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White Pippin

Apple

Origin & History

The origin of White Pippin is unknown. Warder (1867) notes it is "of Kentucky" and remarks that "the origin of this valuable fruit is entirely unknown, and its history can only be traced to the nursery of Silas Wharton, who may have brought it with him from the East. For a time some of our leading pomologists thought it was the Canada Reinette, but this idea has long since been relinquished, and all agree that it is sui generis, though it may have had a different name." Downing (1900) describes it as "much cultivated at the West, but of unknown origin," placing it in "the Newtown Pippin class, distinct from Canada Reinette." Elliott (1865) likewise notes "this variety we have heretofore considered identical with Canada Reinette; probably it is distinct," and that it is "much grown in the Southwestern sections." Thomas (1903) records it as "valued at the West and Southwest."

Beach (1905) provides the fullest account of its standing: it had long been highly esteemed in some sections of Ohio and other portions of the Middle West. In Central and Western New York it generally succeeded better than either the Yellow Newtown or the Green Newtown. Warder observes that "in some of its external characters it more nearly resembles the Yellow Newtown Pippin than any other fruit; but, while it lacks the high, spicy flavor of that apple, it is found to be much more profitable in the orchard." Beach adds that it had been grown to a limited extent in some portions of New York but, so far as could be learned, its planting was not being extended, and it was not recommended for general planting in New York. Some New York fruit growers considered it a profitable commercial variety because the fruit was large, pretty uniform, rather attractive, and generally kept pretty well.

Tree

Tree large, vigorous, strong, upright. Downing describes it as "thrifty, upright, a regular and good bearer." Elliott concurs: "strong, upright, vigorous grower," and adds that it "proves hardy as a tree, productive, and is a good keeper." Beach states the tree is "a good thrifty grower, comes into bearing young and is a reliable cropper, yielding moderate to good crops annually or nearly annually." Thomas calls it "fair and productive."

Form upright spreading to roundish, rather dense (Beach). Twigs long to rather short, straight, moderately slender to rather stout and often very blunt; internodes short (Beach). Bark very dark brown, lightly streaked with scarf-skin, heavily pubescent (Beach). Downing describes the young shoots as "dark clear reddish brown, downy." Lenticels numerous, large to medium, oval or irregular, raised, conspicuous (Beach). Buds deeply set in bark, medium to short, flat, obtuse, more or less appressed or sometimes free, pubescent (Beach).

Fruit

Size. Large (Warder, Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Beach describes it as medium to large, often averaging rather large, pretty uniform in size and shape. The general appearance is good for a yellow apple (Beach).

Form. Sources vary somewhat. Warder: globular, somewhat oblate, regular. Downing: form variable, roundish oblate, slightly oblique. Beach: roundish or roundish oblate, inclined to conic, irregular or somewhat angular, sometimes symmetrical. Elliott: roundish oblong, smooth. Thomas: roundish, oblong, flattened at ends.

Stem. Warder: medium, regular, knobby. Downing: short, inserted in a large cavity, surrounded by green russet. Beach: short. Elliott: varying.

Cavity. Warder: acute, regular, green. Downing: large, surrounded by green russet. Beach: medium or above, acute or approaching acuminate, deep, moderately narrow to rather wide, often wavy, sometimes lipped, partly russeted and often with a strip of russet extending out on one side. Thomas: large.

Calyx. Warder describes the eye as very small, with long, slender, closed segments. Downing: small, nearly closed. Beach: small to medium, closed or partly open; lobes long, narrow, acuminate. Elliott: medium, with long segments.

Basin. Warder: small, abrupt, regular. Downing: abrupt, furrowed. Beach: small to medium, moderately shallow to medium in depth, rather narrow to moderately wide, rather abrupt, usually somewhat furrowed and slightly wrinkled. Thomas: abrupt, furrowed.

Skin. Green becoming pale yellow, sometimes with a faint blush. Warder: smooth, green, becoming pale yellow, sometimes faintly blushed; dots numerous, white, rather large. Downing: greenish white, waxen, sprinkled with green dots, and becoming pale yellow at maturity, sometimes having a dull blush and a few brown dots. Beach: pale yellow or greenish, sometimes blushed, mottled and striped with thin brownish-red or brownish-pink; dots small, characteristically whitish and submerged, or green with fine russet point, more scattering, larger, irregular and more often russet toward the cavity; prevailing color yellow or green. Elliott: greenish yellow, with dark green specks and light green surrounding and suffused beneath skin; when fully ripe, yellowish green. Thomas: light greenish yellow.

