Winesap
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Winesap
Origin / History
William Coxe, writing in 1817, called Winesap "one of our best cider fruits" and "much esteemed as a good eating apple," and said "it is becoming the most favorite cider fruit in West Jersey." Elliott calls Coxe its first describer. The origin is disputed. Elliott says it "probably originated in New Jersey," and Hansen gives a supposed origin in New Jersey, Coxe's region of western New Jersey. Beach holds that nothing definite is known of its origin. He says many writers, on the strength of Coxe's remark, have referred to West Jersey as its region of origin or probable origin, but that such statements "seem hardly warranted by the evidence." Hedrick calls the origin unknown but dates the variety "well back into the Colonial period."
Beach ranks it among the oldest and most popular apples in America, known in all apple-growing sections from Virginia westward to the Pacific Coast. Lowther gives all the principal apple-growing sections of the United States and Canada. Hedrick calls it one of the most widely distributed and best known American apples. "Though it has its local attachments," he finds it "thriving on both the Atlantic and Pacific seaboards and in most of the apple regions that lie between." He calls its adaptability to various soils and climates "the chief asset of the variety," with "excellent qualities of fruit and tree besides." As a measure of its popularity, Beach cites Bailey's Inventory of 1892: seventy-three nursery firms then offered Winesap, against sixty-four offering Baldwin, fifty-eight Northern Spy, and forty-eight Rhode Island Greening. He cautions that the number of firms selling a variety "is not an altogether true criterion of the number of trees sold."
Elliott calls it "one of the very best throughout the Southwest, and also in Oregon Territory." Thomas finds it widely cultivated at the West and Southwest, its fruit "formerly always fair, of late years more imperfect." Hansen calls it very popular in parts of the South and West and one of the leading apples for export. Downing says its fruitfulness renders it "a great favorite with orchardists" and calls it "one of the most profitable orchard varieties wherever grown." Stark Bros. (1910) calls it "a favorite of long standing" and, west of the Rockies, "one of the most dependable, popular, and profitable sorts."
Beach judges it less favorably as a commercial apple. Though a well-known market apple, it "has not proved generally successful for the commercial orchard," except in the Piedmont region of Virginia and certain districts elsewhere. In more southern latitudes and under favorable conditions the fruit is well colored and of good quality. When well grown it is of very good quality and attractive in appearance, quite uniform in shape and size and of good dark red color. Lowther names its tendency to grow small as "the difficulty with the Winesap." Where it reaches a good size, he counts it one of the best commercial apples, naming the Piedmont region in Virginia and the Pacific Northwest. Hedrick places its best commercial environment in parts of Virginia and the northern states of the Pacific Coast.
Tree
Vigorous, a rather vigorous though "not particularly rank grower" (Beach); Hansen calls it moderately vigorous. Tree medium size. Growth irregular, not forming a handsome head. Form roundish spreading, rather straggling and open. Coxe adds that "the branches often grow downwards, and render it difficult to train in a handsome shape."
Shoots strong, dark reddish-brown (Warder); young wood reddish brown. Twigs rather stout, rather short to above medium; internodes short. Bark very dark reddish-brown with thin gray scarf-skin, somewhat pubescent. Lenticels clustered especially just below the nodes, conspicuous, round or elongated, variable in size but usually above medium (Beach). Buds smooth, red (Downing); large to medium, broad, usually rather obtuse but sometimes acute, free or nearly so (Beach). Foliage thin, sparse; leaves usually not large, narrow. Warder calls the foliage curled and glaucous.
An early bearer, very productive. Beach calls it "a remarkably regular cropper," and Coxe says "it bears more uniformly than any fruitful kind with which I am acquainted." The apples hang late upon the tree without injury.
The tree is called hardy by Elliott, Warder, and Stark Bros., and very hardy by Downing. Others find it tender at the north. In Beach's account it is less hardy in New York than the leading commercial varieties of the region. Hansen calls it "not sufficiently hardy at the north," and Hedrick "precariously hardy," growing "only where the season is long." Warder calls the tree healthy. In unfavorable situations the trees are apt to be short-lived (Beach). Stark Bros. calls the tree "poorly rooted" and, "as a general rule," not long-lived. Stark recommends propagation by budding or by grafting on branched seedlings, and notes double working practiced "by some of the most up-to-date western orchardists."
Light, sandy soils suit it (Coxe, Downing). Of 100 trees Coxe planted on "a sandy blowing knoll" and cultivated well, not one had died after eight years, and every tree bore "fine fair apples." Elliott finds it producing fair, fine fruit in all soils from poor sand to limestone clay, "largest in the latter, and finest texture in the former," and fine on dry prairies. It does best on rather light, rich, deep soils (Beach), and Hedrick finds it remarkably productive and regular on such soils when well-drained. Stark Bros. asks for rich, deep, moist soil. It fails on heavy clays and in low, damp locations. Where it tends to grow small, Lowther says this "may be obviated somewhat by fertilizing the soil, or by heavily pruning the tree."
