Acknowledgements
The author would like to gratefully acknowledge the following persons and institutions, without whose support, information, and interest this report would not have been possible.

British Columbia Heritage Trust
D.V. Fisher
S. Harms
D. Lane
B. Parsons
J. Price
M. Sanders
J. Smith
A. Watt
Agriculture Canada
B.C. Tree Fruits Limited
Kelowna Centennial Museum

Table of Contents
Abstract
Acknowledgements
List of Illustrations
Introduction
Brief History of British Columbia Fruit Growing
Factors Affecting Varieties Grown
Discussion of Varieties
Future Trends
Conclusions
Sources:
Personal Communications
Bibliography

List of Illustrations
Photographs: All photographs contained in this report are courtesy of the Kelowna Centennial Museum.
Page
2   Crab apple blossoms. Major Lindsay's orchard, Kelowna.
3   Discing between trees.
7   A young orchard planting.
11   Hugh Rose orchard.
13   The Kelowna booth at the 1908 Spokane Apple Show.
14   Hugh Rose orchard.
16   Picking Jonathans. Mr. Pridham's orchard.
20   Gravenstein apples.
23   Three year old tree.
28   Young orchard and irrigation flume.
31   Young orchard, 1910.
32   Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Rose in young orchard.
34   Young orchard in the Black Knight Mountain District.
36   Hugh Rose orchard.

Maps:
Page
9    1912 map of the Kelowna Land and Orchard Company Orchard. Courtesy of the Southeast Kelowna Irrigation District. [missing from book -ASC]

Tables:
Page
19   Table 1: Varieties of Apples Which have been Grown in the Okanagan Valley.
40   Table 2: Distribution of Apple Varieties by Area. 1948-49. Ware et al., 1952.
40   Table 3: Percentage of Apple Varieties Grown in the Okanagan Valley 1945. Ware et al., 1952.
41   Table 4: Orchard Survey, 1960. From The British Columbia Orchardist, Volume 1, July 1960, No. 7.

Figures:
Page
26   Figure 1: Crop Estimate 1934. Okanagan Stabilization Board Circular no. 143-33.

