_Synonyms_: Winesop and Potpie Apple.
This is not only a good apple for the table, but it is also one of the
very finest cider fruits, and its fruitfulness renders it a great
favorite with orchardists. The tree grows rather irregularly, and does
not form a handsome head, but it bears early, and the apples have the
good quality of hanging late upon the trees without injury, while the
tree thrives well on sandy, light soils. The tree is very hardy, and one
of the most profitable orchard varieties wherever grown. Young wood
reddish brown, with smooth red buds. Fruit of medium size, rather
roundish oblong. Skin smooth, of a fine dark red, with a few streaks,
and a little yellow ground appearing on the shady side. Stalk nearly an
inch long, slender, set in an irregular cavity. Calyx small, placed in a
regular basin, with fine plaits. Flesh yellow, firm, crisp, with a rich,
high flavor. Very good. November to May.
Remarks on the Winesap by members of the State Horticultural Society:
C. C. Cook (Wabaunsee county): I strongly favor the Winesap, preferring
it to any apple I grow.
J. W. Robison (Butler county): The Winesap is desirable because of its
deep, rich color, its attractiveness, and high flavor. Its one principal
defect is over bearing. It is a good seller.
E. J. Holman: The excellences of the Winesap consist in its color, its
flavor, and its keeping quality. I would not recommend it for a
commercial orchard. I recommend it for the family orchard only.
W. G. Gano (Missouri): That is my view. I would not recommend it as a
commercial apple. The tree grows straggling, and is subject to insects,
and the winds affect them greatly, making them unprofitable in our
orchards. As a family apple, when grown to perfection, we can hardly
dispense with it.
F. W. Dixon: The Winesap trees on my farm are twenty-five years old, and
last year yielded ten bushels of marketable apples [per tree], besides
culls. I would not recommend the Winesap as a commercial apple, as it is
usually small.
Phillip Lux: I must say a good word for the Winesap. It has many traits
against it for profit; yet I would give it a place in the commercial
orchard. It falls early, and must be picked early; but if planted in
good, rich, black soil it will as a rule do well. It commands a good
price, and is a good apple for variety. We cannot make it a leader, but
should keep it among our commercial apples.
James Sharp (Morris county): I consider it a good apple for my soil. It
is a good apple if planted in a cool and moist red clay. In this they
grow to a marketable size.
G. L. Holsinger: I think I would not plant another Winesap, unless for
family use. I would place it fifth or sixth on the list. After one or
two good crops they generally play out. This year they were about the
size of crab-apples.
J. W. Robison: The Winesap in Butler county is prone to spur blight. In
summer, when the hot sun comes, they dry up in clusters. As far south as
we are they are hardly profitable. Farther north they do better. In
Illinois, from one square of 200 trees (Winesaps) I gathered 3000
bushels of apples, in 1871.
G. W. Bailey: I know no better apple for family use. In our country, in
the low lands, they are fine, of fair size, producing well. While the
tree is young the fruit is fine; after it gets older it overbears, and
the fruit becomes small. I would not plant it for market.
William Cutter (Geary county): I consider the Winesap good for family
orchards, but when old inclined to overbear, which enfeebles the tree.
While the tree is young it is among the best. It does not pay for
market.
B. F. Smith: I would drop it from the commercial list. If I were to
plant 1000 trees I would plant only 200 Winesaps. I prefer the Ben
Davis, but we should not all grow the same apple. We want variety.
William Cutter: Every one likes Winesaps, but we cannot grow them at
ordinary prices.
George P. Whiteker (Shawnee county): I do not know a better apple. As
remarked, when the tree gets old the fruit runs down in size. It is very
deceiving. When it appears overloaded there are often not many on it.
President Wellhouse: It has disappointed us every year. Some years they
are very full, but many go to the cull piles. I vote against the
Winesap. We have not planted any for ten years. Mr. Walter Wellhouse is
here. He can tell us about the Winesap.
Walter Wellhouse (Shawnee county): My experience is that, like some
other apples, they will not grow in poor soils, but if the soil is
suitable they are profitable.
Dr. G. Bohrer (Rice county): I have noticed it is not so much in the
quality of the soil as the quantity of moisture in it. Having trees on
high ground, I irrigated one of them, and it bore fine apples. In
Arkansas, where the land is too poor to raise corn the Winesap does
well; but it will not grow on high, dry soil. They must have more than
the ordinary amount of moisture.
Secretary Barnes: T. W. Harrison, ex-mayor of Topeka, has Winesap apples
growing about seven miles southwest of the city that are phenomenal.
They are the largest I ever saw. They have been exhibited at our past
meetings, and people would hardly believe them Winesaps. He cannot
account for it; says it must be some kind of freak. I examined the trees
myself. They are well grown, on high, rolling prairie. I would recommend
those who desire Winesaps to get scions from Mr. Harrison. He has seven
or eight trees in his orchard, all in one row, far ahead of any Winesaps
I ever saw.
Dr. G. Bohrer: Do you know whether there is a source of drainage to that
point?
Secretary Barnes: I do not. The trees are probably eighteen years old,
and on rolling land.
J. B. McAfee (Shawnee county): I have 145 Winesap trees in my orchard on
high ground. They do reasonably well, but are not as large as Mr.
Harrison's.
Phillip Lux: Mr. Harrison's orchard lies on a southern slope. It is good
orchard land. The soil is very loose. His Missouri Pippins are as good
in proportion as his Winesaps. His apples are all good.
J. F. Maxey: We have 300 or 400 acres in Winesap, Missouri Pippin, and
Janet. I would not discard the Winesap.