Cogswell
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Cogswell
Origin / History
Native of Connecticut. Downing places the origin in the town of Griswold, near Norwich, Ct. The tree stood on a farm that came into the possession of William Cogswell about the year 1798, when the original tree was then about forty or fifty years old. He says the fruit was first exhibited in 1816 or '18 before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Warder gives the origin as near Norwich, Connecticut. Beach, citing Clift, says it was "introduced into cultivation in Connecticut about one hundred years ago."
Hovey described it in the Magazine of Horticulture in 1849 and calls it "of recent introduction to general notice." At that time he could obtain no information of its origin. He first became acquainted with it from the beautiful specimens exhibited from time to time by Mr. J. A. Kenrick, nurseryman, of Newton, Mass., before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. From their great beauty they attracted much attention. They were of such excellence as to merit a premium "as one of the best winter apples."
Kenrick could give no other account of it than this: the scions, which he grafted into an old tree, were given to him by a friend. The friend said he obtained them from Attleboro', Mass., or vicinity. "This was twenty years ago." Since then, and quite recently, Hovey learned that Cogswell was a well-known apple in the vicinity of Brooklyn, Conn., where some very old trees were growing that produced abundantly. E. Newbury, Esq., of that town, forwarded him a barrel of the apples the previous winter.
Elliott reports it grown in Massachusetts and Ohio. He says that wherever it had fruited it had "proved everything that can be required to class it as a first-rate fruit worthy of general cultivation." Hovey says it "possesses all the characteristics of a fine fruit." Downing calls it "an extremely valuable variety wherever grown."
Beach dissents. He says it "has been widely disseminated but in no section of the country has it come to occupy a prominent position as a commercial variety." He judges it "not equal to standard varieties of its season in quality and general appearance" and adds: "Not recommended for planting."
Lowther's station table records it from 5 stations in the Northern Division, 2 in the Central Division, and 2 in the Southern Division. The asterisk on each division count marks the variety as reported adapted to more than one division.
Tree
Vigorous to moderately vigorous, upright to rather upright; Beach calls it hardy. Downing calls the habit upright and spreading, and Hovey says the tree forms a fine large roundish head. Annual shoots rather long, dark reddish brown; young wood somewhat downy.
Hovey describes the wood as dark reddish chestnut, sprinkled with whitish specks, moderately stout, and rather short-jointed. Old wood dark brownish chestnut. Buds medium size, roundish; flower buds good size. His leaves are medium size, roundish ovate, broadest near the base, narrowing to the point, wavy, light green above, a little downy beneath, and finely and sharply serrated. Petioles medium length, about one inch long, moderately stout. His flowers are medium size, with petals roundish and cupped.
Comes into bearing much earlier than most apples (Hovey). An abundant to good bearer of fair, very regular, even-sized fruit, the branches loaded and the fruit hanging in dense clusters. Warder and Thomas find it productive only on alternate years, and Beach calls it "not reliably productive, although sometimes it bears heavy crops."
Fruit
Size: Medium to large. Most authors give above medium to large. Hovey measures it about three and a quarter inches broad and two and a half deep. Beach calls it about medium size, and Lowther's table gives medium.
Form: Roundish oblate or round flattened, regular, uniform. Hovey calls it very regular, largest in the middle, and a little flattened at each end; he says it is a little flatter than the Hubbardston Nonsuch. Elliott calls it often angular, and also often, on the same tree, somewhat roundish conical.
Stem: Short, slender to rather slender; Thomas calls it small. Hovey says it is moderately sunk.
Cavity: Open, wide to large, russeted to thinly russeted, or brown. Hovey calls it very regular.
Calyx: Small to medium, nearly closed; Warder calls the eye closed. Thomas calls the calyx short. Hovey says the eye is slightly depressed, with the segments of the calyx broad.
Basin: Small to very small, shallow.
Skin: Fair, smooth. Ground yellow, rich yellow to rich deep yellow; Beach calls it yellowish green. Striped, splashed, marked, and streaked with red, bright red, brilliant red, or rich red. More or less overlaid with red, nearly covered with red in well-colored specimens, and covered with stripes and splashes in Elliott's account. Lowther's table gives the color as yellow-red.
Hovey calls the splashes and stripes very distinct and abrupt. He says highly colored specimens greatly resemble the Hubbardston Nonsuch, but are ordinarily not so deeply striped. Russet about the stem (Elliott). A beautiful fruit, though Beach rates its general appearance below standard varieties of its season.
Dots: Brilliant red dots among the stripes and splashes. Areole dots pretty thickly sprinkled (Downing). A few large russet specks scattered over the surface.
Flesh and flavor: Yellow to yellowish, crisp, tender, juicy, with juice abundant. Warder and Downing call it fine-grained, while Hovey calls it "little coarse." Thomas calls it compact.