Introduction
When he planted the first apples in the Okanagan Valley in 1862, Father Charles Pandosy probably did not imagine that one day this would become one of the world’s great fruit growing areas. However, it has and over the years a great deal has been written on the subject. An important and neglected aspect of the industry, has been the myriad of apple varieties which have been grown here in the past. The purpose of this paper, and the research which went into it, is to re-discover the lost varieties of the Okanagan, and to examine the reasons for their decline, and at the same time, to look at those which have risen to preeminence. In many ways, this work has come too late as most of the information is recorded only in the memories of the people who actually had experience with the apples we are concerned with. As more and more of the old timers pass away, we lose more and more information. Therefore, I apologize for any gaps in the material included in this report. I can only hope that if someone who reads this can add to it, they will do so, as this is only a beginning.
Perhaps the day on which the first apple tree was introduced to the Pacific Northwest would be the best point from which to being a discussion of the different varieties of apple which have been grown in the Okanagan over the last 120 years. Story has it that a Captain Simpson, who was in the coast service of the Hudson’s Bay Company, was attending a dinner being held in his honor on the eve of his departure for Vancouver. A woman sitting beside him apparently dug the seeds from an English apple she was eating, dropped them into his vest pocket, and perhaps in jest, implored him to plant them when he reached the wilderness of the northwest. The incident was forgotten until more than a year later when Simpson was reminded of it while at dinner at Fort Vancouver, in Washington State, in 1827. The seeds, which were still in his possession, were planted by a Scottish gardener name Bruce who was employed by the company, and within a few years the only apple tree in the Pacific Northwest was producing fruit (Redmayne 1912, 24).
The first orchards in this province were planted at Victoria in 1855. By the 1880’s, a small scale fruit industry was flourishing in the Fraser Valley (Fisher 1978). In Kelowna, an orchard was established by the Oblate Father Pandosy in 1862, three years after the mission there had been built. The seedlings were brought to the Okanagan from St. Mary’s Mission, Mission, B.C. for this purpose. One of the trees, a producer of large, green, late maturing, and long storing apples, survived until the serious winter freeze of 1955 during which the tree was badly injured, and which resulted in its death. Fortunately, cuttings were taken from this tree and it has been propagated at the Agriculture Canada Research Station at Summerland.
Meanwhile, in the southern interior, Mr. F.X. Richter planted, in 1867, an orchard in the Similkameen with trees brought in from the United States. Richter planted a second orchard in about 1886, and a third, in 1897 at Keremos Center with stock obtained from the Layritz Nursery of Victoria. At the 1906 Provincial Exhibition at New Westminster, Richter's apples won 23 prizes. At the 1910 apple show in Vancouver, the Richter Banana variety which he had developed and named won a bronze medal (Dewdney 1961).
In the Penticton area, an orchard was planted at the Ellis cattle ranch in 1869. To the south, on the Inkaneep Indian Reserve at Osoyoos, John and Peter Stilkia planted trees obtained from Murray's Nursery of Brewster, Washington in the 1890's (Hall 1961). The first commercial shipment of apples left the interior by was of coal car in 1898.
Up until about 1900, the land between Penticton and the international boundary was almost without exception devoted to cattle ranching. Orchard plantings in areas between Pentiction and Vernon were, with some notable exceptions, virtually non-existent. Within ten years, however, the entire landscape of the Okanagan was to change radically with the advent of a new, and highly successful agricultural and commercial venture. The population of the valley would increase one and a half times, and the dry hillsides tumbling toward the lake would bear fruit which was to become famous the world over. What were the factors which have made this area one of the foremost fruit growing regions on the planet?
People learned quickly from the example of Washington and Oregon growers who were realizing good profits by the 1890's. As the climate and geology of the Okanagan is similar to these other two areas, there was apparently no reason why fruit growing would not be profitable and successful here as well. If prices and profit margins could be assumed to be equivalent and constant, the Okanagan offered young men an opportunity to make a very good future for themselves in this new and relatively undeveloped area. Retired gentlemen could enjoy delightful surroundings in which to spend their declining years, and established farmers could branch out into a new agricultural pursuit (MacPhee 1958).
In the years before the advent of fruit growing, cattle ranchers had found that when irrigated, soils of the valley are generally very fertile. The numerous creeks and streams draining into the lakes that dot the area offer a convenient source of water for the necessary irrigation. As the Okanagan lies between two parallel mountain ranges, it does not experience the heavy summer rainfalls characteristic of the coast, of the corresponding heavy snowfalls. These same conditions are present in the Dry Belt of Washington and Oregon where, of course, fruit growing had already proved to be a resounding success. An added bonus was that with the exception of some areas around Vernon and Salmon Arm, at fruit growing elevations, very little forest and brush had to be cleared away (MacPhee 1958).
Until 1916, the Okanagan was free from codling moth, which had appeared on Vancouver Island by 1890. The closed valley, with its low relative humidity was not subject to serious infestations by the moth until about 1925. Destructive diseases such as apple scab were to some extent inhibited by the climate (MacPhee 1958).
The greatest impetus for fruit growing in the valley may be attributed to the creation, in 1892, of two very large orchards on two famous ranches, the Coldstream in Vernon, and the Guisachan in Kelowna, by the Governor-General, Lord Aberdeen. That such a well informed and successful public figure should choose to plant 200 acres of orchard at each of these two centers was certainly a crucial factor in building a mood of confidence among prospective fruit growers. The establishment of these two orchards was followed closely by the division of the BX Ranch into 40 acre lots for sale, and by the 1901 planting of the Bankhead Orchards by T.W. Stirling (MacPhee 1958).
These events provided the cue for land developers who were soon singing the praises of the Okanagan. People throughout Canada and especially in Europe were told that very good, irrigated land, or ready planted and producing orchards could be bought for very reasonable prices. Large development companies appeared and pioneered the practise of buying up large cattle ranches which were subdivided into small holdings (MacPhee 1958).
Many of the people who settled in the new fruitlands fell prey to unscrupulous developers who installed faulty irrigation systems, or who had converted range land which was unsuitable for fruit growing. By 1909, people intent on coming to the Okanagan to grow fruit were being encouraged to come via the fruit lands of Washington and Oregon so as to become acquainted with the shape of good fruit land, or to take a one year course in horticulture at the State Technical College at Pullman Washington (Redmayne 1912).
In many cases, settlers, having paid in full for their land, only to discover that it was utterly unsuitable, were forced to buy another block. In the meantime, land prices had soared from one dollar an acre to 1000 dollars an acre over a ten year time span (MacPhee 1958).
In general, the land promoters were totally uneducated in the varieties of apples which would grow best in the different districts of the valley, not only from the standpoint of winter hardiness and disease resistance, but also in consideration of the market. Their suggestions, and what was often being grown in the ready planted orchards was based on the varieties being grown in Eastern Canada, Washington, Oregon, and England. Newcomers were not warned of the fact that a serious, and often killing frost strikes the valley, on average, every seven years. They certainly were not warned to stay away from frost hollows (MacPhee 1958).
Despite these setbacks, the Okanagan was soon producing some of the best fruit in North America as is attested to by the valley winners at some of the major fruit competitions which took place near the turn of the century. For example, at the 1908 Spokane International Fruit Show, apples grown in the Okanagan swept virtually all of the awards.
And so began a multi-million dollar British Columbia industry. However, it has not been the purpose of my research to examine the fruit growing industry itself so much as the varieties which have been grown here. I will now turn to a discussion of the profusion of apple types which have made an appearance, albeit in many cases a very shot appearance in the Okanagan Valley.
The history of apple growing in this area may be roughly divided into two periods; apple growing for home use, and apple growing as a commercial enterprise. During the early years of settlement in the valley, people often attempted to grow, for their own use, the varieties they had been familiar with in their home country or province. Thus, there appeared varieties from all over the world. Factors of personal preference and cultural familiarity played very important roles in the creation of the assemblage of varieties.
Before the advent of refrigerated storage, when people kept what they could in root cellars, the common practise was to grow summer, fall, and winter apples. In this way, a sequential progression of ripening varieties was created which would hopefully supply the family's needs for virtually the entire year, until the next season's crop was ready. Some apples such as the Ben Davis, which were of very poor eating quality, but which had remarkably long storage lives were grown in large numbers.
With the shift to serious commercial production of fruit came an enormous demand for seedlings. People tended to grow whatever was available. When one considers that over the last 2000 years as many as 20,000 varieties of apple have been cultivated world wide, it is very easy to imagine the array of varieties which have made an appearance here.
Up until about 1900, a good deal of the nursery stock which made its way into the Okanagan came from Eastern Canada and the United States. As people were not entirely sure of what would grow well here, it was often left to the discretion of the nurseries to send a selection of seedlings which often included many odd sounding varieties (Watt 1985, pers. comm.). In fact, some unscrupulous nurseries were known to substitute other varieties for those ordered as the grower had no idea what he had planted until the trees began to bear fruit.
These were the main factors which led to the appearance of countless apple varieties. By 1907, concern was mounting over the fruit growing practices of Okanagan orchardists. As a result, farmers were being encouraged to grow no more than five or six of their best varieties. A suggestion given to growers was that they cooperate with other farmers in their district in propagating the same varieties so as to be able to sell their fruit in volume and thus get the best hold of the market. However, it was very difficult to predict which varieties would be most marketable in the not too distant future.
Virtually every authority on the subject recommended different varieties. Although reductions were taking place by the first decade of this century, the list of varieties still being grown, as indicated by sources such as the list of entries at the 1909 Kelowna Fall Fair and Race Meet was quite extensive:
[rearranged to alphabetical order- ASC]
20 Ounce Pippin
Alexander
Baldwin
Ben Davis
Blenheim Orange
Canada Red
Cox’s Orange
Duchess
Gano
Golden Russett
Grimes Golden
Haas
Hubbardston’s
Jonathan
King
Maiden Blush
Mann
McIntosh Red
Northern Spy
Ontario
Pewaukee
Rhode Island Greening
Roxbury Russett
Salome
Snow
Spitzenburg
Stark
Sutton Beauty
Wagener
Wealthy
Winter
Winter Banana
Winter Dessert
Winter Pearmain
Winter St. Lawrence
Yellow Bellflower
Yellow Newtown
(After Orchard City Record, Sept. 23, 1909).

