Bloody Ploughman Explained

The Bloody Ploughman is a domesticated apple cultivar. The cultivar originated in Scotland.

Characteristics

• The cavity is deep, narrow, is mostly lined with russet which can spread out over the shoulder.
• The stalk is sturdy.
• The basin varies, but is ribbed and irregular.
• The eye is open or partly open.
• The sepals are broad and reflexed.
• The flesh is pink when ripe, sweet, juicy and crisp.
• The tube is broad cone, the stamens are basal and the core is situated away from the axis.
• The tree is vigorous.
• The season is September to November.
• The flowering is just before Cox's Orange Pippin. Pollination Group D.
  1. On May 8, it is 10% flowering.
  2. On May 12, it is full (80%) flowering.
  3. On May 19, it has 90% petal fall.
• Picking time: mid-September.^[3]

Name

The story is that a gamekeeper shot dead a ploughman caught stealing apples from the Megginch Estate. When his body was returned to his wife, she found stolen apples in his pockets and threw them onto a rubbish heap. One of the resulting seedlings bore apples of a deep, blood red. This tree gave rise to the cultivar that was named after the unfortunate ploughman.^[2]

External links and references

• Web site: Bloody Ploughman Apple - Arca del Gusto. Slow Food Foundation. en-US. 2019-03-21.
• A photo of the inside of a Bloody Ploughman
• News: Traditional Scottish apples to make a comeback. Daily Telegraph. 2009-08-23. 2019-03-21. en-GB. 0307-1235.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bloody Ploughman Dessert Apple . National Fruit Collection . 2015 . 30 November 2018.
2. Web site: Bloody Ploughman Apple . Scottish Food Guide . 30 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181201093059/https://scottishfoodguide.com/places/united-kingdom/perth-and-kinross/errol/slowfood/bloody-ploughman-apple/ . 1 December 2018 . dead .
3. Web site: Bloody Ploughman . National Fruit Collection . 30 November 2018.