Hansen reports fine specimens grown "along the Missouri river in the southeastern corner of the state." Stark Bros. finds it does not succeed as far north, nor size up in the higher elevations, as Delicious, King David, and Senator.
Fruit
Size: Medium in most accounts (Coxe: "middling"). Lowther calls it rather small, and Hedrick medium to large. As grown in New York it averages smaller than fruit grown farther south and seldom reaches good medium size there. Except on young trees or on soils of more than average fertility, it averages too small for a good market variety (Beach). Pretty uniform in size and shape.
Form: Conical to roundish conical or ovate conical. Nearly truncate or flattened at base, usually somewhat truncate. Often obscurely angular and slightly ribbed, nearly regular, symmetrical, uniform. Beach gives usually conical, sometimes roundish. Rounder forms are also recorded: round, "lessening a little towards the crown" (Coxe); round-ovate, slightly conical, sometimes obscurely flattened (Thomas); rather roundish oblong (Downing); and rotund, "always uniform and regular" (Hedrick). Elliott finds the fruit more irregular or angular when grown South.
Stem: Slender, medium to short, varying in length (Elliott). Three-fourths of an inch (Thomas) to nearly an inch (Downing) long.
Cavity: Medium to rather small, acute to acuminate, deep, symmetrical or somewhat furrowed, often more or less lipped. Narrow (Elliott) to wide (Warder, Hansen); Beach gives narrow to rather broad. Hansen calls it regular, Downing irregular. Often russeted or with outspreading russet rays, or lined with reddish stellate russet sometimes extending out a little over the base (Hansen). Warder calls it reddish brown. Grown South, often with russet about the stem (Elliott).
Calyx: Closed (Elliott: nearly closed). Small in most accounts; Beach gives medium to large. Segments flat, convergent (Hansen). Lobes long, narrow, acuminate (Beach). Calyx tube funnel-shaped (Hansen); Beach finds it "quite variable, conical or funnel-shape." Stamens marginal.
Basin: Furrowed, finely plaited, somewhat wrinkled. Narrow and shallow (Warder, Hansen). Beach gives rather small to medium, shallow to rather deep and abrupt, narrow to moderately wide, distinctly furrowed. Elliott calls it abrupt. Downing calls it regular; Beach calls it often oblique.
Skin: Moderately thick to medium, tough to very tough, smooth, glossy, overspread with faint, soft bloom. Ground yellow, from rich dark yellow to distinctly or golden yellow, green if not fully mature. The ground is mostly covered, showing only as a small portion of yellow (Coxe), as a little yellow ground on the shady side (Downing), or as spots and patches of light yellow (Elliott). Red bright to dark, lively deep red, fine and lively. The red is mixed, stained, and indistinctly or obscurely striped and blotched with darker shades, very dark purplish-red or dark purple, in some accounts only a few streaks. Elliott finds it a bright clear red when grown North. Grown South, "the dark red becomes most prominent," and the patches of light yellow at the base are more often seen. Often veined with russet, a russet net-veining especially toward the base (Hansen). Prevailing effect bright deep red. Handsome; Hedrick calls it "a very handsome fruit."
Dots: Few or scattering, minute to rather small, whitish, indented. Hansen finds them indented toward the apex and distinctly elongated toward the base. Sometimes in conspicuous contrast with the deep red skin, especially toward the cavity (Beach).
Flesh and flavor: Yellow, yellowish, or tinged with yellow, the veins sometimes red. Hedrick calls the coarse yellow flesh with red-tinged veins distinctive. Firm to very firm, crisp to moderately crisp, juicy to very juicy; Coxe calls it "tolerably juicy," and Elliott tender. Rather coarse (Beach), but fine-grained in Hansen's account.
Flavor rich, high (Downing), sprightly subacid; Hedrick calls the sprightly subacid flavor distinctive. Thomas gives "rich sub-acid or rather acid," and Warder "rich, acid to sub-acid." Coxe alone calls it "pleasant, and sweet." Quality "very good" (Downing, Hansen), "good to very good" (Beach).
Core and seeds: Core medium to small, regular, turbinate (Hansen). Abaxile with a hollow cylinder in the axis, narrowing toward the apex (Beach); capsule hollow (Elliott). Somewhat or slightly open; Beach gives the cells as open or slightly closed. Cells ovate, slit (Hansen); pretty uniformly developed, symmetrical (Beach). Core lines clasping. Carpels broadly roundish, much concave, slightly emarginate if at all, mucronate (Beach).
Seeds wide, short, plump, ovate to obtuse, below medium to above in size. Warder calls them large, rather light; Hansen calls them few, medium, brown.
