The following brief article is a reprint from Fruit Notes, specifically No- vember, 1955. To see all previously published articles of Fruit Notes, click on the link to the “Fruit Notes Archive” from UMassFruitNotes.com. Origin of Some Apple Varieties

William J. Lord Department of Pomology, University of Massachusetts

Several times in the last two months the au- McIntosh - Originated as a chance seedling in thor has been asked the origin of some of the apple Dundas County, Ontario. Propagation of this varieties grown in Massachusetts. It is felt, there- variety began in about 1870. fore, that this information also might be of interest Delicious - Originally distributed under the name to many of the readers of Fruit Notes. Hawkeye, being discovered in Iowa in 1881. Most of the apple varieties planted in this coun- Golden Delicious - Originated as a chance seed- try originated here, but the history of many is ob- ling in West Virginia. Introduced by Stark scure, and except for varieties more recently intro- Brothers in 1916. duced, few came into existence as the product of Starking Delicious - Bud mutation of Delicious. the plant breeder. Most of the varieties originated Originated in Monroeville, New Jersey, by as chance seedlings and were discovered and in- Levis Mood. Introduced commercially in 1924, troduced into cultivation by some observer and trademarked 1930. admirer of them. McIntosh, Delicious, Wealthy, Cortland - Originated from the cross of Ben Davis Northern Spy, and Baldwin are examples of com- X McIntosh. The cross was made at Geneva, mercial varieties that originated as chance seed- New York, by the New York State Agricultural lings. Experiment Station. Introduced for trial about There are also a number of bud sports of popu- 1915. lar varieties on the market, for example: Galbraith Early McIntosh - Yellow Transparent X McIntosh. Baldwin, Richared, Red Gravenstein, and Red Spy. Originated in Geneva, New York, by the New Most of these differ from the parent varieties only York State Agricultural Station, Introduced for in higher color of the fruit. trial in 1923. The following is a list of some of the apple Puritan - Originated from the cross McIntosh X varieties grown in Massachusetts and their origin. Red Astrachan made by Professor F. C. Sears Some varieties resulted from a cross between two at the University of Massachusetts about 1929. varieties. The origin of such varieties is expressed Lodi - Montgomery X Yellow Transparent. Origi- by placing the letter “X” between the parent vari- nated in Geneva, New York, by the New York eties, for example; the Milton variety is a cross State Agricultural Experiment Station, Intro- between Yellow Transparent X McIntosh. duced for trial in 1924.

Fruit Notes, Volume 72, Summer, 2007 3 Macoun - McIntosh X Jersey Black. Originated in East Bloomfield, New York. In 1852, the Geneva, New York, by the New York State Ag- American Pomological Society listed it as a ricultural Experiment Station, Introduced for new variety of promise. trial in 1923. Northwestern Greening - Originated in Waupaca Milton - Yellow Transparent X McIntosh. Origi- County, Wisconsin. Introduced in 1872. nated in Geneva, New York, by the New York Baldwin - A chance seedling in an orchard at State Agricultural Experiment Station. Intro- Wilmington, Massachusetts. Propagated and duced for trial in 1923. widely introduced in Eastern Massachusetts as Red Gravenstein - Bud mutation of Gravenstein. early as 1784. Originated in San Juan County, Washington. Winter Banana - Originated on a farm near Introduced commercially in 1924. Adamsboro, Cass County, Indiana about I876. Roger’s McIntosh - Bud mutation of McIntosh. Introduced in 1890. Originated in Dansville, New York, by Isaac Rhode Island Greening - Locality of the origin is C. Rogers. Introduced commercially in 1932. not known withcertainty but probably origi- Melba - Open pollinated seedling of McIntosh. nated in the vicinity of Newport, Rhode Island. Originated in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, by the Roxbury Russet - It is thought that this variety origi- Division of Horticulture, Central Experimen- nated in Roxbury, Massachusetts, early in the tal Farm. Introduced commercially about 1924. seventeenth century. Red Melba (Melred) - Origin unknown, but first Williams - Originated in Rox:bury, Massachusetts. noticed from a lot of nursery trees from the It was brought to the attention of the Massa- Wellington and Davidson Nurseries, Fonthill, chusetts Society in 1830. Ontario, Canada. Introduced commercially in Wealthy - Originated by Peter W. Gideon, Excel- the 1940’s. sior, Minnesota from seed of the Cherry Crab Wealthy Double Red - Bud mutation of Wealthy. about 1860. Originated in Sodus, New York, by James G. Wolf River - Originated near Wolf River, Wiscon- Case. Introduced commercially in 1940. sin. Catalogued by the American Pomological Galbraith Baldwin - Bud mutation of Baldwin. Society in 1881. Originated in Amherst, Massachusetts Agricul- Yellow Transparent - Imported from Russia by the tural Experiment Station (Floyd Galbraith). United States Department of’ Agriculture in Introduced commercially in 1948. 1870. Richared Delicious - Bud mutation of Delicious. Red Astrachan - A Russian apple imported by the Originated in Monitor, Washington. Introduced Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 1835. commercially in 1926. Rome - Originated in Lawrence County, Ohio, be- Northern Spy - Originated in a seedling orchard at fore 1848. * * * * *

4 Fruit Notes, Volume 72, Summer, 2007