Haskell Sweet
Apple
Haskell Sweet
Origin / History
Accounts of the origin differ. Downing places the variety on the farm of Deacon Haskell, Ipswich, Massachusetts, and Beach concurs that the origin is Ipswich, Massachusetts. Warder, however, reports that he found the variety in the orchard of Dr. Geo. Haskell at Rockford, Illinois, supposing it to be "the Massachusetts variety of the same name." Beach notes that the variety is not commonly known in New York, is occasionally listed by nurserymen, and is now seldom planted. Elliott remarks that it "deserves more general culture."
Tree
The tree is vigorous (Elliott, Downing, Beach, Central Experimental Farm) and described by Beach as large. Branches are long and moderately stout with numerous small spurs. Form is upright, spreading and productive (Downing) — upright spreading or roundish, rather open (Beach). Young wood is light grayish brown (Downing). Twigs are moderately long, curved, moderately stout, with long internodes. Bark is brown, heavily mottled with scarf-skin, and pubescent. Lenticels are quite numerous, small, round, and not raised. Buds are medium size, plump, obtuse, free, and pubescent.
Bearing: moderately prolific (Elliott); comes into bearing moderately young and yields full crops biennially (Beach).
Fruit
Size
Large (Elliott, Warder, Thomas, Beach); medium or above (Downing); above medium (Central Experimental Farm); medium (Lowther). Beach notes the fruit is uniform in size and shape.
Form
Nearly flat (Elliott); large, flat, regular (Warder); oblate, regular (Thomas, Downing); roundish or oblate, regular (Beach); oblate (Central Experimental Farm); flat (Lowther).
Stem / Stalk and Cavity
Stem short (Warder, Downing, Beach), usually not exserted (Beach). Thomas gives the stalk as one-half to three-fourths of an inch long, moderately sunk. Elliott describes the stem and cavity as medium. Cavity is rather broad and deep (Downing); deep, acute, wavy (Warder); acute to acuminate, deep or moderately deep, moderately narrow to rather wide, somewhat furrowed, russeted and with some outspreading russet rays (Beach).
Calyx and Basin
Calyx closed (Warder, Downing) — small and closed (Warder); large and closed (Beach). Calyx tube large, cone-shape to funnel-form; stamens median (Beach). Basin deep (Warder); broad and large, of medium depth (Downing); rather deep, nearly even (Thomas); wide, moderately deep, rather abrupt, smooth or somewhat wrinkled (Beach).
Skin and Color
Greenish, with a dull brown cheek in the sun (Elliott); surface green, bronzy (Warder); greenish, a warm brown cheek (Thomas); greenish yellow, sometimes with a blush (Downing); greenish yellow, with a brownish red blush (Central Experimental Farm); greenish-yellow, more or less dotted and flecked with russet, occasionally with a bronze blush (Beach); greenish yellow (Lowther).
Dots numerous, large, white (Warder); numerous, large, dark (Beach).
Flesh and Flavor
Tinged with orange yellow, tender, sweet; almost "best" (Elliott). Yellow, juicy; flavor sweet, rich; quality very good; use, baking (Warder). Tinged with yellowish brown, very tender, sweet, good (Thomas). Yellowish, tender, juicy, very sweet, rich, aromatic; very good (Downing). Yellowish, crisp, juicy, very sweet, and slightly aromatic; quality very good (Central Experimental Farm). Yellowish, a little coarse, moderately crisp, tender, very sweet, aromatic, very good in flavor and quality (Beach). Warder adds that "a practical test at the table of mine host must convince any one that either the apple or the cook, or both, are eminently deserving."
Beach further notes the fruit is "of good appearance for a greenish-yellow apple, sweet, excellent for culinary use."
Core and Seeds
Core closed (Warder); core rather small, axile; cells symmetrical, closed; core lines clasping (Beach). Carpels broad at the middle, narrowing toward base and apex, emarginate (Beach). Seeds numerous, plump (Warder); medium size, short, plump, obtuse (Beach).
Season
October (Elliott); August, September (Warder); September, October (Downing, Central Experimental Farm); September to late fall or early winter (Beach); winter (Lowther). Beach notes the crop does not ripen uniformly — the earliest ripening fruit becomes fully mature in September while at the same time others are green and hard.
Storage
In ordinary storage the commercial limit appears to be early November, and in cold storage the middle of January (Beach).