Season
The recorded season runs from October into June. Most authors give a winter season opening between October and January and closing between March and May. Thomas says it keeps through winter. Elliott closes the season in January, though the fruit often keeps till March. As grown at the New York Station, Beach gives January to June, with April as the ordinary commercial limit. Grown farther south, it extends to February in ordinary storage and to April in cold storage.
Keeps and ships well, and stands heat well before going into storage. Late in the season it often scalds, particularly when not well colored (Beach); Hedrick says it often scalds in cold storage. West of the Rockies, Stark Bros. calls it a keeper that, "late in the season, from ordinary cellars," always commands remunerative prices.
Coxe says the apples "make good cider without housing," but adds that "they will however repay all the expense of complete maturation in an airy loft, by the increased flavour of the liquor."
Uses
Dessert, kitchen, cider, and market. Coxe calls it a good eating apple, and Downing "a good Apple for the table." Thomas calls it "one of the best apples for baking." For cider, Downing ranks it among "the very finest cider fruits." Coxe calls its cider "vinous, clear, and strong; equal to any fruit liquor of our country for bottling." A good shipper that handles well. Hansen calls it one of the leading apples for export.
Subtypes / Variants
Winesap has many seedlings which "partake more or less of the characters of the parent." Beach names Arkansas, Arkansas Black, Paragon, and Stayman Winesap as the best known. Budd & Hansen add Gilbert among its known or supposed seedlings. They describe Stayman, Gilbert, Paragon, and Arkansas as larger in fruit and considered superior in vigor of tree, though for export "their superiority to the parent has not yet been established." Stark Bros. advises planting Stayman Winesap where Winesap grows too small. Its only objection to Stayman Winesap is that "in the West it sometimes grows rather too large for retailing."
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 10 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 1 (1905)
- Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 75 catalogs (1845–1947) from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845 — listed as Winesop
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell Prairie, Marion County, OR (Marion Co., Ogn.) — 1864
- Hutchison Nursery , James Hutchison, Oakland , California — 1881
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- California Nursery Co. , Niles , California — 1889
- William H. Moon Co. , Morrisville, Bucks County , Pennsylvania — 1890
- Puyallup & Yakima Nurseries , Puyallup, Washington (Lock Box 191) and North Yakima , Washington — 1892
- Milwaukie-Canby Nurseries , Canby, OR (and Milwaukie, OR) — 1893
- Oregon Wholesale Nurseries , Salem , Oregon — 1893
- Rogers Nursery Co. , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1893
- Sherwood Hall Nursery Co. , Timothy Hopkins (Menlo Park Nurseries), San Francisco / Menlo Park , California — 1893
- Multnomah Nurseries , Russellville , Oregon — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- The Lovett Company , Little Silver , New Jersey — 1896
- The Salem Nursery (John A. Francis , Proprietor), Salem , Virginia — 1897
- Arthur J. Collins & Sons , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1898
- Reading Nursery , Jacob W. Manning, Proprietor, Reading , Massachusetts — 1898
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1898
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1899
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1901
- S.L. Watkins , Grizzly Flats, El Dorado County , California — 1901
- Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Forestville Nurseries , T.J. True, Forestville , California — 1902
- Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903
- OSU Bulletin 81 — 1904
- Henderson Luelling / Traveling Nursery (historical recall) , Oregon — 1904
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906
- J.B. Pilkington , Portland , Oregon — 1907
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Milton Nursery Co. (A. Miller & Sons , Proprietors), Milton , Oregon — 1909
- Wm. J. Corse (successor to Robert Sinclair / Sinclair Nurseries) , Baltimore , Maryland — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- C.F. Lansing , Salem , Oregon — 1910
- Wapato Nursery , Wapato , Washington — 1910
- Cashmere Nurseries , Cashmere , Washington — 1910
- Milton Nursery Co./Montana Fruit Growers — 1910
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1911
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1911
- Galbraith Nursery Co. (DeWitt Hansen , Pres.-Mgr.), Fairbury , Nebraska — 1911
- Ballygreen Nurseries , Hanford , Washington — 1912
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- J. B. Pilkington , Nurseryman, Portland, OR (nurseries near Newberg, forty miles from Portland) — 1913
- Samuel Fraser , Geneseo , New York — 1913
- Van Holderbeke Nursery Co. , Incorporated, Spokane, Washington (nurseries at Otis Orchards WA, Pasadena WA, Kennewick WA) — 1913
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1914
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1915
- Ornamental & Fruit Nursery Company , Wapato, County of Yakima , Washington — 1915
- Holsinger Bros. Nurseries (Holsinger Brothers Nursery) , Rosedale , Kansas — 1916
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1916
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1917
- Fancher Creek Nurseries , George C. Roeding, Fresno , California — 1918
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1918
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Christopher Nurseries / John Stewart & Sons , Christopher , Washington — 1920
- Fresno Nursery Co. , Fresno , California — 1924
- Columbia & Okanogan Nursery Co. , Wenatchee , Washington — 1925
- Hudson's Wholesale Nurseries , Tangent , Oregon — 1926
- Stark Bro's Nurseries , Louisiana , Missouri — 1932
- Milton Nursery Co. , Milton-Freewater , Oregon — 1947
- Rich & Sons Nursery , Hillsboro , Oregon
- North-Western Nurseries , Walla Walla , Washington
View original book sources (11)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 89. WINESAP.