As this was fruit growing for profit rather than fruit growing for pleasure and household use, an outside market had to be sought as the Okanagan simply could not absorb the entire crop. Shipping proved to be a problem, and some early ripening varieties such as the Red Astrakan, which could not stand more than a few days in unrefrigerated storage went out of vogue as commercial types. All too often, they had spoiled or were badly bruised by the time they reached their market on the prairies or elsewhere.
As fruit trees were planted, a process of natural selection immediately began to operate. Some varieties died quickly in the recurrent frosts which strike the valley. Others were victims of their own bearing habits. Many of the early varieties were biennial bearers, which meant that a tree might produce a crop one year, but practically nothing the next. It is uneconomical to keep such trees in an orchard when they make money only one year out of two. In the years before cold storage, commercial fruit growers faced the same situation as was experienced by the family. In order to fill the pantry, or the market from one season to the next, it was necessary to grow summer, fall, and winter varieties. However, when sizable production began, the market very quickly became saturated by early varieties which could not be stored for more than a few days. A large part of the crop inevitably spoiled before it could be sold and certain varieties were eliminated as a result (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).
With the development of proper cold storage, the need for numerous varieties which had extremely long storage lives was alleviated. Now a few varieties could be kept fresh for long periods of time. The Winesap, for example would keep for over a year in ordinary cold storage (Smith 1985, pers. comm.).
The second revolution in storage arrived with the development of Controlled Atmosphere techniques. Fruit destined for C.A. storage is sent directly to the facility where it is placed in rooms specially designed for this purpose. The temperature is kept at just above freezing, and the respiration of the apples consumes most of the oxygen in the room. The fruit is put into hibernation by the increased concentration of carbon dioxide. Because of this, apples held in C.A. storage are often referred to as 'sleeping beauties'.
Because of controlled atmosphere technology, late varieties of apple can be kept all through the year. Some varieties, such as McIntosh, which develop low temperature disorders when stored at or near 0°C, and whose storage life is sharply reduced at 2 to 4°C, have had their storage life doubled (Harms 1985, pers. comm.). The process of benefit to growers, retailers, and the consumer. Marketing can be spread out over ten months. It enables retailers to sell apples which would normally be out of season. C.A. removes the pressure to sell the entire crop at harvest time, or out of cold storage. Fresh apples can be supplied to the consumer in the late winter and spring.
Controlled Atmosphere storage has all but eliminated the need to grow early varieties. In the United States, for example, summer apples have virtually disappeared as a crop. Winter apples, on the other hand, account for nine of the ten most important varieties (Wilcox 1970, 37). It is no longer necessary to grow an apple such as the Duchess, which does not have a very good appearance. People would rather buy a late season Golden Delicious which has been in storage for several months even though its flavour might not be as good (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.). [I think this has changed again since this book was published. In my opinion, consumers demand great tasting, crisp apples and don't mind minor oddities in appearance. I know I can tell a C.A. stored apple from a fresh one and the weird "been in C.A. storage for months" flavor is disagreeable. I'd rather eat a 'Winter Terry' from the root cellar in May and then some 'William's Pride' in July with strawberries and cherries in the interim.-ASC]
Another important factor which has led to the elimination of varieties is the undesirability of attempting to market too many types. To begin with, a broad assortment of apple types is a nuisance in the packinghouse and in storage as each variety makes its own special demands. The large chain stores tend to buy car loads of one or two varieties, and generally do not have shelf space for several. As well, it is much easier to mount an effective advertising campaign for a small number of varieties as opposed to many.
Consumer preference has proven to be a potent force in determining which varieties have survived, and which have gone by the wayside. Studies have shown a very strong preference for a bright red, and highly attractive apple (Lane 1985, pers. comm.). This factor can be directly attributed to the downfall of many of the off-red varieties which were once grown in large numbers in the valley.
On February 1, 1889, the British Columbia Fruit Growers Association was formed. Attempts were made to organize the marketing of the crop for the next forty years but for different reasons all attempts ended in failure. Until 1939, individual growers sold their fruit in competition with one another. Prices fell as growers undersold each other. The closest markets were saturated quickly while more distant ones were left untapped. In many cases it was hardly profitable for growers to sell their fruit at all. In 1939, however, B.C. Tree Fruits was formed by the growers. Under this unified marketing and sales body, all fruit would be sold under one brand, and all growers would get the same price for the same product.
Prior to the formation of B.C. Tree Fruits, the Department of Agriculture and various individuals made recommendations of the varieties which would grow best in different areas, and which were best suited for different markets. An important policy adopted by the company has been to encourage the production of only those varieties which have proven to be the most marketable. Because of this policy, fruit growers are continually removing damaged and old trees and are replacing them with the recommended varieties (Ware 1952).
One should make clear, at this point, that this is not simply the story of the decline of varieties, but also the ongoing appearance of new ones. Since the beginning of fruit cultivation, growers, and then scientists have been interested in developing new varieties. Many of these new apples were introduced, made brief appearances, and then died out. B.C. Tree Fruits Limited, Crop Growers Bulletin No. 21 (1942), lists six new varieties, none of which are major varieties in the valley today. These were the Melba, Cellini, Liveland Raspberry, Wilson June, Rob Roy, and Red June. On the other hand, the Spartan, which was developed in 1926 and introduced in 1936, is now one of the top four Okanagan apples. Interestingly, not one of the major commercial varieties grown in the valley today is younger than fifty years old. [Apple breeding and consumer preferences have come a long way since then. Now several of the leading apples in the Okanagan were introduced relatively recently. -ASC]
The history of fruit growing in the valley has been a dynamic one. We have seen the appearance of at least 100 apple varieties, and the disappearance of most of them. However, the process of reduction has actually gone on at a much slower rate than one might expect. Along with the current standards; Red Delicious, McIntosh, Spartan, and Golden Delicious, as late as 1978 the following varieties were still covered by pooling regulations:
Duchess
Empire Red
Gravenstein
Lodi
Melba
Transparent
Wealthy
Rob Roy
Tydeman's Red
(B.C. Fruit Growers Association, 1978).