Flavor sprightly, aromatic, rich, subacid to mild subacid. Downing calls it "scarcely subacid, rich aromatic," and Thomas "scarcely sub-acid, with a fine, rich, aromatic flavor." Hovey finds "an agreeable admixture of sweet and acid, sprightly, high flavored and excellent."
Quality very good to best. The verdicts are "best" in Warder and in Lowther's table, "very good to best" in Downing, "first-rate" in Elliott, and "excellent" in Hovey. Beach dissents, calling it "not equal to standard varieties of its season in quality."
Core and seeds: Core small; Hovey says nearly closed. Seeds medium size, dark brown; Hovey says angular.
Season
Early winter through March. Most authors give December or January to March. Thomas gives "through winter," and Lowther's table winter. Hovey says it is ripe in January and keeps till March. Kenrick frequently exhibited it in great perfection as late as February.
Uses
Table, kitchen, and market. Thomas calls it "an excellent dessert fruit." Downing values it "either for table or market purposes." He calls it a good keeper that bears carriage to market long distances without apparent injury. Lowther's table gives kitchen and market. Hovey calls it "undoubtedly one of the most profitable apples in cultivation."
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Hovey's drawing was made from one of Kenrick's specimens. Warder notes that the fruit has been thought to resemble the Ohio Nonpareil, but he thinks it is different.
Book Sources
Described in 8 period pomological works
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867) — listed as Coggeswell
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 1 (1905)
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852) — listed as THE COGSWELL APPLE.
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1855–1901) from Illinois, Massachusetts
- Joseph Breck & Co. , Boston , Massachusetts — 1855 — listed as Cogswell Pearmain
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
View original book sources (8)
— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)THE COGSWELL APPLE.
Cogswell. Magazine of Horticulture, vol. xv. p. 252. Cogswell Pearmain, of Connecticut.
The Cogswell apple is of recent introduction to general notice. We first became acquainted with it from the beautiful specimens exhibited from time to time, by Mr. J. A. Kenrick, nurseryman, of Newton, Mass., before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. From their great beauty, they attracted much attention, and were of such excellence as to merit a premium, as one of the best winter apples. As late as February, Mr. Kenrick has frequently exhibited the Cogswell in great perfection, and our drawing was made from one of his specimens. We need not commend the beauty of this fruit, as that will be apparent to all. Highly colored specimens greatly resemble the Hubbardston Nonsuch, but the fruit is a little flatter, and, ordinarily, not so deeply striped.
At the time we described this apple in the Magazine of Horticulture, in 1849, we could obtain no information of its origin, or trace it to any original source. Mr. Kenrick could give no other account of it than that the scions, which he grafted into an old tree, were given to him by a friend who said that he obtained them from Attleboro', Mass., or vicinity. This was twenty years ago. But since then, and quite recently, we have learned that the Cogswell is a well known apple in the vicinity of Brooklyn, Conn., and that some very old trees are growing there, which produce abundantly. Indeed, our friend E. Newbury, Esq., of that town, kindly forwarded us, last winter, a barrel of the apples.
The Cogswell possesses all the characteristics of a fine fruit. The tree is a vigorous and upright grower, and comes into bearing much earlier than most apples. It is a most abundant bearer, the branches being loaded with its fruit, which hang in dense clusters. Its season of maturity is early winter, but it may be kept as late as March. It is undoubtedly one of the most profitable apples in cultivation. The tree forms a fine large roundish head.
Tree. — Moderately vigorous, and rather upright; annual shoots, rather long.
Wood. — Dark reddish chestnut, sprinkled with whitish specks, moderately stout, and rather short-jointed; young wood, somewhat downy; old wood, dark brownish chestnut; buds, medium size, roundish: Flower-buds, good size.
Leaves. — Medium size, roundish ovate, broadest near the base, narrowing to the point, wavy, light green above, little downy beneath, and finely and sharply serrated; petioles, medium length, about one inch long, moderately stout.
Flowers. — Medium size; petals, roundish, cupped.
Fruit. — Large, about three and a quarter inches broad, and two and a half deep: Form, roundish oblate, very regular, largest in the middle, and little flattened at each end: Skin, fair, smooth, rich deep yellow, nearly covered with very distinct and abrupt splashes, stripes and dots of brilliant red, having a few large russet specks scattered over the surface: Stem, short, slender, and moderately sunk in a very regular, open cavity: Eye, medium size, nearly closed, and slightly depressed in a very small shallow basin; segments of the calyx, broad: Flesh, yellowish, little coarse, crisp and tender: Juice, abundant, with an agreeable admixture of sweet and acid, sprightly, high flavored and excellent: Core, small, nearly closed: Seeds, medium size, angular, dark brown.
