Soon after 1740 the Baldwin came up as a chance seedling on the farm of Mr. John Ball, Wilmington, near Lowell, Mass., and for about 40 years thereafter its cultivation eras confined to that immediate neighborhood. The farm eventually came into the possession of a Mr. Butters, who gave the name Woodpecker to the apple because the tree was frequented by woodpeckers. The apple was long known locally as the Woodpecker or Pecker. It was also called the Butters.2 Deacon Samuel Thompson, a surveyor of Woburn, brought it to the attention of Col. Baldwin of the same town, by whom it was propagated and more widely introduced in Eastern Massachusetts as early as 1784. From Col. Baldwin's interest in the variety it came to be called the Baldwin.3 In 1817 the original tree was still alive but it perished between 1817 and 1832.4 A monument to the Baldwin apple now marks the location. Coxe in his work on fruits in 18,7 makes no mention of the Baldwin. Thacher's American Orchardist, published in Boston in 1832, gives it very brief but favorable mention. Floy in his American edition of Lindley, Guide to the Orchard, New York, 1833, does not mention it, but in the appendix to the 1846 edition he describes the Baldwin and states that "in the Eastern States (New England) it is well known, highly esteemed, and extensively cultivated." Kenrick's New American Orchardist, Boston, 1833, says, " No apple in the vicinity of Boston is so popular as this, at the present day. It is raised in large quantities for the market * * * and is recommended for extensive cultivation." Hovey in 1852 published an extended description of Baldwin with colored plate (12). He remarks, "The Baldwin is the most popular apple of New England, and is cultivated to a much greater extent -than any other variety. Several large and fine orchards are to be found in the vicinity of Boston, some of which produce about one thousand barrels of fruit every bearing year. For exportation it is much sought after; and the large number of fifteen hundred barrels have been sent to the East Indies in one season." 'Jones, L. R. Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 12: 159- 164 1899. 2French, B. V. Downing Hort., 1:315. 1846. 'Mass. Ploughman, cited in Mich. Hort., 1:335o 'Amer. Gard. Mag. 1836:360.New Eng. Homestead, 1886:228. THE APPLES OF NE\V YORK. Prior to 1850 the Baldwin was but little known in New York state. After that date, with the extension of the planting of commercial orchards, it came rapidly into popularity and gained the supremacy among the commercial apples of New York which it still holds.
Fruit sometimes large to very large; usually above medium; pretty uniform in size. Form roundish inclined to conic, varying to roundish oblong; often faintly ribbed or somewhat irregular; symmetrical; fairly uniform in shape.
Stem usually medium, to long. Cavity acute, medium to rather deep, rather broad, often somewhat furrowed, sometimes compressed, sometimes lipped, often russeted, with outspreading rays of russet or deep green.
Calyx small to rather large; closed or somewhat open; lobes long, acute to acuminate. Basin abrupt, narrow to moderately wide; often distinctly furrowed; slightly corrugated.
Skin tough, smooth, light yellow or greenish, blushed and mottled with bright red, indistinctly striped with deep carmine. Flecks of russet, or even broken russet lines, may occasionally be seen on the base of the fruit. Dots gray or whitish, depressed, small and numerous toward the basin, more scattering, conspicuous, large, irregular, or elongated towards the cavity. Prevailing effect is bright red. Calyx tube conical, rather short and wide with projection of fleshy pistil point into its base. Stamens basal. Core medium or below, nearly axile, closed or partly open; core lines meeting. Carpels roundish ovate, emarginate, somewhat tufted. Seeds variable, often abortive; when normally developed they are large, long, acute, and dark brown. Flesh yellowish, firm, moderately coarse, crisp, rather tender, juicy to very juicy, agreeably subacid, sprightly, somewhat aromatic, good to very good.
Season November to March or April in common storage; to May or later in cold storage.I Uses. Well adapted for general market, dessert and culinary uses.
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Tree large, very vigorous; branches large, strong. Form upright spreading, eventually becoming rather round and somewhat dense.
Twigs long, straight, or somewhat crooked, moderately stout; internodes medium to long. Bark dark brownish-red mingled with olive-green and faintly marked with thin scarf-skin; somewhat pubescent. Lenticels numerous, conspicuous, raised, usually oblong, sometimes large.
Buds medium to large, broad or roundish, acute, pubescent, free or nearly so.
Leaves often broad and large to very large; foliage rather dense.
OTHER BALDWIN TYPES. Besides the general type of the Baldwin apple above described, mention should be made of the following: Russet Baldwins. Cases have been reported where the Baldwin has sported and developed fruit with russet skin. Since these apples appear
Alain Rouèche - Apples of New York
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