Autumnal Swaar
AppleOrigin & History
Origin unknown. The variety belongs to the Fall Orange group and the fruit resembles Fall Orange very closely (Beach). It is first referenced in the Genesee Farmer in 1838. Beach reports it was occasionally found in cultivation in New York state but was by 1905 seldom or never planted.
Elliott's description is explicitly attributed to Downing and reproduces his text.
[NOTE: Thomas describes two distinct apples under the name "Autumn Swaar." His primary entry, which he equates with "Sweet Swaar," describes an oblate, sweet, not juicy apple — markedly different from the subacid, juicy, roundish-conic fruit described by Downing and Beach. Thomas then adds: "A large, roundish-conical apple, with a good, mild, sub-acid flavor, is grown under this name at the West." This second, western apple matches the Downing/Beach descriptions. The Sweet Swaar details from Thomas are included below but appear to describe a different variety conflated under the same name.]
Tree
Hardy, vigorous, spreading. Not satisfactorily productive (Beach). Thomas describes growth as vigorous, shoots diverging, tree spreading.
Fruit
Size: Large (Downing). Above medium to medium, sometimes large (Beach).
Form: Roundish, conic (Downing). Oblate to roundish conic (Beach).
Stem: Rather short (Downing). Often short, thick and irregularly knobbed (Beach). Thomas's Sweet Swaar description gives the stalk as an inch or more long, varying from long and slender to thick and fleshy at insertion — but this likely pertains to the distinct Sweet Swaar apple (see note above).
Cavity: Broad, deep, slightly russeted (Downing). Acute, deep, broad, often lipped or irregular, with concentric russet marks and with outspreading russet rays (Beach).
Calyx: Small and closed (Downing). Medium to small, closed or slightly open (Beach).
Basin: Deep, abrupt, and corrugated (Downing). Medium in depth, medium to narrow, abrupt, slightly ridged (Beach).
Skin: Orange-yellow, netted with russet, and sprinkled with star-shaped dots (Downing). Orange-yellow or greenish, in some cases with a decided blush but not striped, roughened by almost invisible, capillary netted russet lines which become more distinct, larger and concentric about the base and apex; dots conspicuous, irregular, russet or red areolar with russet center; prevailing effect yellow (Beach).
Flesh & Flavor: Yellow, juicy, tender, with a pleasant, rich, mild, slightly aromatic subacid flavor; very good (Downing). Yellow, tender, breaking, juicy, agreeable, mild subacid, decidedly aromatic, sprightly, very good (Beach). Beach further notes that the flesh of well-grown and well-ripened Autumn Swaar is decidedly yellower, more tender and milder than Fall Orange, with a very pleasant, peculiarly aromatic flavor.
Core & Seeds: Core small (Downing). Core medium to rather small, nearly axile; cells partly open or closed; core lines clasp the funnel cylinder (Beach). Carpels emarginate, somewhat elliptical, tufted. Seeds numerous, large to medium, plump, tufted, brown (Beach).
Calyx Tube & Stamens: Calyx tube funnel-form. Stamens median (Beach).
Season
September. Thomas gives mid-autumn for the Sweet Swaar form.
Uses
Very good in quality for either dessert or culinary uses (Beach).
Comparison with Fall Orange
The fruit of Fall Orange as compared with that of Autumn Swaar is larger, more inclined to conic, has smaller seeds and a fleshy pistil point projecting into the base of the calyx tube. The flesh of Fall Orange is whiter, more acid, less aromatic and less tender. The flesh of well-grown and well-ripened Autumn Swaar is decidedly yellower, more tender and milder with a very pleasant, peculiarly aromatic flavor (Beach).
