American Pippin

type: Cooking, Cider

synonyms: Grindstone, Grinstone, Stone

summary: This early cider apple, also known as Grindstone, provides abundant but somewhat mild must. Considered a British origin by some and American by others.

identification: Medium size, round-flattened. When fully mature, the skin is red, marked with a pattern of darker red striping and patches of russet. Abundant raised russet lenticels give the apple a rough feel. The calyx is small and open.

characteristics: Flesh is white, coarse-grained, firm. Slightly juicy and acidic.

origins: James Thatcher, The American Orchardist, 1882. "The American Pippin was brought from Maryland to Marcus Hook (Pennsylvania), thirty years hence. It is of flattish form, middle size, firm substance, resembling the vandevere and will keep till harvest. Mr. Cox describes it as a long fruit, having a dull red stripe." Mentioned by A.J. Downing in his "Fruits and Fruit Trees of America" (1857 edition) "Valuable only for its late keeping and for cider, the American Pippin has never been much cultivated out of New-Jersey. The Newton Pippin which is frequently called by this name abroad, is very different , and infinitely superior to this. "Fruit of medium size and regular form, roundish, somewhat flattened. Skin dull red in patches and stripes, on a dull green ground, marked by pretty large star-like, yellowish russet specks, which make the surface rather rough. Stalk short, somewhat fleshy and set in an irregular shallow cavity. Calyx small, set almost even with the surface of the fruit. Flesh white, firm, juicy with a somewhat brisk, acid flavour. Keeps till June. Trees with crooked shoots." Described by Spencer Ambrose Beech, The Apples of New York, Volume 1, i. Coxe, 817:147. 2. Downing, 1845:98. 3. Thomas, 1849: 163. 4. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:74. 1851. 5. Hooper, 1857:42. 6. Elliott, 1859:184. 7. Warder, 1867:420. 8. Downing, 1872:77. 9. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:288. 10. Bailey, An. Hort. 1892:234. n. Thomas, 1903:689. SYNONYMS. GRINDSTONE (5). Grindstone (3, 7, 8, 9, 10). Stone (8). "The American Pippin is an old variety. Coxe gives it a very high reputation both for cider and for keeping late (i). Lyon says of it (9) "keeps a year, cooks well, but otherwise scarcely eatable." Coxe describes the tree as very open, remarkably spreading with hanging crooked shoots. The fruit is medium, regular, oblate, " without any hollow at the ends "(Coxe) ; calyx small, open; skin dull red, shaded and streaked with dull green, the surface being rough, sometimes with slight russet markings, thickly sprinkled with gray or coarse russet dots ; core wide, irregular, closed ; seeds numerous, plump, brown; flesh white or yellowish, hard, rather coarse, moderately juicy, mild subacid. Variously rated by pomologists from poor to good in quality. There is no record of its parentage.

cold storage: Keeps up to four months when kept in cooled storage.

harvest: Ready for harvest late in the third period.

notes: Railton describes it as an dessert apple in his book 1880 see Apples of new york Martin McGann, "Apple Cultivars in the Lower Hudson Valley Prior to 1860" (1987) Martin McGann, "Apple Cultivars of the Lower Hudson Valley Prior to 1860," Sleepy Hollow Restorations, Inc., Tarrytown, NY (February 1987) (http://www.scion-exchange.com/) "Also known as Grindstone. Discovered in England; 1872 introduction. Best known for its use in cider, this one is almost as well suited to being a cooker and is a passable fresh-eating apple in a pinch. Firm and juicy, with a mild flavor. Medium-sized green-yellow apple with red stripes. Generallly harvested in August." AMERICAN POMOLOGY. APPLES → . BY DOCT. JOHN A. WARDER, PRESIDENT OHIO POMIOLOGICAL SOCIETY; VICE-PRESIDENT AMERiCjN. POIOLOGICAL SOCIETY, ETC. 290 ILLUSTRATIONS. NEW YORK: ORANGE JUDD AND COMPANY. 245 BROADWAY. It is said to have originated at South Hadley, Massachusetts (1). Beach does not consider this as identical to the American Pippin of Coxe. Beach says it is valued in Northern New York for its long keeping.

juice character: Acidic.

juice_classification: Sharp