York Imperial.

From the neighborhood of York, Pennsylvania. Exhibited before the State Society at the meeting in Lebanon, 1855. Tree said to be healthy and productive.

Fruit large, rather oblong, somewhat angular; Surface smooth, mixed bright red on greenish yellow.

Basin wide, plaited; Eye medium, closed.

Cavity deep, wide; Stem short.

Flesh yellowish, tender, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic; Quality quite good; Use, market, kitchen; Season, January, February.

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

York Imperial. Johnson's Fine Winter. Origin thought to be York Co., Pa. Tree moderately vigorous, productive. Young wood rich brown, downy. Fruit medium, oblate oblique, whitish, shaded with crimson in the sun, thinly sprinkled with light and gray dots. Stalk short. Calyx closed or partially open. Basin large, deep. Flesh yellowish, firm, crisp, juicy, pleasant, mild subacid. Good to very good. Core compact, small. November, February.

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

YORK IMPERIAL.

REFERENCES. 1. Mag. Hort., 19:210. 1853. 2. Horticulturist, 8:342. 1853. 3. Elliott, 1854:166. 4. Downing, 1857:206. 5. Warder, 1867:693. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1871:10. 7. Fitz, 1872:143. 8. Thomas, 1875:517. 9. Rural N. Y., 46:494. 1887. 10. Clark, Mo. Sta. Bul., 6:8. 1889. 11. Stayman, Amer. Gard., 11:272. 1890. fig. 12. Van Deman, U. S. Pom. Rpt., 1891:389. col. pl. 13. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:253. 14. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 13:592. 1894. 15. Stinson, Ark. Sta. Bul., 43:104. 1896. 16. Can. Hort., 19:84, 343. 1896. fig. and col. pl. 17. Rural N. Y., 55:1, 190. 1896. 18. Wright, Amer. Gard., 17:33. 1896. 19. Powell, Del. Sta. Bul., 38:20. 1898. 20. Taylor, U. S. Pom. Bul., 7:361. 1898. 21. Massey, N. C. Sta. Bul., 149:318. 1898. 22. Rural N. Y., 57:164, 178, 239. 1898. 23. Taft and Lyon, Mich. Sta. Bul., 169:192. 1899. 24. Amer. Gard., 20:540. 1899. 25. Bruner, N. C. Sta. Bul., 21:130. 1900. col. pl. 26. Amer. Gard., 21:76, 372. 1900. 27. Can. Hort., 23:75, 249, 414. 1900. 28. Beach, Western N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1900:37. 29. Rural N. Y., 59:450. 1900. 30. Brackett, Amer. Gard., 22:190. 1901. 31. Alwood, Va. Sta. Bul., 130:142. 1901. fig. of tree. 32. Rural N. Y., 60:68, 406, 470. 1901. 33. Stewart, Md. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1901:73. 34. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1902:91. 35. Dickens and Greene, Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:56. 1902. 36. Stinson, Mo. Fr. Sta. Bul., 3:27. 1902. 37. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:62. 1903. 38. Budd-Hansen, 1903:213. fig. 39. Bruner, N. C. Sta. Bul., 182:27. 1903. figs. 40. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:152. 1904.

SYNONYM. Johnson's Fine Winter (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 21, 24, 25, 28, 31, 37, 38, 39, 40).

York Imperial is an important apple which is grown commercially in the Middle Atlantic states and over a belt of country extending from these states westward into Missouri and Kansas. The tree is a thrifty, vigorous grower and a pretty regular annual or biennial bearer. It seems to prefer rather heavy clay soils and seldom does well on soils that are light or in any way thin or leachy.

When properly developed the fruit is large, finely colored and of good quality. There are some objections to it on account of the shape of the fruit, which is oblique or lopsided, and consequently difficult to pare with a machine. Storage men give its season in cellar storage as extending to December and in cold storage to February. It stands heat fairly well before going into storage, but often scalds badly and when it begins to deteriorate goes down rather quickly. As grown at this Station the fruit comes in season in January and keeps well in ordinary storage till April or May if it does not scald. Its commercial limit is March. When grown as far north as this the fruit is deficient in color, size and quality. The reports from the growers in this state are generally adverse to its culture here and it is not recommended for planting in New York except perhaps in the southeastern part of the state.