Subtypes & Variants
Thomas lists "Sweet Swaar" as a synonym for Autumn Swaar and describes under that name a fruit that differs substantially from the Downing/Beach descriptions: large, oblate, sometimes very slightly ribbed; rich yellow; cavity and basin wide and slightly ribbed; flesh tender, yellowish, not juicy, with a very sweet, spicy, agreeable flavor. Growth vigorous, shoots diverging, tree spreading. This Sweet Swaar appears to be a distinct variety confused with Autumnal Swaar rather than a true subtype.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Autumnal Swaar. Fall Swaar of West. Origin unknown. Tree hardy, vigorous, spreading. Fruit large, roundish, conic, orange-yellow, netted with russet, and sprinkled with star-shaped dots. Stalk rather short. Cavity broad, deep, slightly russeted. Calyx small and closed. Basin deep, abrupt, and corrugated. Flesh yellow, juicy, tender, with a pleasant, rich, mild, slightly aromatic subacid flavor. Core small. Very good. September.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)AUTUMN SWAAR.
REFERENCES. 1. Genesee Farmer, 1838 (cited by 10). 2. Downing, 1857:115. 3. Hooper, 1857:14. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 5. Warder, 1867:572. fig. 6. Downing, 1869:82. 7. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:288. 8. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:234. 9. Budd-Hansen, 1903:41. 10. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul. 56:107. 1905.
SYNONYMS. AUTUMN SWAAR (4, 7, 8, 9). AUTUMNAL SWAAR (1, 2, 3, 6). Autumnal Swaar (10). FALL SWAAR (10, of the West 5). Fall Swaar of West (6, 9, 10).
This belongs to the Fall Orange group and the fruit resembles Fall Orange very closely. It is very good in quality for either dessert or culinary uses. The tree is hardy, vigorous and spreading; not satisfactorily productive (7). It is occasionally found in cultivation in this state but is now seldom or never planted. Its origin is unknown.
FRUIT.
Fruit above medium to medium, sometimes large. Form oblate to roundish conic. Stem often short, thick and irregularly knobbed. Cavity acute, deep, broad, often lipped or irregular, with concentric russet marks and with outspreading russet rays. Calyx medium to small, closed or slightly open. Basin medium in depth, medium to narrow, abrupt, slightly ridged. Skin orange-yellow or greenish, in some cases with a decided blush but not striped, roughened by almost invisible, capillary netted russet lines which become more distinct, larger and concentric about the base and apex. Dots conspicuous, irregular, russet or red areolar with russet center. Prevailing effect yellow. Calyx tube funnel-form. Stamens median. Core medium to rather small, nearly axile; cells partly open or closed; core lines clasp the funnel-cylinder. Carpels emarginate, somewhat elliptical, tufted. Seeds numerous, large to medium, plump, tufted, brown. Flesh yellow, tender, breaking, juicy, agreeable, mild subacid, decidedly aromatic, sprightly, very good. Season September.
AUTUMN SWAAR AND FALL ORANGE COMPARED.
The fruit of Fall Orange as compared with that of Autumn Swaar is larger, more inclined to conic, has smaller seeds and a fleshy pistil point projecting into the base of the calyx tube. The flesh is whiter, more acid, less aromatic and less tender. The flesh of well grown and well ripened Autumn Swaar is decidely yellower, more tender and milder with a very pleasant, peculiarly aromatic flavor.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Autumnal Swaar.
Grown at the West. Fruit, large, roundish conic; skin, yellow, sprinkled with star-shaped dots; stalk, rather short; cavity, broad, deep, slightly russetted; calyx, small and closed; basin, deep, abrupt, and corrugated; flesh, yellow, juicy, tender, with a pleasant, rich, mild, sub-acid flavor. September. (Downing.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Autumn Swaar. (Sweet Swaar.) Large, oblate, sometimes very slightly ribbed ; rich yellow; stalk an inch or more long, varying from long and slender, to thick and fleshy at insertion; cavity and basin wide and slightly ribbed; flesh tender, yellowish, not juicy, with a very sweet, spicy, agreeable flavor. Mid-autumn. Growth vigorous, shoots diverging, tree spreading. A large, roundish-conical apple, with a good, mild, sub-acid flavor, is grown under this name at the West.