Ripe in January, and keeps till March.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Cogswell. Cogswell's Pearmain, | Ohio Nonpareil, incorrectly of some. American. Native of Connecticut. It has been grown in Mass. and Ohio, and thus far, where the variety has been fruited, it has proved everything that can be required to class it as a first-rate fruit worthy of general cultivation. The tree is a good bearer, producing always fair and even fruit. Tree, moderately vigorous, making rather long annual shoots, of a dark, reddish brown color. The fruit is above medium size, roundish flattened ; often angular ; and also often, on the same tree, somewhat roundish conical ; the color is rich yellow, covered with stripes, splashes, and dots of red ; some russet specks and russet about the stem ; stem, short ; cavity, open ; calyx, medium, nearly closed ; basin, shallow ; flesh, yellowish, crisp, juicy, sprightly, aromatic, sub-acid ; core, small ; seeds, medium size, dark brown. January to March.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Coggeswell.
Origin near Norwich, Connecticut. Tree vigorous, upright, productive on alternate years.
Fruit large, uniform, fair, beautiful, round, flattened, regular; Surface smooth, striped red on yellow.
Basin shallow, small; Eye small, closed.
Cavity wide, brown; Stem short.
Flesh yellow, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor mild sub-acid, aromatic, rich; Quality best; Use, table; Season, December to March.
This fruit has been thought to resemble the Ohio Nonpareil, but I think it is different.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Cogswell.
Cogswell Pearmain.
This excellent Apple originated in the town of Griswold, near Norwich, Ct., on a farm which came into the possession of William Cogswell about the year 1798. The original tree was then about forty or fifty years old. The fruit was first exhibited in 1816 or '18, before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society.
It is an extremely valuable variety wherever grown, either for table or market purposes, a good keeper, and bears carriage to market long distances without apparent injury. Tree a vigorous, upright, spreading grower, an abundant bearer of very regular, even-sized fruit. Young shoots dark reddish brown, somewhat downy.
Fruit size above medium. Form roundish oblate, regular. Color rich yellow, nearly covered with red, marked and streaked with bright red, pretty thickly sprinkled with areole dots. Stalk short, rather slender. Cavity large, thinly russeted. Calyx small, nearly closed. Basin small, shallow. Flesh yellowish, fine-grained, tender, juicy, scarcely subacid, rich aromatic. Core small. Very good to best. December to March.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Cogswell. Rather large, roundish-oblate, regular; striped rich red on yellow; stalk small, cavity large, russeted; calyx short, basin small; flesh yellowish, compact, tender, scarcely sub-acid, with a fine, rich, aromatic flavor. Through winter. An excellent dessert fruit. An abundant bearer every other year. Connecticut.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)COGSWELL.
REFERENCES. 1. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 15:252. 1849. fig. 2. Hovey, 2:31. 1851. col. pl. 3. Cabot, Mag. Hort., 17:69. 1851. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1854. 5. Clift, Mag. Hort., 22:76. 1856. 6. Downing, 1857:75. fig. 7. Elliott, 1858:469. 8. Downing, Mag. Hort., 27:59. 1861. 9. Warder, 1867:589. 10. Downing, 1872:130. fig. 11. Barry, 1883:344. 12. Thomas, 1885:232. 13. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:290. 14. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:237. 15. Lyon, Mich. Sta. Bul., 169:170. 1899. 16. Budd-Hansen, 1903:65. fig. 17. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:115. 1904.
SYNONYMS. COGGESWELL (9). COGGSWELL (3). Cogswell Pearmain (2, 6, 10). Cogswell's Pearmain (7). Not identical with Ohio Nonpareil (8).
Tree hardy and rather vigorous, but not reliably productive, although sometimes it bears heavy crops. Fruit about medium size, yellowish-green more or less overlaid with red; in well colored specimens, nearly covered with red. It is not equal to standard varieties of its season in quality and general appearance. Not recommended for planting.
Historical. Introduced into cultivation in Connecticut about one hundred years ago (5). It has been widely disseminated but in no section of the country has it come to occupy a prominent position as a commercial variety.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Cogswell.—Origin, Griswold, Connecticut. Fruit above medium, roundish, oblate, regular; surface rich yellow, nearly covered with red, marked and streaked with bright red; dots many, areole; cavity large, thinly russeted; stem short, rather slender; basin small, shallow. Core small; flesh yellowish, fine-grained, tender, juicy, scarcely subacid, rich aromatic, very good to best. December to March.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Cogswell. Size: medium. Form: roundish oblate. Color: yellow-red. Quality: best. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: winter. Reported by 5 stations in the Northern Division, 2 stations in the Central Division, and 2 stations in the Southern Division; the asterisk on each division count indicates the variety is reported as adapted to more than one division.