Historical. The following excellent historical account of the York Imperial is given by Taylor (20). "The variety bearing this name originated early in the present century on a farm adjoining the then borough of York, Pa. The attention of the owner, a Mr. Johnson, was attracted to the tree by the presence of schoolboys who visited it in early spring to get the apples that had passed the winter on the ground, covered by leaves. On securing some of the fruit he found it in fine condition, and when the next crop was ripe took specimens to Mr. Jonathan Jessop, a local nurseryman, who began the propagation of the variety before 1830, under the name 'Johnson's Fine Winter.' Under this name it was known until after the middle of the century, when, after an inspection of specimens, the late Charles Downing pronounced it the 'imperial of keepers' and suggested that it be named 'York Imperial.' Mr. Jessop did not find ready sale for trees of the variety at first, and dumped the surplus trees from his nursery into a hollow beside the turnpike passing his place. They were picked up by farmers returning from market and taken home for planting on their farms in the lower end of York county. After its merit as a variety for market orchards was established, it became widely distributed throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, and soon became a leading market variety in those States. So far as known, the variety was first described in print by Dr. W. D. Brinckle in 1853.

"Warder states that specimens of it were exhibited at the meeting of the Ohio State Pomological Society in 1855, but it does not seem to have become generally popular west of the Alleghany Mountains until a comparatively recent date. Since about 1880 it has been widely disseminated through the Middle Western States and has become one of the leading market varieties of that region."

TREE.

Tree vigorous or moderately vigorous. Form upright spreading or roundish, rather dense. Twigs short to above medium, straight or nearly so, stout or moderately stout and tapering at the tips; internodes medium to long. Bark dull brownish-red streaked and mottled with scarf-skin, quite pubescent. Lenticels dull, moderately conspicuous, rather scattering, small to medium, roundish, not raised. Buds deeply set in bark, small to medium, plump, obtuse to somewhat acute, appressed except the largest which are free, pubescent.

FRUIT.

Fruit pretty uniform in size and shape. When it is well grown it varies from above medium to large, but in many parts of the state when the trees become mature the fruit usually averages below medium to small. Form roundish oblate or truncate, usually with an oblique axis. Stem short. Cavity medium to rather large, acuminate to acute, deep, medium to rather broad, often gently furrowed, smooth and green or partly russeted. Calyx small to medium, closed or sometimes partly open. Basin rather large, abrupt, deep or moderately deep, wide to medium, often slightly furrowed.

Skin tough, bright, smooth, green or yellow blushed with moderately light red or pinkish-red and indistinctly striped with carmine. Dots pale or russet, often conspicuous, rather numerous toward the eye, scattering, very large and elongated toward the cavity where they are often mingled with narrow, broken streaks of grayish scarf-skin.

Calyx tube elongated cone-shape to funnel-form. Stamens median to marginal.

Core medium to rather small, axile or nearly so; cells usually symmetrical, closed or partly open; core lines slightly clasping. Carpels broadly roundish, slightly emarginate, sometimes tufted. Seeds few, rather dark, wide, flat, obtuse, compactly filling the cells; often some are abortive.

Flesh yellowish, firm, crisp, somewhat breaking, a little coarse, moderately tender, moderately juicy, at first sprightly subacid but becoming mild subacid or nearly sweet, somewhat aromatic, good to very good.

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

York Imperial

The York Imperial is an important apple which is grown commercially in the middle Atlantic states and over a belt of country extending from these states westward into Missouri and Kansas. The tree is a thrifty, vigorous grower, and pretty regular annual or biennial bearer. It seems to prefer rather heavy clay soils and seldom does well on soils that are light or in any way thin or leachy. When properly developed the fruit is large, finely colored and of good quality. There are some objections to it on account of the shape of the fruit, which is oblique or lop-sided, and consequently difficult to pare with a machine. Storage men give its season in cellar storage as extending to December, and in cold storage to February. It stands heat fairly well before going into storage, but often scalds badly and when it begins to deteriorate goes down rather quickly. It seems not well adapted to the northern sections of the apple districts of the United States, as it does not color well. However, in the Pacific Northwest, where the sunshine is bright, this would not be true.

Historical. It originated at York, Pennsylvania, about the year 1830. It soon became a leading market variety of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, and was exhibited at the State Pomological Society of Ohio in 1855.

Tree vigorous or moderately vigorous. Form upright, spreading or roundish, rather dense. Twigs short, above medium, straight or nearly so, stout or moderately stout and tapering at the tips; internodes medium to long; bark dull brownish red.