This is one of our best cider fruits, and is much esteemed as a good eating apple: the size is middling, the form round, lessening a little towards the crown: the skin is smooth, the colour a dark red, with a small portion of yellow, and sometimes a few streaks—the flesh is rich, yellow, and tolerably juicy, pleasant, and sweet; the cider produced from it is vinous, clear, and strong; equal to any fruit liquor of our country for bottling. The apples hang late, and make good cider without housing; they will however repay all the expense of complete maturation in an airy loft, by the increased flavour of the liquor—the tree is well adapted to light soils: of 100 trees I planted on a sandy blowing knoll eight years ago, and well cultivated, not one has died—every tree bears fine fair apples; it is becoming the most favorite cider fruit in West Jersey. The form of the tree is irregular, the branches often grow downwards, and render it difficult to train in a handsome shape; it bears more uniformly than any fruitful kind with which I am acquainted.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Wine Sap. Wine Sop. Probably originated in New Jersey. First described by Coxe. It is one of the very best throughout the Southwest, and also in Oregon Territory. The tree is hardy, an early and very productive bearer, irregular in its growth, not forming a handsome head, but producing fair, fine fruit in all soils, from poor sand to limestone clay — largest in the latter, and finest texture in the former — fine on dry prairies. Fruit, medium ; form, ovate conical, flattened at base, sometimes roundish conical, occasionally angular and slightly ribbed ; color, grown North, a bright clear red, stained and striped with darker shades, and with spots of light yellow ; grown South, the dark red becomes most prominent, while the patches of light yellow at base are more often seen ; it is also more irregular or angular in form, and oft with russet about the stem ; stem, varying in length, slender ; cavity, narrow, deep ; calyx, small, nearly closed ; basin, abrupt, furrowed ; flesh, yellowish, juicy, tender, sub-acid, sprightly ; core, medium ; capsule, hollow ; seeds, short, ovate. October to January often keeps till March.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Winesap.—[Coxe.]
Tree vigorous, healthy, hardy, productive, early bearer; Branches open, straggling; Shoots strong, dark reddish-brown; Foliage curled, glaucous, sparse.
Fruit medium, conical, often obscurely angular, or slightly ribbed; Surface rather smooth, bright or dark red, mixed and obscurely striped on yellow, which is mostly covered, often veined russet; Dots few, minute, indented.
Basin narrow, shallow, plaited; Eye small, closed.
Cavity wide, reddish brown; Stem medium.
Core regular, somewhat open; Seeds large, rather light; Flesh firm, yellow; Flavor rich, acid to sub-acid; Use, market, kitchen, cider; Season, January to March.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)WINESAP.
Wine Sop ? Potpie Apple.
This is not only a good Apple for the table, but it is also one of the very finest cider fruits, and its fruitfulness renders it a great favorite with orchardists. The tree grows rather irregularly, and does not form a handsome head, but it bears early, and the apples have the good quality of hanging late upon the trees without injury, while the tree thrives well on sandy, light soils. The tree is very hardy, and one of the most profitable orchard varieties wherever grown. Young wood reddish brown, with smooth red buds.
Winesap.
Fruit of medium size, rather roundish oblong. Skin smooth, of a fine dark red, with a few streaks, and a little yellow ground, appearing on the shady side. Stalk nearly an inch long, slender, set in an irregular cavity. Calyx small, placed in a regular basin, with fine plaits. Flesh yellow, firm, crisp, with a rich, high flavor. Very good. November to May.
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Winesap—Supposed origin, New Jersey; described by Coxe, in 1817, as one of the best cider and eating apples of his region (western New Jersey); very popular in parts of the south and west. One of the leading apples for export.
Tree moderately vigorous, with rather open, straggling head; very productive and an early bearer—Fruit medium, roundish conical, often obscurely angular and slightly ribbed; skin moderately thick, very tough; surface smooth, rich dark yellow, mostly covered with fine lively dark red, sometimes obscurely striped, often with russet net-veining, especially toward the base; dots few, minute, indented toward the apex; distinctly elongated toward the base; cavity wide, regular, acute, lined with reddish stellate russet, sometimes extending out a little over base; stem medium; basin narrow, shallow, plaited; calyx closed, segments flat convergent. Core slightly open, clasping, turbinate; cells ovate, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; seeds few, medium, short, plump, rather short, brown; flesh yellow, firm, crisp, fine grained, rich; sprightly subacid, very good.
