Boston Russet
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Boston Russet
Origin/History
The name "Boston Russet" is one of the old synonyms for Roxbury Russet (Thomas, 1903; Beach, 1905). In the vicinity of Albion, however, it has been applied to a distinct variety which, so far as Beach could discover in 1905, had not been described in any publication.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Form: Roundish conic, regular.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Medium.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Medium.
Skin: Pale yellowish-green, irregularly overspread with thin russet.
Dots: Numerous, small.
Flesh/Flavor: Tinged slightly with yellow; moderately tender; mild subacid; not more than good in quality.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Not described in source.
Uses
Not considered desirable for commercial purposes.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The Thomas (1903) entry for Boston Russet contains no independent description of the Albion variety, redirecting entirely to Roxbury Russet. Beach's description is therefore the sole pomological account of the distinct Albion variety bearing this name.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)BOSTON RUSSET.
This name is one of the old synonyms for Roxbury Russet but in the vicinity of Albion it has been applied to another variety which, so far as we can discover, has not been described in any publication. The fruit is roundish conic, regular, with medium cavity and basin. Skin pale yellowish-green, irregularly overspread with thin russet. Dots numerous, small. Flesh tinged slightly with yellow, moderately tender, mild subacid, not more than good in quality. Not considered desirable for commercial purposes.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Boston Russet. See Roxbury Russet.