William's Favorite

Apple

Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

William's Favorite

Origin/History

William's Favorite originated at Roxbury, U.S.A., about 1750, and was probably introduced to England around 1828. Bunyard rates it "one of the best early dessert apples and well worthy of culture."

Tree

Growth and habit: Bunyard describes growth as moderate and rather straggling, spurring well, and fertile. The Central Experimental Farm (Agassiz, BC, planted spring 1894) records the tree as a vigorous grower — a conflict with Bunyard's assessment of moderate growth.

Leaves: Rather large, round, pale, down-hanging, undulating, and serrate (Bunyard).

Fruit

Size

Sources disagree on size. Bunyard calls the fruit medium, measuring 2¼ inches by 2¼ inches. The Central Experimental Farm describes it as above medium size. Stark Bros. (1910) calls it large.

Form

Round to oblong, conical, and irregular (Bunyard). The Central Experimental Farm similarly records oblong and conical.

Stem

Fairly long, much knobbed at each end, set in a shallow cavity (Bunyard).

Cavity

Shallow (Bunyard).

Calyx

Closed; segments reflexed at their tips (Bunyard).

Basin

Moderate in depth; a few round, bead-like knobs are present at its base (Bunyard).

Skin

Bunyard describes the ground color as pale greenish-yellow, nearly covered with a very dark crimson flush and broad stripes. The Central Experimental Farm describes the skin as bright red with streaks and splashes of deep red — consistent with heavy coverage but emphasizing the red rather than noting the underlying greenish-yellow ground.

Flesh and Flavor

Sources conflict on flesh color. Bunyard describes the flesh as soft, greenish, and aromatic. The Central Experimental Farm records the flesh as white, crisp, pleasant sub-acid, and of good quality. Stark Bros. describes the flesh as light yellow (description appears to be cut off in the source).

Core/Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

August. Dessert use.

Uses

Dessert apple. Bunyard considers it one of the best early dessert varieties.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 1 period pomological work

Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 40 catalogs (1845–1920) from California, England, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington

View original book sources (3)

WILLIAM'S FAVOURITE. Dessert, August, medium, 2¼ by 2¼, round to oblong, conical, irregular. Colour, pale greenish-yellow, nearly covered with very dark crimson flush and broad stripes. Flesh, soft, greenish, aromatic. Eye, closed, segments reflexed at tips, in a moderate basin, at the base of which are a few round bead-like knobs. Stem, fairly long, much knobbed each end, in a shallow cavity. Growth, moderate, rather straggling, spurring well; fertile. Leaf, rather large, round, pale, down-hanging, undulating, serrate. Origin, at Roxbury, U.S.A., about 1750. Probably introduced to England, about 1828. One of the best early dessert apples and well worthy of culture.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Planted Spring 1894. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit above medium size, oblong, conical. Skin bright red, with streaks and splashes of deep red. Flesh white, crisp, pleasant sub-acid, quality good. Season August.

— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)

A large and handsome dessert apple with superior merit. Flesh is light yellow...

— Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co., Stark Bros. Year Book (1910) (1910)

Williams' Early Red