Margil

(reinettes)

Known in England in late 17th Century but history uncertain. Brought to England by George London who had worked at Versailles and was a partner in the Brompton Nursery where this apple was cultivated before 1750. Favourite late Victorian dessert apple

Small size.  Flat round to  round conical, can be lopsided and ribby, some five crowned.
Yellow flushed orange/brown/red, fairly broad, broken, red stripes, russet flecks and dots over surface.  Lenticels grey russet dots.  Skin smooth, slightly greasy.

Cavity narrow, deep, lined with grey/green russet.
Stalk  long and slender, goes to one side in a russeted cavity (one in the sample I had had a very stout stalk,  Bultitude says short and slender)
Basin fairly deep, narrow, ribbed and beaded, some russet.
Eye closed or part open, small
Flesh yellow, juicy, described by Taylor as  ‘sweet, strongly aromatic perfume and flavour’

Tube deep cone, perhaps a bit funnel shaped, Stamens median, Core axile

Tree small, weak growth.

Flowering one day before Cox’s Orange Pippin with Fortune

Season : October  to January