December to May.
Fine specimens have been grown along the Missouri river in the southeastern corner of the state, but the variety is not sufficiently hardy at the north.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Winesap.* Size medium, round-ovate, slightly conical, sometimes obscurely flattened; color a lively deep red; stalk slender, three-fourths of an inch long; cavity acute; calyx small, in a finely plaited basin; flesh yellowish, firm, crisp, with a rich sub-acid or rather acid flavor. Keeps through winter. One of the best apples for baking. Growth rather irregular, fruit formerly always fair, of late years more imperfect. Widely cultivated at the West and Southwest. Fig. 438.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)WINESAP
REFERENCES. 1. Coxe, 1817:153. fig. 2. (?)Thacher, 1822:140. 3. Buel, N. Y. Bd. Agr. Mem., 1826:476. 4. Wilson, 1828:136. 5. Cat. Hort. Soc. London, 1831:39. 6. Manning, Mag. Hort., 7:50. 1841. 7. Downing, 1845:143. 8. Kirtland, Horticulturist, 2:545. 1848. 9. Thomas, 1849:175. 10. Elliott, Horticulturist, 3:420. 1849. 11. Cole, 1849:130. 12. Phoenix, Horticulturist, 4:472. 1850. 13. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:68. 1851. 14. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1852. 15. Elliott, 1854:117. fig. 16. Hooper, 1857:97. 17. Gregg, 1857:60. 18. Mag. Hort., 30:162. 1864. 19. Warder, 1867:546. fig. 20. Downing, 1872:10, 12 index, app. 21. Fitz, 1872:143, 155, 172. fig. 22. Barry, 1883:357. 23. Rural N. Y., 47:749. 1888. 24. Wickson, 1889:246. 25. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:300. 26. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:589, 596. 1892. 27. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:252. 28. Clayton, Ala. Sta. Bul., 47:7. 1893. 29. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1893:134. 30. Stinson, Ark. Sta. An. Rpt., 7:46. 1894. 31. Mathews, Ky. Sta. Bul., 50:32. 1894. 32. Rural N. Y., 54:859. 1895. 33. Ib., 55:1, 51, 190, 250, 341. 1896. 34. Burrill and McCluer, Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:346. 1896. 35. Taylor, U. S. Pom. Bul., 7:357. 1898. 36. Massey, N. C. Sta. Bul., 149:318. 1898. 37. Van Deman, Rural N. Y., 59:224. Horticulturist, 4:471. 1850. Schroeder, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1900. 38. Atwood, Va. Sta. Bul., 130:138. 1901. figs. 39. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1902:96. 40. Dickens and Greene, Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:56. 1902. 41. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:116. 1902. 42. Stinson, Mo. Fr. Sta. Bul., 3:26. 1902. 43. Budd-Hansen, 1903:206. fig. 44. Bruner, N. C. Sta. Bul., 182:27. 1903. figs. 45. Powell, U. S. Dept. Agr. Yr. Bk., 1903:232. col. pl. 46. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:61. 1903. 47. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:151. 1904.
SYNONYMS. Holland's Red Winter (20). Royal Red of Kentucky (20). Texan Red (20). WINE SAP (12, 13, 15, 17, 21, 27, 28, 31). Wine Sop (15, 17).
Winesap is one of the oldest and most popular apples in America. It is known in all the apple-growing sections from Virginia westward to the Pacific Coast. An indication of its popularity may be gained from the fact that according to Bailey's Inventory (27) there were, in 1892, seventy-three nursery firms offering Winesap for sale as compared with sixty-four firms offering Baldwin, fifty-eight offering Northern Spy and forty-eight offering Rhode Island Greening. It should be borne in mind however that the number of firms selling a variety is not an altogether true criterion of the number of trees sold. Like various other old varieties, Winesap has many seedlings which partake more or less of the characters of the parent. The best known of these are Arkansas, Arkansas Black, Paragon and Stayman Winesap.
The tree is a rather vigorous though not particularly rank grower, comes into bearing early and is a remarkably regular cropper. It does best on rather light, rich, deep soils and does not succeed on heavy clays or in low, damp locations. In unfavorable situations the trees are apt to be short-lived and in New York are less hardy than the leading commercial varieties of this region. Although Winesap is a well-known market apple, yet with the exception of the Piedmont region in Virginia and certain districts elsewhere it has not proved generally successful for the commercial orchard. In New York it seldom reaches good medium size. In more southern latitudes and under favorable conditions the fruit is well colored and of good quality, but excepting on young trees or on soils of more than average fertility it averages too small for a good market variety. When well grown it is of very good quality and attractive in appearance, being quite uniform in shape and size and of good dark red color. As grown at this Station it is in season from January to June with April as the ordinary commercial limit (47). When grown farther south its season extends to February in ordinary storage and to April in cold storage. It is a good shipper and stands heat well before going into storage, but late in the season it often scalds, particularly when not well colored.
