than one variety — Beach wrote that "pomologists are in doubt as to whether the Grosh and Western Beauty are two distinct varieties or the same variety under two names," and that 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." Readers who need the distinction should consult the original book extracts below for each source's own account. Summer Rambo, which ripens about a month earlier, and Sweet Rambo are distinct varieties with their own pages.

Western Beauty

Origin / History

Origin unknown. Hedrick says it is reputed to have originated in Ohio about 1840 and was first described in 1853. Warder records that 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." English's account of the tree appeared in the Western Horticultural Review for February, 1853.

Downing gives the name as William T. English, of Rhinehart, O. English "seems to have brought it into notice" and furnished Downing specimens. Beach, citing the Gardeners' Monthly of 1861 and Kenrick's Magazine of Horticulture of 1863, names William F. English of Rhinehart, Auglaize county, Ohio, as the first to introduce it to notice.

First brought to notice in Ohio, where it has been much grown under the name of Western Beauty (Beach). Warder calls it a valuable fall and early winter fruit, considerably grown in Central Ohio, where it attracted attention under several other names. It was at one time thought to be the Cooper.

Downing's entry under the name "Beauty of the West" says it was first sent out and noticed by Judge Buel "some thirty or more years since, and yet but little known." Downing's entry under the name "Grosh," credited to the Gardener's Monthly, places that apple's origin at Snufftown, Lancaster Co., Pa.

Beach found it "as yet but little grown in New York," and judged it "worthy of further testing." Hedrick finds the variety at its best in Ohio. He writes that "the number of synonyms is usually a measure of merit not so in the case of Grosh."

Tree

Vigorous to very vigorous, a strong grower, large, forming a large, spreading, open head. Beach gives the form as upright spreading to roundish, open, with very long, moderately stout, curved branches. Downing's Grosh entry calls the tree upright.

English (1853) found the tree vigorous, its form peculiar and its appearance beautiful: "once seen, it may be recognized anywhere by its habit." Warder confirms this from fruiting it in his own orchard.

Shoots stout, in English's words "often as large as your little finger at the end of the summer's growth." The shoots are brown in Downing's Grosh entry, and the young wood dull reddish brown in his "Beauty of the West" entry.

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 the 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 (Beach).

Leaves on young shoots often three to three and a half inches broad, and four or five, even six inches long (English).

An early bearer, productive, a good bearer. Beach calls it a reliable cropper, yielding moderate to good crops almost annually. It is an annual bearer in Downing's Grosh entry, and moderately productive in his "Beauty of the West" entry. Beach notes that there is apt to be considerable loss from premature dropping of the fruit. Hedrick writes that the trees, though good in most characters, have "the fatal fault of not being able to carry the crop, much of which drops prematurely."

At the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, B.C., trees planted in spring 1894 were vigorous growers.

Fruit

Size: Large, sometimes very large; very uniform in size and shape (Beach). Very large in Downing's Grosh entry.

Form: Round or roundish to oblate, mostly roundish oblate, regular. Conical in Downing's "Beauty of the West" entry; roundish oblate to somewhat conical, sometimes elliptical, in Beach. Oblique in Downing's Grosh entry.

Stem: Short, of medium length, or long; Warder found it either short or long, and Beach gives short to above medium. Moderately thick (Beach) or slender (Downing).

Cavity: Large, wide, deep, acuminate to acute, often somewhat compressed. Smooth and green, or russeted; Downing gives it as sometimes light russet, and Warder as green and partly brown. Regular and symmetrical or gently furrowed, sometimes lipped.

Calyx: Above medium to very large, mostly large. Closed in Warder and Downing. Half open in Downing's "Beauty of the West" entry. Usually somewhat open, disclosing the yellow calyx tube, in Beach. Lobes separated at the base, rather long, often leafy, acute to acuminate. Calyx tube rather large, wide at the top, conical or approaching funnelform. Stamens nearly basal to above median (Beach).

Basin: Large, wide or broad, medium in depth and width to deep and rather wide, abrupt. Usually somewhat furrowed or slightly corrugated, often oblique (Beach). Regular, sometimes cracked open (Warder).

Skin: Smooth. Quite thin (Warder), or thick, tough, and waxy (Beach). Pale yellow or greenish yellow, becoming clear bright yellow when fully mature; greenish white in Downing's Grosh entry.

Partially covered with mixed red, washed and mottled with bright red, and striped and often distinctly splashed with bright red and carmine. Except in highly colored specimens the yellow predominates (Beach). Downing gives it as shaded with bright red in the sun, with some rather obscure splashes and stripes of light red in the shade. Agassiz and Downing's Grosh entry give it as splashed or striped with light and dark red. Downing's "Beauty of the West" entry gives it as nearly covered with pale dull red, striped with a darker shade.

Beautiful and handsome when well colored; Beach calls it "rather attractive" when well colored.

