Abbott
AppleAbbott Apple
Origin/History
Elliott (1865) identifies this as an American variety. Downing (1900) lists the origin as unknown. Elliott cites Hovey's Magazine (Hov. Mag.) as his source.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Downing describes the fruit as oblate, inclining to conic, and obscurely ribbed. Elliott describes it as roundish, slightly conical — a somewhat rounder form than Downing indicates.
Stem: Long (Downing).
Cavity: Broad, slightly russeted (Downing).
Calyx: Closed (Downing).
Basin: Small, uneven (Downing).
Skin: Downing describes the ground color as greenish-yellow, shaded and striped with red, with few light and brown dots. Elliott describes the color as dull green, tinged, striped and blotched with red — agreeing on the striped-and-red pattern but describing the ground as dull green rather than greenish-yellow.
Flesh/Flavor: Whitish, crisp, tender, and juicy, with a subacid flavor; rated Very Good (Downing). Elliott agrees the flesh is tender and juicy but notes it "wants flavor" — a direct conflict with Downing's favorable assessment.
Core/Seeds: Core medium (Downing).
Season
December to March (both sources agree).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Elliott groups Abbott's Sweet immediately with this entry, suggesting a close relationship or synonymy between the two names.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Abbott.
Origin unknown.
Fruit medium, oblate, inclining to conic, obscurely ribbed, greenish-yellow, shaded and striped with red, few light and brown dots. Stalk long, cavity broad, slightly russeted. Calyx closed. Basin small, uneven. Flesh whitish, crisp, tender, juicy, subacid. Core medium. Very good. December to March.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Abbott. Abbott's Sweet. American. Fruit, medium, roundish, slightly conical, dull green, tinged, striped and blotched with red; flesh, tender, juicy, wants flavor. December to March. (Hov. Mag.)