Historical. Nothing definite is known of the origin of Winesap. Coxe speaks of it as being "the most favored cider fruit in West Jersey." From this fact many writers have referred to West Jersey as the region of its origin or probable origin but such statements seem hardly warranted by the evidence.
TREE.
Tree medium size, vigorous. Form roundish spreading, rather straggling and open. Twigs rather stout, rather short to above medium; internodes short. Bark very dark reddish-brown with thin gray scarf-skin, somewhat pubescent. Lenticels especially clustered just below the nodes, conspicuous, round or elongated, variable in size but usually above medium. Buds large to medium, broad, usually rather obtuse but sometimes acute, free or nearly so. Foliage thin; leaves usually not large, narrow.
FRUIT.
Fruit as grown in New York averages even smaller than that which is grown farther south. It is pretty uniform in size and shape. Form usually conical, sometimes roundish, nearly truncate at base, nearly regular or obscurely ribbed, symmetrical. Stem medium to short, rather slender. Cavity medium to rather small, acute to acuminate, narrow to rather broad, deep, symmetrical or somewhat furrowed, often more or less lipped, often russeted or with outspreading russet rays. Calyx medium to large, closed; lobes long, narrow, acuminate. Basin rather small to medium, often oblique, shallow to rather deep and abrupt, narrow to moderately wide, distinctly furrowed, somewhat wrinkled. Skin medium in thickness, tough, smooth, glossy, bright deep red indistinctly striped and blotched with very dark purplish-red over a distinctly yellow ground color or green if not fully mature, overspread with faint bloom. Dots rather small, scattering, whitish, sometimes in conspicuous contrast with the deep red skin especially toward the cavity. Prevailing effect bright deep red. Calyx tube quite variable, conical or funnel-shape. Stamens marginal. Core medium to small, abaxile with a hollow cylinder in the axis, narrowing toward the apex; cells pretty uniformly developed, symmetrical, open or slightly closed; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly roundish, much concave, slightly emarginate if at all, mucronate. Seeds below medium to above, wide, plump, obtuse. Flesh tinged with yellow, veins sometimes red, very firm, rather coarse, moderately crisp, very juicy, sprightly subacid, good to very good.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Winesap"]
WINESAP
REFERENCES. 1. Coxe, 1817:153. fig. 2. (?)Thacher, 1822:140. 3. Buel, N. Y. Bd. Agr. Mem., 1826:476. 4. Wilson, 1828:136. 5. Cat. Hort. Soc. London, 1831:39. 6. Manning, Mag. Hort., 7:50. 1841. 7. Downing, 1845:143. 8. Kirtland, Horticulturist, 2:545. 1848. 9. Thomas, 1849:175. 10. Elliott, Horticulturist, 3:420. 1849. 11. Cole, 1849:130. 12. Phoenix, Horticulturist, 4:472. 1850. 13. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:68. 1851. 14. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1852. 15. Elliott, 1854:117. fig. 16. Hooper, 1857:97. 17. Gregg, 1857:60. 18. Mag. Hort., 30:162. 1864. 19. Warder, 1867:546. fig. 20. Downing, 1872:10, 12 index, app. 21. Fitz, 1872:143, 155, 172. fig. 22. Barry, 1883:357. 23. Rural N. Y., 47:749. 1888. 24. Wickson, 1889:246. 25. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:300. 26. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 11:589, 596. 1892. 27. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:252. 28. Clayton, Ala. Sta. Bul., 47:7. 1893. 29. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1893:134. 30. Stinson, Ark. Sta. An. Rpt., 7:46. 1894. 31. Mathews, Ky. Sta. Bul., 50:32. 1894. 32. Rural N. Y., 54:859. 1895. 33. Ib., 55:1, 51, 190, 250, 341. 1896. 34. Burrill and McCluer, Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:346. 1896. 35. Taylor, U. S. Pom. Bul., 7:357. 1898. 36. Massey, N. C. Sta. Bul., 149:318. 1898. 37. Van Deman, Rural N. Y., 59:224. Horticulturist, 4:471. 1850. Schroeder, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1900. 38. Atwood, Va. Sta. Bul., 130:138. 1901. figs. 39. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1902:96. 40. Dickens and Greene, Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:56. 1902. 41. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:116. 1902. 42. Stinson, Mo. Fr. Sta. Bul., 3:26. 1902. 43. Budd-Hansen, 1903:206. fig. 44. Bruner, N. C. Sta. Bul., 182:27. 1903. figs. 45. Powell, U. S. Dept. Agr. Yr. Bk., 1903:232. col. pl. 46. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:61. 1903. 47. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:151. 1904.
SYNONYMS. Holland's Red Winter (20). Royal Red of Kentucky (20). Texan Red (20). WINE SAP (12, 13, 15, 17, 21, 27, 28, 31). Wine Sop (15, 17).
