KESWICK CODLIN.
eswick Codlin (Catalogue of the Fruits, N°. 158, page 10; rivers, Cat., 1864; hogg, the Fruit Manual; Beschrijving der vruchtsoorten [Description of fruit varieties], first series, N°. 26).
Keswicker Küchenapfel (Handbuch, IV, page 14).
Origin : according to the Handbuch the tree was found on a heap of rubble in Gleaston Castle, close to Ulverstone. Mr. JOHN sander, arborist from Keswick, brought this variety to the market; rivers mentions it in his Catalogue; we received the variety for the first time from james booth & söhne from Hamburg, Germany.
SHAPE: always very regular; the Handbuch makes it variable but we never found this in the decade we have known this variety and checked its fruit; a characteristic is the straight and slightly elevated, light grey seam.
SIZE: third grade, often approaching second grade.
EYE: closed; sepals are pointed, green, woolly; basin is very shallow and usually narrow, surrounded by folds and ribs, some of the latter going on towards the base and into the cavity.
STALK: short, thick, usually fleshy, greenish brown; cavity is medium deep and very shallow, with a slight greyish green russeting.
The COLOUR of the rather fine, soft skin is whitish green, when ripe a greenish yellow, at the sun side golden yellow, rarely traces of red. The apple is covered with small, whitish grey lenticels, placed in a little white ringlet.
The FLESH is whitish yellow, not fine, soft, juicy, a sour, winy taste, although not too much; the core is rather big, pips are medium sized and light brown.
TIME OF USE: August - October, best in early September. First grade for the kitchen: according to the Catalogue of the Fruits: "fit for use almost before any other"; excellent for sauce and apple-pancakes. Don't pare the apples when preparing for pancakes: the apple will be sauce very quickly.
The TREE is a moderate grower, will not be very tall and bears well. Summer twigs are rather long, not strong, brownish, with many big, white lenticels and woolly; leaves are medium sized, oval and pointed, its tip curled upwards. This variety can be recommended as a standard tree and as half-sized tree; for the pyramid-shape one should never graft onto Paradijs or Doucin, but always onto seedling.