In 1985, the commercial varieties sold by B.C. Tree Fruits were Red Delicious, McIntosh, Spartan, Golden Delicious, and in lesser quantities, Red Rome, Newtown, Winesap, and in very small quantities, Tydeman's Red, and Yellow Transparent. Also, in 1985, the Vernon Fruit Union was still handling small quantities of Transparent, Tydeman's and Lodi (Harms 1985, pers. comm.).
We now have a very good idea of the general factors which have influenced the assemblage of apple varieties to be found in the valley at any given time. To quickly reiterate, this included things such as personal preference and cultural familiarity with certain varieties. The need to grow many varieties which ripened at different times of the year. The tendency, in the early years, to grow anything which was available. The demand for varieties which could be shipped long distances. The loss of the utility of many varieties as a result of problems with the trees themselves, for example, bearing habit, and because of technological advances such as cold and C.A. storage. And finally, the influences of marketing, which were major contributing factors to the reduction in the number of varieties grown.
Our focus will now shift to a discussion of some specific varieties and the particulars of their histories. Only those varieties for which there is some concrete information available have been included below, beginning with the four main Okanagan varieties today.

Delicious - The Delicious first made its appearance in about 1870, on the farm of Jesse Hyatt, at Peru, Iowa. As the chance seedling had sprung up outside a row, Hyatt cut it down. The tree sprouted a second time, however, and once more it was cut down. When the tree came up a third time, Hyatt was impressed by its persistence, and with the words 'if thee must live, thee may,' he changed the course of history. The tree was well cared for and it flourished. As a Yellow Bellflower tree was situated close to the seedling, Hyatt surmised that perhaps it was one of the parents.
The Delicious was originally called the 'Hawkeye', after the state emblem of Iowa. When the tree was bought by Stark Brothers Nursery in 1896, it was renamed Delicious in keeping with its character. Beginning in about 1893, the Stark brothers began to distribute five free Delicious seedlings [sic] with every order they received. Today, no tree in the world is more widely or heavily planted (Fisher 1983).
As its name implies, the Delicious is indeed a delicious apple. The tree is vigorous and although somewhat late bearing, it is a heavy, annual producer. The variety is subject to storage scald. From a processing standpoint the Delicious is a disaster. It does not have high enough acidity to make good juice. Nor is it any good for cooking. The Delicious is a very good example of a variety which has become popular to some extent because of its appearance. The Common Delicious has more flavour than the red strains (Red Delicious) which are sweet, juicy, and not particularly flavourful. However, the consumer demands a bright red apple (with a few exceptions to be discussed) and thus the more pale, Common Delicious has largely been replaced by the Red (Price 1985, pers. comm.).

McIntosh - The McIntosh is a Canadian apple. After a disagreement with his parents in 1796, John McIntosh emigrated to Canada from the Mohawk Valley of New York. In 1811, McIntosh discovered the remains of an old orchard on his farm at Dundela, Ontario. Twenty of the healthiest seedlings from the plot were transplanted to a new area, but all but one died. Eight years later, the remaining seedling began to produce remarkable fruit.
Today the McIntosh is the most important Canadian apple and it has only recently been replaced by the Delicious as the most important British Columbia variety (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.). The success of the McIntosh has been assured by its excellent eating, cooking, and processing qualities. The tree is a good producer and it is hardy.