Winesap is one of the oldest and most popular apples in America. It is known in all the apple-growing sections from Virginia westward to the Pacific Coast. An indication of its popularity may be gained from the fact that according to Bailey's Inventory (27) there were, in 1892, seventy-three nursery firms offering Winesap for sale as compared with sixty-four firms offering Baldwin, fifty-eight offering Northern Spy and forty-eight offering Rhode Island Greening. It should be borne in mind however that the number of firms selling a variety is not an altogether true criterion of the number of trees sold. Like various other old varieties, Winesap has many seedlings which partake more or less of the characters of the parent. The best known of these are Arkansas, Arkansas Black, Paragon and Stayman Winesap.
The tree is a rather vigorous though not particularly rank grower, comes into bearing early and is a remarkably regular cropper. It does best on rather light, rich, deep soils and does not succeed on heavy clays or in low, damp locations. In unfavorable situations the trees are apt to be short-lived and in New York are less hardy than the leading commercial varieties of this region. Although Winesap is a well-known market apple, yet with the exception of the Piedmont region in Virginia and certain districts elsewhere it has not proved generally successful for the commercial orchard. In New York it seldom reaches good medium size. In more southern latitudes and under favorable conditions the fruit is well colored and of good quality, but excepting on young trees or on soils of more than average fertility it averages too small for a good market variety. When well grown it is of very good quality and attractive in appearance, being quite uniform in shape and size and of good dark red color. As grown at this Station it is in season from January to June with April as the ordinary commercial limit (47). When grown farther south its season extends to February in ordinary storage and to April in cold storage. It is a good shipper and stands heat well before going into storage, but late in the season it often scalds, particularly when not well colored.
Historical. Nothing definite is known of the origin of Winesap. Coxe speaks of it as being "the most favored cider fruit in West Jersey." From this fact many writers have referred to West Jersey as the region of its origin or probable origin but such statements seem hardly warranted by the evidence.
TREE.
Tree medium size, vigorous. Form roundish spreading, rather straggling and open. Twigs rather stout, rather short to above medium; internodes short. Bark very dark reddish-brown with thin gray scarf-skin, somewhat pubescent. Lenticels especially clustered just below the nodes, conspicuous, round or elongated, variable in size but usually above medium. Buds large to medium, broad, usually rather obtuse but sometimes acute, free or nearly so. Foliage thin; leaves usually not large, narrow.
FRUIT.
Fruit as grown in New York averages even smaller than that which is grown farther south. It is pretty uniform in size and shape. Form usually conical, sometimes roundish, nearly truncate at base, nearly regular or obscurely ribbed, symmetrical. Stem medium to short, rather slender. Cavity medium to rather small, acute to acuminate, narrow to rather broad, deep, symmetrical or somewhat furrowed, often more or less lipped, often russeted or with outspreading russet rays. Calyx medium to large, closed; lobes long, narrow, acuminate. Basin rather small to medium, often oblique, shallow to rather deep and abrupt, narrow to moderately wide, distinctly furrowed, somewhat wrinkled. Skin medium in thickness, tough, smooth, glossy, bright deep red indistinctly striped and blotched with very dark purplish-red over a distinctly yellow ground color or green if not fully mature, overspread with faint bloom. Dots rather small, scattering, whitish, sometimes in conspicuous contrast with the deep red skin especially toward the cavity. Prevailing effect bright deep red. Calyx tube quite variable, conical or funnel-shape. Stamens marginal. Core medium to small, abaxile with a hollow cylinder in the axis, narrowing toward the apex; cells pretty uniformly developed, symmetrical, open or slightly closed; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly roundish, much concave, slightly emarginate if at all, mucronate. Seeds below medium to above, wide, plump, obtuse. Flesh tinged with yellow, veins sometimes red, very firm, rather coarse, moderately crisp, very juicy, sprightly subacid, good to very good.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Winesap. — Supposed origin, New Jersey; described by Coxe in 1817 as one of the best cider and eating apples of his region (western New Jersey), very popular in parts of the South and West. One of the leading apples for export. Some of its known or supposed seedlings, such as Stayman, Gilbert, Paragon, and Arkansas, are larger in fruit and are considered superior in vigor of tree. For export their superiority to the parent has not yet been established. Tree moderately vigorous, with rather open, straggling head; very productive and an early bearer.
Fruit medium, roundish conical, often obscurely angular and slightly ribbed; skin moderately thick, very tough; surface smooth, rich dark yellow, mostly covered with fine lively dark red, sometimes obscurely striped, often with russet net-veining, especially toward the base; dots few, minute, indented toward the apex, distinctly elongated toward base; cavity wide, regular, acute, lined with reddish stellate russet, sometimes extending out a little over base; stem medium; basin narrow, shallow, plaited; calyx closed; segments flat convergent. Core slightly open, clasping, turbinate; cells ovate, slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; seeds few, medium, short, plump, rather short, brown; flesh yellow, firm, crisp, fine-grained, rich, sprightly subacid, very good. December to May.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Winesap
The Winesap is one of the oldest and one of the most popular apples in America. It is known in all the principal apple growing sections in the United States and Canada. The Winesap has evolved many seedlings which partake more or less of
King David. Masted Photo.
the characters of the parent. Among them are the Stayman Winesap, the Paragon, Arkansas and Arkansas Black.