Calyx Tube. Long, narrow, elongated conical to somewhat funnel-form. Stamens median to nearly basal (Beach).

Flesh & Flavor. White to slightly tinged with yellow, tender, crisp, juicy, subacid. Sources differ on quality and richness. Warder: white, breaking, fine-grained, juicy; flavor acid; quality good. Downing: white, tender, crisp, juicy, fine, rich subacid; "very good to best." Beach: slightly tinged with yellow, firm, moderately fine-grained to a little coarse, tender, crisp, juicy, sprightly subacid; good or sometimes very good. Elliott: yellowish white, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly, sub-acid. Thomas: yellowish white, sub-acid; "good, but not very rich."

Core & Seeds. Warder: core round, regular, closed, clasping; seeds numerous, long, pointed, angular, brown. Downing: core small. Beach: core small to medium, somewhat abaxile with hollow cylinder in the axis; cells not uniformly developed but usually symmetrical, closed or sometimes open; core lines clasping; carpels roundish to somewhat ovate varying to elongated and narrow, sometimes emarginate, slightly tufted; seeds small to above medium, plump, rather narrow, elongated, acuminate, medium brown to rather dark brown. Elliott: core small, compact; seeds dark.

Season

Warder: December to January. Downing: January to March. Beach: in ordinary storage, in season from November to May, with February as the ordinary commercial limit; varies considerably in keeping qualities in different seasons. Elliott: January to May; December to March at the South. Thomas: winter.

Uses

Market and kitchen (Warder). Beach describes it as suitable for home use or for general market purposes.

Subtypes & Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Description absent from Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914); variety present in variety-characteristic table:

White Pippin.................  L | rob | gy | VG | b | W | 1* | 8* | 9*

Book Sources

Described in 6 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 10 catalogs (1891–1918) from Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Oregon, Washington

View original book sources (6)

White Pippin— [Of Kentucky.]

Fruit large, globular, somewhat oblate, regular; Surface smooth, green, becoming pale yellow, sometimes faintly blushed; Dots numerous, white, rather large.

Basin small, abrupt, regular; Eye very small, long, slender, closed.

Cavity acute, regular, green; Stem medium, regular, knobby.

Core round, regular, closed, clasping; Seeds numerous, long, pointed, angular, brown; Flesh white, breaking, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor acid; Quality good; Use, market and kitchen; Season, December, January.

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

White Pippin.

Canada Pippin.

This Apple is much cultivated at the West, but of unknown origin. It is of the Newtown Pippin class, distinct from Canada Reinette. Tree thrifty, upright, a regular and good bearer. Young shoots dark clear reddish brown, downy.

Fruit large, form variable, roundish oblate, slightly oblique, greenish white, waxen, sprinkled with green dots, and becoming pale yellow at maturity, sometimes having a dull blush and a few brown dots. Stalk short, inserted in a large cavity, surrounded by green russet. Calyx small, nearly closed, set in an abrupt furrowed basin. Flesh white, tender, crisp, juicy, fine, rich subacid. Very good to best. Core small. January to March.

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

WHITE PIPPIN.

References. 1. Mag. Hort., 14:113. 1848. 2. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:85. 1851. 3. Downing, 1857:203. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1860. 5. Mag. Hort., 27:100. 1861. 6. Warder, 1867:647. fig. 7. Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1880:277. 8. Barry, 1883:356. 9. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:300. 10. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:252. 11. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:589, 596. 1892. 12. Ib., E. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1900:44. 13. Ib., W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1900:37. 14. Brackett, Amer. Gard., 22:191. 1901. 15. Budd-Hansen, 1903:202. fig. 16. Bruner, N. C. Sta. Bul., 182:23. 1903. 17. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:60. 1903. 18. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:150. 1904.

Synonym. Canada Pippin (3).