Spartan - The Spartan was developed in the Okanagan Valley at the Summerland Research Station by Dr. R.C. Palmer in 1926. Since its introduction in 1936, the Spartan has steadily gained in popularity. The trees are vigorous, annual producers when well cared for. The fruit stores exceptionally well under Controlled Atmosphere. Interestingly, the Spartan was twice taken off the recommended lists because of breakdown in storage. However, this disorder is now controlled with the application of calcium sprays (Smith 1985, pers. comm.).

Golden Delicious - The Golden Delicious is a notable exception to the rule that people are only interested in a bright red apple. This variety appeared first as a chance seedling on the Clay County, West Virginia farm of Anderson H. Mullins, and began to bear fruit in about 1914. The Golden Delicious is in no way related to the Common Delicious. It is believed that the seedling was pollen sired by a Golden Reinette, and the seed was borne by a Grimes Golden (Maas 1970).
Problems associated with the apple include a thin skin, a tendency to bruise easily and to russett, and difficulty in picking them as they do not easily separate from the spur. These deficiencies are outweighed, however, by the apple's very attractive golden colour, its cream coloured flesh, and its excellent quality which is attributable to a good balance of sugar and acid. The apple stores well under C.A. conditions and can be marketed from September to August. The Golden Delicious is an excellent apple for processing into juice, pie filling, or apple sauce and is considered by many to be the best all purpose cultivar (Fisher 1983).

Newtown Pippin - Until the appearance of the Granny Smith on the North American market in recent years, the Newtown was the only green dessert apple which had found acceptance among consumers. The exact history of the variety is not known, but there is some suggestion that it may have originated as a seedling on the property of Gershom Moore of Newtown, Long Island, sometime between 1700 and 1750 (Fisher 1983).
The Newtown is still a fairly strong type in the Okanagan where it grows to perfection. However, the tree is cold tender, and susceptible to perennial canker and bitter pit. If stored too long, the fruit is subject to core browning. The Newtown now finds itself in direct competition with the Granny Smith. The variety tends towards biennial bearing and produces green fruit during "on" years and yellowish fruit during "off" years. Although there is no difference in eating quality between the green and yellow apples, consumers prefer a green type and thus the market is being taken over by the Granny Smith (Watt 1985, pers. comm.).

Winesap- The Winesap is another very old variety. It probably originated before 1800 as it is referred to in 1817 by Coxe who called it the best apple for making cider in West Jersey (Fisher 1983, 10). The long storage life of its apples contributed a great deal to the tree's popularity. However, because of C.A. storage, more popular types such as Delicious can be offered all year around. There is therefore no need for a late season apple such as the Winesap. In 1966, 35 million pounds of Winesaps were produced in the Oliver area. Now virtually none are grown (Price 1985, pers. comm.). A victim of technology, most of these trees have been pulled out. The future of this variety in the Okanagan does not look promising.

Rome Beauty and Red Rome - The Rome Beauty is the fourth most important variety in the United States (Fisher 1983). It was developed by Joel Gillett of Proctorville, Ohio, who gave the seedling to his son in 1816. Rome Beauty and its sports (a sport is a strain which is often of a different colour than its parent [while this definition is not wrong, a better definition of sport is a vegetatively-stable variant. Some sports are fruit color variants, but others affect the tree and not the fruit, for instance a spurrier more productive variant that is more productive. - ASC]) produce fair quality fruit which has medium to long storage life. In the Okanagan, the Red Rome is still grown though on a much smaller scale than the top four varieties in the area.
The following varieties are listed in alphabetical order. All were grown in the valley at one time, and some are still grown in very small quantities.

Alexander - Originally from Russia, the Alexander arrived in England in 1817. There is some uncertainty as to when it appeared in North America, but it definitely ws being grown in the Okanagan Valley by 1909 as this variety was a local entry at the New Westminster Fall Fair in that year. The fruit is large, red, or striped. In arid regions with bright sunshine, as in the Okanagan, the skin takes on a deep red colour. The apple is of good quality but is better suited for cooking than dessert purposes. The Alexander was still being grown in the valley as late as 1934 when it was classed as an "Early Sundry." The variety apparently then slipped away, perhaps being replaced by a superior type.

Arkansas Black - This variety originated in Arkansas in about 1870. The apples are beautiful, deep red, and are well suited for display purposes. However, they are not suitable for dessert uses, and the tree is not a heavy bearer. The apples have a very long storage life and do not ripen until April or May of the following spring (Lowther 1914). The last record we have for this variety in the Okanagan comes from 1934. With the advent of cold storage, perhaps this variety was replaced by superior types such as the Winesap which could be kept for up to a year.

Baldwin - The Baldwin originated as a chance seedling on the farm of John Ball at Wilmington, Massachusetts, in 1740. The fruit, the season of which is from November to December in this area, is very good. The colour of the apples is light yellow or greenish with a red blush or red mottles. As with the Arkansas Black, the last reference we have for this variety was made in 1934. The tree has a strong tendency for biennial, and sometimes triennial bearing, leading to irregular production. The fruit is highly susceptible to Baldwin spot or bitter pit. These factors have led to the decline in the popularity of this variety (French 1970).

Belle de Boscoop - The history of this apple is shrouded in mystery. The Belle de Boscoop was a prize winner at the 1914 Kewlowna Fall Fair. However, it apparently disappeared during the next twenty years as it is not considered in the 1934 crop estimate. Perhaps this variety fell from favour because of problems with shipping (Watt 1985, pers. comm.).

