GOLDEN BALL
Late Maturing Medium Sharp Cider Apple
Origin and distribution
Once popular this variety had several synonyms depending on the location. In Dorset: Polly, Go Boyn. In Somerset: Neverblight, Yeovil Sour. Golden Ball still appears occasionally in West Dorset.
General description
A scab-free variety. Medium sized tree, upright then spreading with crop. Cropping heavy but biennial.. A small conical golden yellow russeted apple with a little pinkish flush.
Season
Flowering mid May, fruit maturing late October – early November.
Typical Juice
Medium sharp with a good flavour.
SG 1052, Malic 0.5%; tannin0.2%
Dorset samples SG 1046, Malic 0.63%, Tannin 0.17% [mean of 7 samples]
Cider
Fermentation average, cider, body fair, medium brisk.
The prize winning cider from Stoke Abbott in 1928 was described as; A very useful
cider, clean, brisk with a pleasant flavour.