There is no apple which has ever been introduced to this country, or indigenous to it, which is more generally cultivated, more familiarly known, or held in higher popular estimation, than the Ribston Pippin. It has long been in existence in this country, but did not become generally known till the end of the last century. It is not mentioned in any of the editions of Miller’s Dictionary, or by any other author of that period; neither was it grown in the Brompton Park nursery in 1770. In 1785 I find it was grown to the extent of a quarter of a row, or about 25 plants; and as this supply seems to have sufficed for three years’ demand, its merits must have been but little known. In 1788, it extended to one row, or about one hundred plants, and three years later to two rows; from 1791, it increased one row annually, till 1794, when it reached five rows. From these facts we may pretty well learn the rise and progress of its popularity. It is now in the same nursery cultivated to the extent of about 25 rows, or 2500 plants annually.
The original tree was first discovered growing in the garden at Ribston Hall, near Knaresborough, but how, when, or by what means it came there, has not been satisfactorily ascertained. One account states that about the year 1688, some apple pips were brought from Rouen and sown at Ribston Hall, near Knaresborough; the trees then produced from them were planted in the park, and one turned out to be the variety in question. The original tree stood till 1810, when it was blown down by a violent gale of wind. It was afterwards supported by stakes in a horizontal position, and continued to produce fruit till it lingered and died in 1835. Since then, a young shoot has been produced about four inches below the surface of the ground, which, with proper care, may become a tree, and thereby preserve the original of this favorite old dessert apple. The gardener at Ribston Hall, by whom this apple was raised, was the father of Lowe, who during the last century was the fruit tree nurseryman at Hampton Wick.
302. ROBINSON’S PIPPIN.—Forsyth.
- Identification.—[Fors. Treat.] 124. [Lind. Guide], 56. [Hort. Soc. Cat.] ed. 3, n. 711. [Rog. Fr. Cult.] 97.
- Figures.—[Hook. Pom. Lond.] t. 42. [Ron. Pyr. Mal.] pl. xxxii. f. 3. [Brook. Pom. Brit.] pl. xci. f. 1.
Fruit, small; roundish, narrowing towards the apex, where it is quite flat, and covered with thin russet. Skin, greenish-yellow on the shaded side; but brownish-red where exposed to the sun, and strewed all over with minute russety dots. Eye, prominent, not at all depressed, and closed with broad flat segments. Stalk, half-an-inch long, stout, and inserted in a slight depression. Flesh, greenish, tender, crisp, sweet, and very juicy; with a fine, brisk, poignant, and slightly perfumed flavor, much resembling that of the Golden Pippin and Nonpareil.
A very excellent dessert apple of first-rate quality; it is in use from December to February. The fruit is produced in clusters of sometimes eight and ten, at the ends of the branches.
The tree is of small size and slender growth, and not a free bearer. It is well adapted for dwarf and espalier training when grafted on the doucin or paradise stock, in which case it also bears better than on the crab stock.
According to Mr. Lindley this variety was grown for many years in the old kitchen garden at Kew; and Rogers thinks it first originated in the Turnham Green nursery, which was during a portion of the last century, occupied by a person of the name of Robinson.