Ben Davis - Not much is known about the history of this apple but it is believed that it find appeared around 1800. By the time of the American Civil War it was quite widespread (Lowther 1914). The tree is hardy, annually productive, and bears attractive, striped, bright red fruit. Ben Davis apples are exceptionally firm, and this variety was the late keeping North American apple until about 1910 (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.). However, the quality of the apple may be succinctly summarized as awful, and with the development of cold storage, this variety, which was once grown in large numbers was quickly replaced.

Blenheim Orange - The Blenheim Orange is one of the parents of the Cox's Orange. It was apparently never grown in the Okanagan to any extent, and probably disappeared before 1934. The apples are a yellowish colour with a red stripe. Although they are good apples, there may have been problems with shipping them and with selling the colour (Watt 1985, pers. comm.).

Bottle Greening - A small green apple, the Bottle Greening was not planted to any extent in the valley (Parsons 1985, pers. comm.).

Canada Baldwin - The Canada Baldwin was a minor Okanagan variety as late as 1934 when it was considered to be an Early Sundry in the crop estimate of that year. This variety was of more importance as a rootstock than for its apples which are hard. In the marketplace, it came to be replaced by the Delicious (Parsons 1985, pers. comm.).

Cellini - The Cellini was introduced in B.C. Tree Fruits Limited, Crop Growers Bulletin No. 21 (1942). However, this variety apparently has not gained acceptance as it is not a current commercial variety.

Cox's Orange - The Cox's Orange was the third most important commercial variety in the world until the Granny Smith took over that position in the late 1970's. In the 1920's, perhaps the highest prices paid for any apple were for the Cox's Orange (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.). This is the principle high quality dessert apple in England where it grows to perfection in the low stress environment found there. Although it did not gain a great deal of acceptance among consumers here, probably as a result of its dirty red and russetted colour, the English market was good and large volumes of these were produced here for export. Because of World War II, however, the apples could not be shipped to England and the local market was very quickly saturated. As a result of this and problems with bitter pit, the variety went out of production in the Okanagan (Smith, Watt Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).

Duchess of Oldenburg - The Duchess of Oldenburg was one of the early ripening varieties which were recommended in the early days of fruit growing in the valley before cold storage. However, when sizable production began, the market was very quickly glutted by varieties such as the Duchess and crops spoiled before they could be sold. As a result, the Duchess was replaced (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).

Gano - The Gano is a member of the Ben Davis family. Although the colour is better, and allowed this variety to be sold for higher prices in roadside stands, the quality is not much better than that of the Ben Davis (Lowther 1914). The Gano first came to notice in Missouri in about 1880 and was distinguished by its qualities of long keeping. However, the need for long storing, though poor quality apples was eliminated by cold storage, and this variety went out of production.

Golden Russett - The Golden Russett is an eastern apple which evidently was still being grown in some quantity in the valley until the 1930's. The variety is characterized by good quality and long keeping. However, the appearance of the apple is not very attractive, it being russetted, and it may have declined in popularity as a result.

Gravenstein - The Gravenstein is of European origin but its exact history is not known. The apple is considered by many to be unequaled for pies and sauce. However, the colour of the apples is rather poor. The trees lack hardiness, and a good part of the crop often falls to the ground. An early fall variety, the Gravenstein was one of those which saturated the market when heavy production began, and whose niche was eliminated by cold storage (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).

Grimes Golden - Before the Golden Delicious began its rise to popularity, the Grimes Golden was a very popular dessert apple. The variety originated prior to 1800 in Virginia, and may have in fact been one of the parents of the Golden Delicious. Although the apples are of excellent quality, the tree has some serious faults. It is susceptible to crown rot, is frequently biennial, lacks hardiness, and matures unevenly. The Grimes Golden eventually found itself in direct competition with the Golden Delicious which, of course, was successful (French 1970).

Jonathan - The Jonathan apple appears in the literature in 1826. It originated on the farm of Philip Rick at Woodstock, New York. Although the apple is a beautiful red, and is of very high quality, several problems led to its decline. The tree is susceptible to powdery mildew damage which reduces production and increases costs for spraying. The apples are subject to breakdown in storage. It simply became too difficult to make money growing the Jonathan and it was replaced by early ripening McIntosh and other varieties (Fisher, Watt 1985, pers. comm.).

King of Tompkins County - This variety probably originated near Washington, New Jersey, during the later part of the 1700's. The quality of the apple, which ranges from striped to red, is considered excellent for both dessert and culinary uses. When grown in the northwestern part of the continent, it apparently does not reach its peak of perfection (Lowther 1914). The King was never of very much importance in the Okanagan. A triploid, the tree will not pollenize other varieties and is therefore useless for this purpose (Lane 1985, pers. comm.).

Liveland Raspberry - This variety is another of those which were introduced to the Okanagan Valley in 1942. However, like the Cellini, the Liveland Raspberry evidently did not become popular and it has not come into production.

Lodi - The product of a cross of Montgomery x Yellow Transparent, the Lodi was named by the New York State Agricultural Experimental Station at Geneva, New York in 1924 (Lapins et al. 1979). The only use for the Lodi is as a cooker. This variety is still grown in the valley to a limited extent.

Melba - The Melba was named by the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, in 1924. An early apple with good flavour, it has a very short storage life. The tree has a strong tendency towards biennial bearing. Introduced to the valley in 1942, the Melba was still in production as late as 1978.

