- Identification.—[Hort. Soc. Cat.] ed. 3.
- Synonyme.—Grange’s Pippin, acc. [Hort. Soc. Cat.]
Fruit, large, three inches wide, and the same in height; pearmain-shaped, as large, and very much the shape of the Royal Pearmain. Skin, yellow, with a tinge of green, and studded with embedded pearly specks, on some of which are minute russety points, on the shaded side; but marked with broken stripes and spots of crimson, interspersed with large russety dots on the side exposed to the sun. Eye, partially closed with broad flat segments, set in a round, deep, and plaited basin. Stalk, half-an-inch long, stout, and rather fleshy, inserted in a deep and russety cavity. Flesh, yellowish-white, crisp, tender, juicy, and sugary, with a brisk and pleasant flavor.
A fine large apple of first-rate quality as a culinary fruit, and also very good for the dessert. It bakes beautifully, and has a fine and pleasant acid; it is in use from November to February.
The tree is hardy and an excellent bearer.
156. GRAVENSTEIN.—Hort.
- Identification—[Hort. Soc. Cat.] ed. 3, n. 297. [Lind. Guide], 71. [Hort. Trans.] vol. iv. p. 216. [Fors. Treat.] 104. [Down. Fr. Amer.] 85.
- Synonymes.—Grave Slije, acc. [Hort. Soc. Cat.] Sabine, of the Flemings, Ibid. Gräfensteiner, [Diel Kernobst.] viii. 8. [Sickler Obstgärt.] xxi. 116.
- Figures.—[Hort. Trans.] vol. iv. t. 21. [Pom. Mag.] t. 98. [Ron. Pyr. Mal.] pl. x. f. 1.
Fruit, above the medium size, three inches wide, and two inches and three quarters high; roundish, irregular, and angular on the sides, the ribs of which extend from the base even to the eye. Skin, smooth, clear pale waxen-yellow, streaked and dotted with lively crimson, intermixed with orange, on the side next the sun. Eye, large and open, with long segments, which are a little reflexed, and set in an irregular, angular, and knobbed basin, which is sometimes lined with fine delicate russet, and dotted round the margin with minute russety dots. Stalk, very short, but sometimes three quarters of an inch long, set in a deep and angular cavity. Flesh, white, crisp, very juicy, with a rich, vinous, and powerful aromatic flavor; and if held up between the eye and the light, with the hand placed on the margin of the basin of the eye, it exhibits a transparency like porcelain.
This is a very valuable apple of the first quality, and is equally desirable either for the dessert or culinary purposes; it is in use from October to December.
The tree is hardy, a vigorous and healthy grower, and generally a good bearer. It has somewhat of a pyramidal habit of growth, and attains a considerable size.
Though not of recent introduction, this beautiful and excellent apple is comparatively but little known, otherwise it would be more generally cultivated. It is one of the favorite apples of Germany, particularly about Hamburgh, and in Holstein, where it is said to have originated in the garden of the Duke of Augustenberg, at the Castle of Grafenstein. The original tree is said to have been in existence about the middle of the last century. According to Diel some suppose it to be of Italian origin.