Fruit medium to large, often averaging rather large. The general appearance is good for a yellow apple. It is suitable for home use or for general market purposes. In ordinary storage it is in season from November to May with February as the ordinary commercial limit. It varies considerably in keeping qualities in different seasons (18). Warder (6) observes that "in some of its external characters it more nearly resembles the Yellow Newtown Pippin than any other fruit; but, while it lacks the high, spicy flavor of that apple, it is found to be much more profitable in the orchard." It has long been highly esteemed in some sections of Ohio and other portions of the Middle West. In Central and Western New York it generally succeeds better than does either the Yellow Newtown or the Green Newtown. The tree is a good thrifty grower, comes into bearing young and is a reliable cropper, yielding moderate to good crops annually or nearly annually. Some New York fruit growers consider it a profitable commercial variety because the fruit is large, pretty uniform, rather attractive and generally keeps pretty well. It is not recommended for general planting in New York.

Historical. Warder remarks that "the origin of this valuable fruit is entirely unknown, and its history can only be traced to the nursery of Silas Wharton, who may have brought it with him from the East. For a time some of our leading pomologists thought it was the Canada Reinette, but this idea has long since been relinquished, and all agree that it is sui generis, though it may have had a different name." It has been grown to a limited extent in some portions of New York, but, so far as we can learn, its planting is not being extended.

Tree.

Tree large, vigorous. Form upright spreading to roundish, rather dense. Twigs long to rather short, straight, moderately slender to rather stout and often very blunt; internodes short. Bark very dark brown, lightly streaked with scarf-skin, heavily pubescent. Lenticels numerous, large to medium, oval or irregular, raised, conspicuous. Buds deeply set in bark, medium to short, flat, obtuse, more or less appressed or sometimes free, pubescent.

Fruit.

Fruit medium to large, often averaging rather large, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form roundish or roundish oblate, inclined to conic, irregular or somewhat angular, sometimes symmetrical. Stem short. Cavity medium or above, acute or approaching acuminate, deep, moderately narrow to rather wide, often wavy, sometimes lipped, partly russeted and often with a strip of russet extending out on one side. Calyx small to medium, closed or partly open; lobes long, narrow, acuminate. Basin small to medium, moderately shallow to medium in depth, rather narrow to moderately wide, rather abrupt, usually somewhat furrowed and slightly wrinkled.

Skin pale yellow or greenish, sometimes blushed, mottled and striped with thin brownish-red or brownish-pink. Dots small, characteristically whitish and submerged, or green with fine russet point. They are more scattering, larger, irregular and more often russet toward the cavity. Prevailing color yellow or green.

Calyx tube long, narrow, elongated conical to somewhat funnel-form. Stamens median to nearly basal.

Core small to medium, somewhat abaxile with hollow cylinder in the axis; cells not uniformly developed but usually symmetrical, closed or sometimes open; core lines clasping. Carpels roundish to somewhat ovate varying to elongated and narrow, sometimes emarginate, slightly tufted. Seeds small to above medium, plump, rather narrow, elongated, acuminate, medium brown to rather dark brown.

Flesh slightly tinged with yellow, firm, moderately fine-grained to a little coarse, tender, crisp, juicy, sprightly subacid, good or sometimes very good.

S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)

White Pippin................. L | rob | gy | VG | b | W | 1* | 8* | 9*

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

White Pippin.

This variety we have heretofore considered identical with Canada Reinette; probably it is distinct. It is much grown in the Southwestern sections; proves hardy as a tree, productive, and is a good keeper. Tree strong, upright, vigorous grower. Fruit, large; form, roundish oblong, smooth; color, greenish yellow, with dark green specks and light green surrounding and suffused beneath skin, when fully ripe, yellowish green; stem, varying; calyx, medium; segments, long; flesh, yellowish white, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly, sub-acid; core, small, compact; seeds, dark. January to May; December to March, at South.

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

White Pippin.* (Canada Pippin.) Large, roundish, oblong, flattened at ends; light greenish yellow; cavity large; basin abrupt, furrowed; flesh yellowish white, sub-acid. Good, but not very rich. Winter. Fair and productive, valued at the West and Southwest. Fig. 473.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
Canada Pippin Canada Reinette Canada Reinette Vaugoyeau Lord Wolseley Golden Ball Devonshire Buckland Peach Magenta Reinette de Canada Cheeseboro Canada Pippin Ortley Pippin Stone Pippin Ortley