Northern Spy - The Northern Spy originated as a seedling in East Bloomfield, New York in about 1800. The trees are very slow to come into bearing, are strongly biennial, and very susceptible to bitter pit. For these reasons, the Spy has died out in the Okanagan (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).

Ontario - The Ontario was mainly grown in gardens, primarily for use as a cooker. It keeps well, but bruises easily. In 1933, 7,010 boxes of these apples were produced in the valley (Clement 1933). The variety has never been of much importance in the Okanagan, and is said to be a producer of very poor quality apples (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).

Pewaukee - The Pewaukee was one of the varieties planted at the Coldstream Ranch. By 1910, it had become apparent that the variety was not well adapted to the climatic conditions of the area, and it was not recommended for further planting (Sessional Papers 1910). The Pewaukee was still being grown as late as 1934 at which time it was classified as an Early Sundry. However, it is a very poor quality apple and never of any importance here (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).

Red June - The Red June made its appearance in the valley in 1942, having originated in North Carolina. However, it probably did not possess characteristics which made it superior to existing types as it has not survived.

Rhode Island Greening - The Rhode Island Greening originated on Rhode Island in 1714. The tree, which produces apples which are generally yellowish, does not grow to its potential in the northwest (Lowther 1914). By 1934, this was a minor variety, and has since disappeared, perhaps having being [sic] replaced by the Golden Delicious.

Rob Roy - The Rob Roy is another of the varieties which made their appearance in the Okanagan in 1942. Unlike the Cellini, Liveland Raspberry, and Red June, the Rob Roy was in commercial production as late as 1978.

Roxbury Russett - This variety was introduced to the Okanagan very early. It was a local entry in the 1909 New Westminster Fall Fair, but either was not a commercial variety at that time, or had gone out of production by 1934 as it is not considered in the crop estimate for that year. The utility of the Roxbury Russett which is a very good keeper in normal storage, declined with the advent of cold storage and it was replaced by more desirable varieties (French 1970).

Snow - The Snow was one of the most popular, if not the most popular Canadian apple during the two centuries before 1900. At the beginning of this century, however, the McIntosh began to replace the poorly coloured Snow as the premier Canadian apple, and the Snow fell into a decline, disappearing from the valley very early (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).

Spitzenburg - The Spitzenburg, which first appeared at Esopus, New York, is an apple of excellent flavor and utility. It is perhaps one of the very best for dessert and culinary uses. In addition, it stores and ships very well. In the Okanagan, it was a very important variety forty years ago. Unfortunately, it is not especially hardy, it suffers from fire blight, and no red strains were developed (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.). These were major contributing factors to its decline.

Stayman Winesap - The Stayman Winesap grew from the seed of a Winesap at Leavenworth, Kansas in 1866. Its parent is, however a much superior apple. Although the Stayman produces acceptable apples, the tree has serious problems. In the Okanagan it is subject to dry rot in the branches which as a result often cannot support the weight of the crop. Thus, the utility of the variety was undermined (Parsons 1985, pers. comm.).

20 Ounce Pippin - A minor variety which was still being grown in the 1930's, the apples of the 20 Ounce Pippin were simply too large to be of practical use. It was replaced by better quality varieties (Parsons 1985, pers. comm.).

Tydeman's Red - This is a current variety which is still being grown in the valley. Although it normally ripens well before McIntosh, ethrel treated, early ripening McIntosh are now taking over the market (Price 1985, pers. comm.).

Wagener - The Wagener produces an excellent apple of red with contrasting yellow colour. It may have originated at Dover, New York during the first half of the nineteenth century. The tree is naturally quite small. As the Wagener bears early, and is so small, it was often used as a filler in orchards because it does not interfere with the growth of larger trees, and bears well while the other trees are maturing. Most of the Wageners were pulled out when the primary trees began to bear fruit (Watt 1985, pers. comm.).

Wealthy - The Wealthy originated from the seed of a cherry crab in about 1860. On the prairies in the years before mechanization, harvesting and other heavy farm work was usually done by large crews of men. The traditional dessert was apple pie made from Wealthy apples. With mechanization, farm crews died out and so did much of the demand for Wealthies. The final nail for the coffin was provided by ethrel treated McIntosh apples which ripen early enough to take over the market (Smith 1985, pers. comm.).

Wilson June - The history of this particularly variety is something of mystery, but it was introduced to the Okanagan in 1942. It apparently has not gained a foothold as a commercial type.

Winter Banana - The apples of the Winter Banana are pale yellow with a pinkish-red blush. A good dessert apple, the flavour is too mild for culinary uses. The variety originated on the farm of David Flory, near Adamsboro, Indiana in about 1876. The Winter Banana never became a major commercial variety in the Okanagan as every bruise is visible and thus it is too difficult to handle. However, the Winter Banana is being planted once again, as a pollenizer (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).

Wolf River - This hardy variety produces large, attractive red fruit which is best suited for baking. The Wolf River was probably never of even minor importance in the valley.

Yellow Bellflower - The Yellow Bellflower originated in New Jersey before 1800 (French 1970). The yellow apples are best suited for cooking. The tree requires a rather mild climate, and although it is vigorous and longlived, it is very susceptible to apple scab. The apples show bruises and do not keep well. It was never an important variety here (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).

