REINETTE VAN EKENSTEIN.
einette van Ekenstein (Beschrijving der vruchtsoorten [Description of fruit varieties], third series, N°. 193; matth. van noordt, with a very good illustration).
Cultivated on the Ekenstein Estate near Appingedam, The Netherlands, by the late squire O. R. alberda van ekenstein, who gave scions to the former Messrs. H. ottolander en zoneN from Boskoop by whom it has been widely distributed. The illustrated apple was taken from the tree by the present owner of the estate and sent to our artist.
SHAPE: very regular, although the illustrated ribs are seldom this strong.
SIZE: third grade, often bigger than on the illustration.
EYE: medium sized, closed; sepals are pointed, greyish brown, a bit woolly; the basin is shallow, surrounded by medium ribs, stretching over part of the apple.
STALK: short, but often somewhat longer than in the illustration; the cavity is narrow and shallow (if stalks are longer, the cavity will be deeper and broader), rarely any russeting.
The COLOUR: tree-ripe the apple is greener than in the illustration, on ripening the colour becomes livelier, light-red veins at the sun side; light yellowish brown russeted spots here and there, often somewhat bigger than in our illustration; small, grey lenticels, unevenly spread.
The FLESH is yellowish white, fine, rather soft, tart, pleasant; the core is medium sized, its pips are small and light-brown.
TIME OF USE: October - December. First grade for dessert, very good for the kitchen.
The TREE is a strong grower when young and becomes quite large; the one year old twigs are long and strong, dark violet-brown, with occasional lenticels; the leaves are oblong and oval, bluntly serrated. This variety is recommended for the northern provinces and heavy soils, mainly as a standard tree.