Wythe
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Wythe
Origin/History
Wythe originated on the farm of Rodolphus Chandler, in Wythe, Illinois. According to Budd & Hansen, it was first introduced about 1873 and is a seedling of Rails Genet, which it closely resembles in both tree and fruit. Downing lists it under the alternate name Illinois Pippin.
Tree
The tree is hardy (Downing) and vigorous, with a round head. It blooms rather late and is a good annual bearer, producing fair fruit of uniform size. Downing notes that the fruit keeps well.
Fruit
Size
Medium.
Form
Oblate, slightly conic, nearly regular. The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture characterizes the form as flat, which is consistent with the oblate description given by the other sources.
Stem
Short and small.
Cavity
Rather large and deep.
Calyx
Small, closed.
Basin
Medium, slightly plaited.
Skin
White, shaded, striped and splashed with bright red. Downing states the red covers more than half the surface; Budd & Hansen give the coverage as two-thirds of the surface. Dots are few, light and gray.
Flesh and Flavor
Whitish, fine, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid, and slightly aromatic. Budd & Hansen add that the flesh is also crisp. Quality is rated very good.
Core and Seeds
Core medium. Seeds not described in source.
Season
January through March (winter).
Uses
Suitable for family use (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture notes the variety was reported in Central Division (rating 2) and also reported in an additional division, with no reports from the Northern or Southern Divisions.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
This is probably the Wythe
Name first published in Horticulturist
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Wythe.
Illinois Pippin.
Origin, on the farm of Rodolphus Chandler, Wythe, Illinois; tree is said to be hardy, vigorous, round head, blooms rather late, bears good crops annually of fair fruit of uniform size, and keeps well.
Fruit medium, oblate, slightly conic, nearly regular; skin white, shaded, striped and splashed over more than half the surface with bright red and a few light and gray dots; stalk short, small; cavity rather large, deep; calyx small, closed; basin medium, slightly plaited; flesh whitish, fine, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid, slightly aromatic; core medium. January, March.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Wythe. Size: medium. Form: flat. Color: striped or splashed (red). Quality: very good. Use: family. Season: winter. N. Div.: none reported. C. Div.: 2 (also reported in another division). S. Div.: none reported.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Wythe. — Origin, on the farm of Rodolphus Chandler, Wythe, Illinois ; tree vigorous, with round top ; a good annual bearer, blooms late. First introduced about 1873. A seedling of Rails Genet, and much resembles that variety in tree and fruit.
Fruit medium, oblate, slightly conic, nearly regular; surface white, shaded, striped and splashed over two-thirds its surface with bright red; dots few, light and gray; cavity rather large, deep; stem short, small; basin medium, slightly plaited; calyx small, closed. Core medium; flesh whitish, fine, tender, crisp, juicy, sprightly subacid, slightly aromatic, very good. January, March.