Uses
Baking (Warder); excellent for culinary use (Beach); family use (Lowther). Beach considers it desirable for the home orchard.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867) — listed as Haskell's Sweet
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 8 catalogs (1890–1913) from Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
- William H. Moon Co. , Morrisville, Bucks County , Pennsylvania — 1890
- Rogers Nursery Co. , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1893
- Reading Nursery , Jacob W. Manning, Proprietor, Reading , Massachusetts — 1898
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1899
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1901
- Wm. J. Corse (successor to Robert Sinclair / Sinclair Nurseries) , Baltimore , Maryland — 1909
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (7)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Haskell Sweet. Sassafras Sweet. Tree, vigorous, moderately prolific, deserves more general culture. Fruit, large, nearly flat, greenish, with dull brown cheek in sun ; stem and cavity, medium ; flesh, tinged with orange yellow, tender, sweet ; almost "best." October.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Haskell's Sweet.
Found in the orchard of Dr. Geo. Haskell, at Rockford, Illinois. Fruit large, flat, regular; Surface green, bronzy; Dots numerous, large, white. Basin deep; Eye small, closed. Cavity deep, acute, wavy; Stem short. Core closed; Seeds numerous, plump; Flesh yellow, juicy; Flavor sweet, rich; Quality very good; Use, baking; Season August, September. A practical test at the table of mine host must convince any one that either the apple or the cook, or both, are eminently deserving. This is supposed to be the Massachusetts variety of the same name.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Haskell Sweet.
Sassafras Sweet.
Origin, farm of Deacon Haskell, Ipswich, Mass. Tree vigorous, upright, spreading and productive. Young wood light grayish brown.
Fruit medium or above, oblate. Color greenish yellow, sometimes with a blush. Stalk short, inserted in a rather broad, deep cavity. Calyx closed. Basin broad and large, of medium depth. Flesh yellowish, tender, juicy, very sweet, rich, aromatic. Very good. September, October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Haskell Sweet. Large, oblate, regular; greenish, a warm brown cheek; stalk one-half to three-fourths of an inch long, moderately sunk; basin rather deep, nearly even; flesh tinged with yellowish brown, very tender, sweet, good.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)HASKELL.
REFERENCES. 1. Manning, Mag. Hort., 6:172. 1840. 2. Ib., 7:45. 1841. 3. Thomas, 1849:145. fig. 4. Cole, 1849:108. fig. 5. Cultivator, 6:342. 1849. 6. Barry, 1851:284. 7. Elliott, 1854:137. 8. Gregg, 1857:43. 9. Downing, 1857:82. 10. Warder, 1867:385. 11. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:292. 12. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:240. 13. Hoskins, Rural N. Y., 53:278. 1894. 14. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:44. 1903. 15. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:124. 1904.
SYNONYMS. HASKELL (14, 15). HASKELL SWEET (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13). Haskell Sweet (4, 14, 15). SASSAFRAS SWEET (4). Sassafras Sweet (6, 7, 8, 9).
Fruit large, of good appearance for a greenish-yellow apple, sweet, excellent for culinary use, in season from September to late fall or early winter. The crop does not ripen uniformly. The earliest ripening fruit becomes fully mature in September while at the same time others are green and hard. In ordinary storage the commercial limit appears to be early November and in cold storage the middle of January (15). The tree is a thrifty grower, comes into bearing moderately young and yields full crops biennially. Desirable for the home orchard.
Historical. Origin, Ipswich, Mass. (2, 5). It is not commonly known in New York. It is occasionally listed by nurserymen (12) but is now seldom planted.
TREE.
Tree large, vigorous; branches long, moderately stout with numerous small spurs. Form upright spreading or roundish, rather open. Twigs moderately long, curved, moderately stout; internodes long. Bark brown, heavily mottled with scarf-skin; pubescent. Lenticels quite numerous, small, round, not raised. Buds medium size, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit large or above medium, uniform in size and shape. Form roundish or oblate, regular. Stem short, usually not exserted. Cavity acute to acuminate, deep or moderately deep, moderately narrow to rather wide, somewhat furrowed, russeted and with some outspreading russet rays. Calyx large, closed. Basin wide, moderately deep, rather abrupt, smooth or somewhat wrinkled. Skin greenish-yellow, more or less dotted and flecked with russet, occasionally with a bronze blush. Dots numerous, large, dark. Calyx tube large, cone-shape to funnel-form. Stamens median. Core rather small, axile; cells symmetrical, closed; core lines clasping. Carpels broad at the middle narrowing toward base and apex, emarginate. Seeds medium size, short, plump, obtuse. Flesh yellowish, a little coarse, moderately crisp, tender, very sweet, aromatic, very good in flavor and quality. Season September to late fall or early winter.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Haskell Sweet. Size: medium. Form: flat. Color: greenish yellow. Quality: very good. Use: family. Season: winter. N. Div.: no reporting stations. C. Div.: no reporting stations. S. Div.: no reporting stations.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1894. Tree a vigorous grower. Fruit above medium size, oblate. Skin greenish yellow, with a brownish red blush. Flesh yellowish, crisp, juicy, very sweet, and slightly aromatic, quality very good. Season September and October.