Fruit rather uniform in size and shape, medium to large, roundish, oblate or truncate, usually with an oblique axis. Flesh yellowish, firm, crisp, somewhat breaking, a little coarse, moderately tender, moderately juicy, subacid to nearly sweet.

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

York Imperial. Johnson's Fine Winter. From York County, Pennsylvania. Size, rather below medium; truncated oval, angular; the unexposed side is mottled and striped, so as to present a grayish red aspect on a greenish yellow ground, and, on the sunny side, the color is a dull crimson; stem, short and moderately stout; cavity, wide, and rather deep; calyx, small, closed, and set in a deep, wide, plaited basin; flesh, greenish white, tender, crisp, juicy; flavor, pleasant and agreeably saccharine; quality, at least "good"—to many tastes, "very good." (W. D. B.)

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

Planted Spring 1892. Tree a vigorous but slender grower. Fruit of medium size, oblate. Skin whitish yellow, nearly overspread with crimson in the sun, and with a few grayish dots. Flesh yellowish, firm, crisp, juicy, sub-acid, quality medium. Season January to May.

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

York Imperial.* (Johnson's Fine Winter.) Medium, oblong, angular, oblique, often varies in form, smooth; yellow, shaded red, indistinct red stripes; basin deep, wide; eye nearly closed; cavity deep, narrow, russeted; stem short; flesh yellow, firm, juicy, sub-acid, good. Winter. Pennsylvania. An excellent shipping apple, always brings high prices. Fig. 449.

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

York Imperial (Johnson's Fine Winter). — Originated early in the nineteenth century near York, Penn. A leading commercial variety and growing in favor for export. Tree a moderate grower, productive.

Fruit medium to large, roundish to roundish oblate, truncated, somewhat obliquely cylindrical; surface light yellow, almost wholly covered with washed, marbled, and mixed bright red, indistinctly striped, overlaid with grayish; dots few, yellow and gray, distinct; cavity regular, narrow, acute, with some stellate russet; stem short, moderately stout; basin smooth, deep, abrupt, slightly leather-cracked; calyx closed or open; segments small, flat convergent. Core small, mostly open, barely clasping, cells ovate, widely slit; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds many, plump, often covered with much cellular exudate; flesh yellow, with yellow veinings, firm, crisp, juicy, pleasant, sprightly subacid, good to very good. November to February.

A distinct strain or sub-variety of York Imperial is locally propagated in York Co., Penn. It is of smaller size, less oblique form, brighter color, finer texture of flesh, and longer-keeping quality than the common type, Origin as yet undertermined.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

YORK IMPERIAL. Fig. 66. Johnson's Fine Winter. York Imperial is a popular southern apple, more generally cultivated in the Virginias and neighboring states, possibly, than any other variety. The apple is easily recognized by its bright red color, indistinctly striped with carmine, and by the shape of the fruit, both ends being distinctly truncate and the axis very oblique, so that the apples are lopsided—an objectionable defect when the fruits, fit only for culinary purposes, are to be pared with a machine. The flesh is coarse and the flavor not inviting to most tastes. The apples keep and ship exceedingly well. These qualities give the variety its chief value, though the trees are very satisfactory in soils and climates to which they are adapted. York Imperial can be grown well only on heavy fertile soils, such, usually, as have a substantial foundation of clay. In the North, the apples are deficient in size, color, and quality. The variety takes its name from York, Pennsylvania, where it originated soon after the Revolutionary War.

Tree vigorous, upright-spreading, dense. Fruit uniform in size and shape, medium to large, round-oblate, usually with an oblique axis; stem short; cavity large, acuminate, deep, broad, often gently furrowed, smooth and green or partly russeted; calyx small, closed or partly open; basin large, abrupt, deep, wide, often furrowed; skin tough, bright, smooth, yellow blushed with light red and striped with carmine; dots pale or russet, conspicuous, numerous toward the eye, scattering, very large and elongated toward the cavity where they are often mingled with narrow, broken streaks of gray scarf-skin; calyx-tube elongated-cone-shape; stamens median; core small, axile; cells usually symmetrical, closed or partly open; core-lines clasping; carpels broadly round, emarginate, sometimes tufted; seeds few, dark, wide, flat, obtuse, compactly filling the cells; flesh yellow, firm, crisp, coarse, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid, becoming mild subacid, aromatic; good; November to April.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)