GIDEON SWEET.

References. 1. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:42. 1903. 2. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:121. 1904.

Received for testing at this Station in 1888 from Peter M. Gideon, Excelsior, Minn. It is clearly of the Blue Pearmain class. This is shown by the form and colors of the fruit, the characteristic large dots, the blue bloom, the color, texture and quality of the flesh, and the tendency of the fruit to shrivel when held too long in storage.

It has been fruited at the Geneva Station for several years, and appears to be worthy of planting for trial where a sweet apple of the Blue Pearmain type is desired. It colors well, is quite attractive in appearance, desirable in size, good in quality, and a good keeper. The flesh is yellowish, juicy, aromatic, mild subacid mingled with sweet, eventually becoming sweet; good to very good. It is in season from November to April. The tree is vigorous, widespreading or roundish, almost an annual bearer, alternating lighter with heavier crops. On the average it is satisfactorily productive.

The fruit resembles that of Bethel very closely, but we have not yet been able to determine definitely whether or not the two are identical, not having had the privilege of comparing them when grown under similar conditions. Bethel from Northern New York and Northern New England, as compared with fruit of Gideon Sweet from the orchard at this Station, shows no constant differences from Gideon Sweet in the form of the fruit or in the characteristics of either the cavity or the basin, but the skin is redder and the flesh is sometimes tinged with red while the Gideon Sweet has a yellower skin, its flesh is not tinged with red, is sweeter and better in quality and the core is more widely abaxile. In both the Gideon Sweet and the Bethel the stem is characteristically curved to one side.

Tree.

Tree vigorous; branches short, moderately stout, crooked. Form roundish to wide-spreading, rather dense. Twigs short to below medium length, straight, rather slender to moderately stout; quite pubescent towards the tips; internodes short to medium. Bark clear reddish-brown over olive-green, very lightly coated with gray scarf-skin; slightly pubescent. Lenticels moderately numerous, scattering, small, roundish or elongated; the elongated ones are raised. Buds small to medium, broad, obtuse, appressed, quite pubescent, deeply set in bark.

Fruit.

Fruit above medium to large. Form roundish sometimes inclined to conic, often slightly oblate, elliptical or broadly and obscurely ribbed; sides sometimes unequal, uniform in size and shape. Stem medium to rather long, curved towards one side. Cavity moderately broad to broad, acuminate or acute, deep, indistinctly furrowed, often with greenish or red russet spreading out upon the base of the fruit. Calyx small or medium, closed or slightly open; lobes long, acuminate or acute. Basin shallow to moderately deep, broad, obtuse to somewhat abrupt, slightly furrowed, wrinkled.

Skin tough, nearly smooth at base except where the russet spreads out from the cavity but somewhat rough towards the apex, attractive deep yellow or greenish mottled and blushed with orange-red sometimes deepening to a purplish hue, irregularly splashed and striped with deep carmine and overspread with a thin bloom which produces a rather dull effect. When polished the colors become clear yellow and bright dark red and carmine. Dots conspicuous, yellow or russet, small and very numerous toward the calyx, more scattering, larger, irregular and more often grayish areolar toward the base.

Calyx tube rather large, broad, conical or sometimes inclined to funnelform. Stamens median to basal.

Core irregular, abaxile, medium to large; cells often unsymmetrical, open or partly closed; core lines meeting or somewhat clasping. Carpels roundish or inclined to cordate, slightly tufted. Seeds below medium to large, light brown, rather narrow, acute, tufted.

Flesh yellowish, moderately firm, crisp, somewhat coarse, juicy, aromatic, mild subacid mingled with sweet eventually becoming sweet, good to very good.

Season November to April.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)

GIDEON SWEET. Gideon Sweet is a variety of the Blue Pearmain group so closely resembling Bethel that the two are sure to be generally confounded. The essential differences are that the flesh of Bethel is whiter and more often tinged with red, not so sweet nor so high in quality, and the skin is redder. In both varieties the stem is characteristically curved. The variety originated with Peter Gideon, Excelsior, Minnesota, about 1880. Its hardiness fits it for northern latitudes, where, alone, it is worth cultivating.

Tree vigorous, wide-spreading, dense; branches short, stout, crooked.

Fruit large, round to conic, often oblate, broadly and obscurely ribbed, sides sometimes unequal; stem long, curved; cavity broad, acuminate, deep, indistinctly furrowed, often with green or red-russet rays; calyx small, closed or open; lobes long, acuminate; basin shallow, broad, obtuse, furrowed, wrinkled; skin tough, rough towards the apex, deep yellow or green mottled and blushed with orange-red sometimes irregularly splashed and striped with carmine and overspread with thin bloom; dots conspicuous, yellow or russet, scattering; calyx-tube large, broad, conical; stamens median to basal; core irregular, abaxile; cells often unsymmetrical, open or closed; core-lines meeting or clasping; carpels roundish, tufted; seeds medium to large, light brown, narrow, acute, tufted; flesh yellow, firm, crisp, coarse, juicy, aromatic, sweet; good to very good; November to April.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)