Arabka
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Arabka
Origin / History
Origin, Russia. The fruit described by Hansen (1902) was grown by R. P. Speer, Cedar Falls, Iowa, and resembles Romna closely. Described also by the Russian Nomenclature Committee as "Arabskoe" ("Arabskoe of Tuttle"), origin Russia. The Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz, B.C., planted it in spring 1893 (Bulletin No. 3, 1900).
Tree
Vigorous grower and productive at Agassiz. Blights badly with Mr. Patten (Russian Nomenclature Committee).
Fruit
Size: Large; "size, 6" (Russian Nomenclature Committee).
Form: Roundish, very regular (Hansen); round (Russian Nomenclature Committee); conical (Agassiz).
Stem: Medium to long (Hansen); short, stout (Russian Nomenclature Committee).
Cavity: Regular, deep, acuminate (Hansen); small, deep (Russian Nomenclature Committee).
Calyx: Closed, small (Russian Nomenclature Committee). Tube conical (Hansen).
Basin: Shallow, nearly smooth (Hansen); broad, shallow, wrinkled, strongly pubescent (Russian Nomenclature Committee).
Skin: Greenish yellow with bronze blush (Hansen), or with a purple cheek (Agassiz); green overspread with dull purplish red (Russian Nomenclature Committee).
Dots: Obscure, numerous, whitish, areolar, with scattered russet dots (Hansen); numerous, white (Russian Nomenclature Committee).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh white. Firm, pleasant, subacid, good (Hansen); crisp, tender, mildly acid, quality good (Agassiz); coarse, loose, flavor acid (Russian Nomenclature Committee).
Core and seeds: Cells elliptical. Seeds large, flattened, long (Hansen).
Season
Early winter (Hansen); winter (Russian Nomenclature Committee); late autumn at Agassiz.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
The Arabka of the U. S. Department of Agriculture importation is early fall and of the Oldenburg type; the fruit Hansen describes is the Speer fruit from Iowa.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (2)
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Arabka—Origin, Russia. The Arabka of U. S. Department of Agriculture importation is early fall and of the Oldenburg type; the one here described was grown by R. P. Speer, Cedar Falls, Iowa, and resembles Romna closely—Fruit large, roundish, very regular, surface greenish yellow with bronze blush; dots obscure, numerous, whitish, areolar, with scattered russet dots; cavity regular, deep, acuminate; stem medium to long; basin shallow, nearly smooth. Cells elliptical; tube conical; seeds large, flattened, long; flesh white, firm, pleasant, subacid, good. Early winter.
" ARABSKOE.
Description: Arabskoe—Arabskoe of Tuttle—Size, 6; form, round; color, green, overspread with dull purplish red, numerous white dots; cavity, small, deep; stem, short, stout; basin, broad, shallow, wrinkled, strongly pubescent; calyx, closed, small; flesh, white, coarse, loose; flavor, acid; season, winter; origin, Russia; tree blights badly with Mr. Patten." (Rus. Nom. Com.)
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1893. Tree a vigorous grower, and productive. Fruit large, conical. Skin greenish yellow, with a purple cheek. Flesh white, crisp, tender, mildly acid, quality good. Season, late Autumn.