The tree is rather vigorous, though not a rank grower, comes into bearing early and is a remarkably regular cropper. It does best on rather light, rich, deep soils and does not succeed well on heavy clays or in damp locations. The difficulty with the Winesap is its tendency to grow small. However, there are a few sections in the United States where it reaches a good size, and it is one of the best commercial apples. Notably among them are the Piedmont region in Virginia, and the Pacific Northwest. In sections where it tends to grow small this may be obviated somewhat by fertilizing the soil, or by heavily pruning the tree.
Form roundish, spreading, rather straggling and open. Bark very dark reddish brown with thin gray scarf skin, somewhat pubescent. Foliage thin, leaves rather small and narrow.
Fruit rather small but uniform in shape and size. Form roundish conical, nearly truncate at the base. Skin medium in thickness, tough, smooth, glossy, bright deep red. Flesh tinged with yellow, veins somewhat red, very firm, rather coarse, moderately crisp, very juicy, sprightly subacid, good to very good.
Historical. Nothing definite is known of the origin of the Winesap. Coxe speaks of it as being the most favored cider fruit in New Jersey. From this it has been inferred by some that it originated in that state but this is not proven.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)WINESAP. Fig. 62. Holland's Red Winter. Royal Red. Texan Red. Wine Sop.
Winesap is one of the most widely distributed and best known American apples. Though it has its local attachments, it may be found thriving on both the Atlantic and Pacific seaboards and in most of the apple regions that lie between. No doubt its adaptability to various soils and climates is the chief asset of the variety, but it has excellent qualities of fruit and tree besides. The prevailing color of the apple is bright deep red, striped and blotched with dark purple, the ground color being golden yellow, which, with the smooth glossy texture and soft bloom, make this a very handsome fruit. The rotund shape, usually somewhat truncate, and always uniform and regular, adds to the attractiveness of the apples. The coarse yellow flesh, with veins tinged with red, is distinctive, as is, also, the sprightly, subacid flavor. The apples keep and ship well, though they often scald in cold storage. The trees are vigorous, come in bearing early, and on light, rich, deep, well-drained soils are remarkably productive and regular bearers; they are precariously hardy and will grow only where the season is long. As a commercial fruit, Winesap finds its best environment in parts of Virginia and in the northern states of the Pacific Coast. The origin of the variety is unknown, but it dates well back into the Colonial period.
Tree of medium size, vigorous, round-spreading, straggling and open. Leaves small, narrow. Fruit medium to large, uniform in size and shape, usually conical, sometimes round, truncate at base, regular or obscurely ribbed, symmetrical; stem short, slender; cavity small, acute, narrow, deep, symmetrical or furrowed, often lipped, often russeted or with outspreading russet rays; calyx large, closed; lobes long, narrow, acuminate; basin small, often oblique, shallow, narrow, distinctly furrowed, wrinkled; skin tough, smooth, glossy, bright red indistinctly striped and blotched with dark red over a yellow ground-color, overspread with faint bloom; dots small, scattering, white; prevailing effect deep red; calyx-tube variable, conical; stamens marginal; core small, abaxile with a hollow cylinder in the axis, narrowing toward the apex; cells uniformly developed, symmetrical, open or nearly closed; core-lines clasping; carpels broadly round, concave, slightly emarginate if at all, mucronate; seeds wide, plump, obtuse; flesh yellow, veins sometimes red, firm, coarse, crisp, juicy, sprightly subacid; good to very good; October to March.
— Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co., Stark Bros. Year Book (1910) (1910)Medium size, dark red, firm, crisp, with a rich flavor. A favorite of long standing and a remarkably regular cropper. Needs rich, deep, moist soil; will not succeed on heavy clays or in low, damp locations. Tree hardy, but poorly rooted. Should be propagated by budding, or grafted on branched seedlings. Double working also practiced by some of the most up-to-date western orchardists. As a general rule, tree is not long-lived. Fruit handles well and is a good shipper. West of the Rockies, it is one of the most dependable, popular, and profitable sorts—a keeper, a shipper, and late in the season, from ordinary cellars, it always commands remunerative prices. Does not succeed as far north, nor size up in the higher elevations as does Delicious, King David, and Senator. In regions where Winesap grows too small, Stayman Winesap should be planted. The only objection that can be made to Stayman Winesap is that in the West it sometimes grows rather too large for retailing. CS