Dots: Numerous, thickly sprinkled, prominent, small to large, light, gray, pale gray, or russet. Often areolar, or whitish and submerged. Large yellow specks in Downing's "Beauty of the West" entry.

Flesh and flavor: Whitish to light yellow, "almost white" (Warder), whitish slightly tinged with yellow. Greenish white in Downing's "Beauty of the West" entry; white in his Grosh entry.

Crisp, brittle, tender, juicy, medium to coarse. Warder calls it almost melting and never water-cored. Rather firm (Beach), against "not firm" in Downing's "Beauty of the West" entry and loose, of soft texture, in his Grosh entry.

Mild, pleasant, sprightly subacid, a little aromatic; "vinous, delicious, satisfying" (Warder). Mildly acid at Agassiz, and acid in Downing's Grosh entry. Elliott and Thomas call it sweet, Thomas adding "pleasant, of moderate flavor."

Quality good to very good; Beach gives "good or sometimes very good." Warder alone rates it "best." Hedrick finds the apples, though handsome when well colored, "not high in quality."

Core and seeds: Core small to medium, Downing calling it rather small; Warder alone calls it large, nearly closed, clasping the eye. Axile or somewhat abaxile with a hollow cylinder in the axis; cells symmetrical, closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly roundish to ovate, emarginate, often tufted (Beach). Seeds numerous to moderately numerous, medium size, moderately dark brown, moderately wide, often abortive; pointed (Warder), obtuse to acute (Beach).

Season

The recorded season runs from summer into February, with fruit kept until March. The sources center on autumn and early winter, beginning in September, October, or November and ending between November and February. Lowther's table alone gives summer. Warder gives the proper season as September to Christmas, and says the fruit may be house-ripened in August and found good. If properly cared for it may be preserved plump until March, though it loses some of its refreshing flavor.

Uses

Table and kitchen. Warder recommends it for either table or cooking, and says that for cooking the fruit may be taken when half grown in the beginning of July. Lowther's table gives both kitchen and market.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Beach writes that 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." Summer Rambo much resembles Western Beauty in general appearance but ripens about a month earlier, and can be readily distinguished in the orchard. Pomologists are in doubt whether Grosh and Western Beauty are two distinct varieties or the same variety under two names. Beach had been unable to obtain sufficient evidence to determine this, and gives his technical description of the fruit under Grosh.

Hyde King was received for testing at Beach's Station under the name Western Beauty. It is consequently referred to under that name erroneously in some published accounts of its record at that Station (Beach).

The fruit is not disposed to rot, except when attacked by birds, which are very fond of it (Warder).

Lowther's table entry reads: "Western Beauty (29) … N. Div.: l. C. Div.: 4 (asterisk indicating the variety is also reported in another division). S. Div.: (blank)."

Book Sources

Described in 7 period pomological works

USDA Nomenclature (1905)

From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56

Originally described by Judge Buel.

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 10 catalogs (1845–1913) from Alabama, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Oregon

View original book sources (8)

Beauty of the West.

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

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

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.

[Additional entry in this volume: "Beauty of the West", pp. 114–115]

Beauty of the West.

Western Beauty. Ohio Beauty. Musgrove's Cooper.

Origin unknown. First sent out and noticed by Judge Buel some thirty or more years since, and yet but little known. The tree is a strong, vigorous grower, forming a large spreading head, moderately productive. Young wood dull reddish brown.

Fruit large, roundish, oblate, conical, greenish yellow, nearly covered with pale dull red, striped with a darker shade, and dotted with large yellow specks. Stalk short. Calyx large, half open. Flesh greenish-white, not firm, tender, mild, subacid. Good. November to February.

[Additional entry in this volume: "Grosh", pp. 230–231]

Grosh.

Originated in Snufftown, Lancaster Co., Pa. Tree upright, with stout brown shoots; an annual bearer.

Fruit very large, oblate, oblique, greenish white, striped with light and dark red. Flesh white, loose, soft texture, juicy, acid. September, Good. Cooking. (Gar. Mon.)

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

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

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

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.

[Additional entry in this volume: "Western Beauty", pp. 390–390]

WESTERN BEAUTY.

REFERENCES.

  1. 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).

— 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)

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)

Planted Spring 1894. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit large, roundish, oblate. Skin yellow, splashed with light and dark red, and sprinkled with gray dots. Flesh whitish, crisp, aromatic, mildly acid, quality good. Season September.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)
Beauty of the West Big Rambo Cummings Rambo English Rambo French Rambo GROSH Grosh Grosh's Mammoth Large Rambo Large Summer Rambo Lothringer Rambour Mammoth Rambo Monstrous Rambo Musgrove Musgrove's Cooper Naylor Rambo Ohio Beauty Pickaway Rambo Rambour Lorraine Summer Rambo Sweet Rambo [err.]