Yellow Transparent - The Yellow Transparent is a very good early variety well suited for culinary purposes. Originally from Russia, it was brought to the United States in 1870. The colour is pale, greenish-yellow which changes to greenish-white as it ripens. Unfortunately, the apples do not keep well and their place has been taken by the Lodi (Parsons 1985, pers. comm.).

York Imperial - The York Imperial first appeared at York, Pennsylvania in about 1830. At one time this was a very minor Okanagan variety and was classed as a Late Sundry.
 The process of producing new varieties of apples is an ongoing one. If a newcomer does not possess qualities which make it superior to existing types, it will probably never appear in an orchard. All of the varieties being grown commercially today possess defects; there is no such thing as a perfect apple. There is therefore a possibility that current varieties may one day be replaced. Turnover in varieties is, however, very slow because of consumer demands. People are reluctant development of new strains of the old varieties, for example, new colours (Lane 1985, pers. comm.). The redder the apple, the higher the grade, and therefore profit. Growers are now looking for a cherry, or tomatoe [sic] coloured Delicious.
Considerations other than colour may also affect the types of apples being grown in the future. The major disease limiting apple production in many areas of the world has now appeared in the Okanagan. Apple scab, a condition caused by the fungus Venturia inequalis, can destroy an entire crop. Experiments are now being conducted to produce scab resistant apples by crossing current varieties with resistant apples by crossing current varieties with resistant crab apples. Once long storage life has been achieved, these new varieties may replace current ones (Fisher 1985, pers. comm.).
The history of apple growing in the Okanagan Valley has been one of change. Varieties have come and gone and will continue to do so in the future. Some will not meet with the approval of consumers. Others will be ravaged by climate, disease, and pests. Changes in technology will render yet others obsolete. New varieties will emerge, gain a hold in the marketplace, and replace their competition. The varieties being grown today may well be the subject of research such as that which went into this report in the not too distant future.
This paper does not in any way close the book on the subject. It is merely a beginning as a great number of questions remain to be answered. However, further work must be done quickly as with each passing year, more of this valuable record is lost. Our list of 98 varieties undoubtedly is not complete, and for many of the varieties on that list specific information is lacking. However, the amount of interest which has been shown in this work is very encouraging and it is hoped that the work will be continued, as it is a history well worth preserving.

Table 4: Orchard Survey, 1960
From The British Columbia Orchardist, Volume 1, July 1960, No. 7.
Comparison of Apple Varieties in Order of Importance. 1955 (Okanagan and Kootenay)

1960

Personal Communications
Fisher, D.V.
June 6, 1985

Harms, S.
1985

Lane, D.
June 4, 1985

Parsons, B.
June 28, 1985

Price, J.
June 17, 1985

Sanders, M.
June 1985

Smith, J.
June 20, 1985

Watt, A.
June 21, 1985

Bibliography
Books
French, Arthur P.
1970   Varieties of yesteryear. In North American Apples: Varieties, Rootstocks, Outlook. Edited by W.H. Upshall. Michigan State University Press, East Lansing.

Lapins, K.O., L.G. Denby, and W.D. Lane
1979   Fruit Tree Cultivars in British Columbia. Agriculture Canada Publication No. 1609.

1914   Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture. Edited by Granville Lowther. Lowman and Hanford Co., Seattle.

Maas, Virginia
1970   Golden Delicious. In North American Apples: Varieties, Rootstocks, Outlook. Edited by W.H. Upshall. Michigan State University Press, East Lansing.

MacPhee, Dean E.D.
1958   Royal Commission on the Tree Fruit Industry of British Columbia. Queen's Printer.

Redmayne, J.S.
1912   Fruit Farming on the Dry Belt of British Columbia. The Times Book Club, London.

Ware, D.W, E.D. Woodward and H.W. Trevor
1952   A Study of Apple Production in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia 1949. Canada Department of Agriculture, Marketing Service, Economics Division, Ottawa.

Wilcox, Emery C.
1970   Trends in Current Apple Varieties. In North American Apples: Varieties, Rootstocks, Outlook. Edited by W.H. Upshall. Michigan State University Press, East Lansing.

Articles
1978   B.C. Fruit Growers Association. Eighty Ninth Annual Convention.

Clement, Dean
1933   Report for Southern Locals of Associated.

Dewdney, Kathleen Stuart
1961   Francis Xavier Richter. In The Twenty Fifth Report of the Okanagan Historical Society, pp. 78-101.

Fisher, D.V.1978   History of fruit growing in the B.C. interior. In The Forty Second Report of the Okanagan Historical Society, pp. 68-75.

Hall, R.O.1961   Early days of fruit growing in the south Okanagan. In The The Twenty Fifth Report of the Okanagan Historical Society, pp. 105-122.
1934   Okanagan Stabilization Board. Circular No. 143-33.
1909   Orchard City Record. Sept. 23, Vol. 1, no. 43. Kelowna, B.C.

Periodicals
1942   B.C. Tree Fruits Limited. Crop Growers Bulletin No. 21.
1909   B.C. Orchardist. Volume 1, No. 7.

Helmer, R.H.
1922   Experimental Station Summerland. Report of the Superintendent.
1893   Sessional Papers of British Columbia. Third Session Sixth Parliment. Queen's Printer, Victoria.
1908   Sessional Papers of British Columbia. Second Session Eleventh Parliment. King's Printer, Victoria.
1909   Sessional Papers of British Columbia. Third Session Eleventh Parliment. King's Printer, Victoria.
1910   Sessional Papers of British Columbia. First Session Twelvth Parliment. King's Printer, Victoria.