The Apple Book

Rosie Sanders, often described as the best painter of the world's most famous fruit, has devoted years to researching this book and submitting the apples to hour upon hour of meticulous observation. In 144 sensuously detailed watercolours she depicts the unrivalled range of form, colour and texture which characterize such varieties as Beauty of Bath, Peasgood Nonsuch, Cox's Orange Pippin and Egremont Russet.

She shows the apples together with their blossom, twig and leaf and has written a detailed description recording their shape, colour, aroma, flavour and season as well as something of the history of each variety. Marginal line drawings in cross-section complete a comprehensive guide to identification and a source of inspiration for apple growers. The book's usefulness is enhanced by a practical essay on apple growing by Harry Baker, fruit officer for many years at the Royal Horticultural Society and one of Britain's foremost authorities on apple growing.

First published in 1988 as The English Apple and still the most trusted and sought-after book for apple identification in the UK, this new edition is revised and updated for an international readership and includes an additional 22 varieties.

To watch a video of Rosie Sanders painting her wonderful apples for The Apple Book click here

Acknowledgements

Bibliography

Introduction

Index of Apples

The Identification of Apples

The Plates

Growing Apples

Identification Tables

BESS POOL



Season: November to February

Picking time: Early October



This old dessert apple was found in a Nottinghamshire wood by Bess Pool, the daughter of the village innkeeper. The tree became known and grafts were taken. It was introduced by Mr. J.R. Pearson, a nurseryman of Chilwell, whose grandfather procured the grafts. The first record of this apple was in 1824. The fruit is rich in flavour with a nice balance of sugar and acid, thought rather dry. Trees are shy bearers at first but become more productive with age. The trees are moderately vigorous, upright-spreading and do not produce spurs very freely, being slightly inclined to tip-bearing. It is a useful variety to grow in areas prone to late frosts due to the very late flowering. Trees have a very limited availability.





Size Medium 67 X 58mm (2 5/8 X 2 _)

Shape Round-conical. Distinctly flattened at base and apex. Indistinct broad ribs. Symmetrical or slightly lop-sided. Fairly regular.

Skin Greenish-yellow (150B). Quarter to three quarter flushed with mottled and dotted brownish-red (178A) to denser greyed-red (180A). indistinct, broken stripes of purplish-brown (183B). The skin is partly covered with a layer of thin scarf skin giving it a rather milky appearance. Variable amounts of slightly scaly grey-brown russet. Lenticels fairly conspicuous whitish or grey dots with an areola of greyed-red on the yellow skin and purplish-red on the flush. Skin dry, becoming greasy.

Stalk Sout (4mm), short (5-10mm). Level with base. Some have a fleshy know at the spur end.

Cavity Medium depth and width. Regular. Partly or completely lined with grey or grey-brown russet, sometimes scaly, which can streak over base.

Eye Medium size. Partly open. Sepals erect convergent with tips reflexed. Stamens often visible. Very downy.

Basin Medium depth. Medium width. Five prominent beads. There can be some grey-brown russet.

Tube Funnel shaped, or almost cone shaped.

Stamens Median.

Core line Median towards basal.

Core Median. Axile, open or abaxile.

Cells Ovate.

Seeds Acute to obtuse. Plump or fairly plum.

Flesh White sometimes tinged red. Firm but tender. Slightly coarse-textured. Rather dry.

Aroma Slight, sweetly scented.

Flowers Pollination group 6.

Leaves Fairly large. Acute to narrow acute. Very small serrations. Medium thick. Flat or slightly undulating. Slightly upward-folding. Mid green. Slightly downward-hanging. Not very downy.







RED DELICIOUS



Season: December to March

Picking time: Mid October



Red Delicious is principally an American apple. It is a coloured clone from the very old variety called Delicious, which is not grown commercially because of its rather dull appearance. It is grown to some extent on the Continent and there are some small commercial plantings in the United Kingdom. However, it requires plenty of sun, hence it does better in warmer climates. It is one of the most widely grown apples in the world, and there are literally hundreds of sports. The trees are moderately vigorous, upright-spreading and spur-bearers. The cropping is good. The fruit is sweet with a fairly good flavour and the skin is very tough. Trees have a very limited availability in the UK.





Size Medium large, 70 X 70mm (2 _ X 2 _ )

Shape Oblong to oblong-conical. Flattened base, rounded shoulders. Very pronounced ribs, especially towards apex, with five high crowns at apex.

Skin Pale dull greenish-yellow (150C). Usually entirely covered with crimson (36A) to carmine (53A) to greyed red (178B) on shaded side. Fruit is covered with a dense bloom when on the tree which rubs off and the fruit polishes to an intense shine. Lenticels conspicuous numerous brownish white dots. No russet. Skin very smooth and dry.

Stalk Fairly stout (3.5-4mm), thickening towards attachment to fruit. Medium to fairly long (19-22mm). Protrudes well beyond base. Can be set at an angle.

Cavity Wide. Medium depth. Sometimes lipped. Frequently some fine dirty grey russet within.

Eye Medium size. Slightly open. Sepals narrow and sharply tapered, erect convergent with some tips reflexed.

Basin Medium width and deep. Prominently ribbed, slightly puckered. Often falls away on one side. Skin in basin usually paler brownish- crimson or dull yellow skin colour. No russet. Fairly downy. Tube Deep funnel-shape.

Stamens Marginal

Core line Median.

Core Median. Axile, open.

Cells Ovate. Tufted.

Seeds Acute. Plump. Usually straight.

Flesh Creamy-White tinged green. Firm. Fine-textured. Very juicy.

Aroma Slight, sweet and rather scented.

Flowers Pollination group 3.

Leaves Medium to smallish. Acute. Bluntly serrate. Medium to fairly thick. Flat not undulating. Very slightly upward-folding. Dark green. Fairly downy.