Hunt Russet Apple.

This favorite old apple is claimed, by those knowing it best, to have originated with the Hunt family, at Concord, Mass., nearly 200 years since; and, being of excellent quality, has been cultivated and disseminated widely under different names; and I am satisfied, from experience and examination, that Golden Russet of Mass., Fay's Russet, and Russet Pearmain are identical with the Hunt Russet, and that the latter is the original name, with the synonyms as stated below.

Hunt Russet.

Golden Russet (not of New England Russet. Fay's Russet. N. Y.) New England Golden Russet Pearmain. Golden Russet of Mass. Russet. American Golden Russet Mass. Golden Russet. Bullock's Pippin, or of New England. Golden Russet of New Sheepnose. Incorrectly. England

There is said to be a distinct Russet Pearmain; but those that I received as such from Connecticut, many years since, proved to be the Hunt Russet.

The Golden Russet of New York, or Western New York, is quite distinct, and is incorrectly called by some, at the West, English Golden Russet.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

HUNT RUSSET.

References. 1. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 19:126. 1853. 2. Ib., 21:300. 1855. 3. Downing, 1857:143, 187. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 5. Warder, 1867:720, 722. 6. Downing, 1872:196. 7. Downing, C, Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1875:36. 8. Downing, 1876:53 app. 9. Thomas, 1885:240, 513. 10. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:292. 11. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:241. 12. Budd-Hansen, 1903:101.

Synonyms. American Golden Russet of New England (8). BULLOCK (1, 2, but incorrectly). FAY'S RUSSET (3). Fay's Russet (8). Golden Russet (not of N. Y.) (8). GOLDEN RUSSET OF MASS. (4, 5, 6). Golden Russet of Mass. (8). Golden Russet of New England (8). Mass. Golden Russet (8). New England Russet (8). New England Golden Russet (8). RUSSET PEARMAIN (3, 9). Russet Pearmain (8).

Fruit medium size, golden russet with broken patches of smooth bright red on the cheek. It is quite attractive for a russet apple, excellent in quality and a good keeper. Tree moderately vigorous and productive. It is no longer considered profitable and is not being planted in commercial orchards.

Historical. The following description of the fruit was made from apples grown upon the old Hunt farm, Concord, Mass. Mr. Wm. H. Hunt, to whom we are indebted for these apples, states that the variety originated at least 150 years ago, and adds that it was once considered a profitable market apple but is so no longer. Downing (8) refers to it as an old favorite which is said to have originated in the latter part of the seventeenth century, and which has been widely disseminated under different names. In New England it has by some been called Golden Russet and American Golden Russet. Hovey identified it as Bullock but incorrectly (1, 2, 7).

Tree. Tree moderately vigorous, upright spreading. Twigs clear light reddish-brown, slightly grayish (6).

Fruit. Fruit medium or below, uniform. Form a little oblate to distinctly conical, often elliptical, pretty uniform in shape. Stem short to medium, slender. Cavity large, acute or approaching acuminate, deep, broad, sometimes furrowed and compressed. Calyx medium, partly open or sometimes closed; lobes medium in length, broad, obtuse. Basin moderately deep to shallow, moderately narrow to rather wide, abrupt, slightly furrowed. Skin thick, rather tender, golden russet or with red russet cheek. Patches of smooth skin breaking through the russet vary from yellow to bright deep red. Dots numerous, gray or russet. Calyx tube often long, funnel-shape. Stamens basal. Core small, axile; cells symmetrical, closed; core lines clasping the funnel cylinder. Carpels roundish to elliptical, slightly emarginate. Seeds dark, medium in size, plump, usually obtuse. Flesh whitish tinged with yellow, rather fine, tender, juicy, subacid, sprightly becoming mild, not sweet as some have stated, very good to best.

Season January to April or later.

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

Hunt Russet. Size: medium. Form: roundish (oblate). Color: yellow, russet. Quality: very good. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: winter. Northern Division: 4 reporting stations (also reported in another division). Central Division: 2 reporting stations (also reported in another division). Southern Division: not reported.

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

Hunt's Russet.

Origin, Mr. Hunt's Farm, Concord, Mass. Growth, rather slow, bears annually and abundantly.

Fruit, small, conic ; skin, russet, shaded with dull red, on a greenish yellow ground ; stalk, short, slender ; cavity, deep and broad ; calyx, closed ; segments, long, recurved in a round open basin ; flesh, juicy, fine grained, rather rich, sprightly, sub-acid flavor. December to April. Little known at the West.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Fay's Russet. See Hunt's Russet.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Hunt Russet. — Supposed origin, Concord, Massachusetts; tree of moderate growth, upright, spreading, good annual bearer.

Fruit medium, or below, roundish oblate, slightly conical; surface yellow, mostly covered with thin dull russet, with a blush of bright rich red in the sun; dots few, brown; cavity large, deep, acute; stem varying; basin medium, slightly corrugated; calyx partially open; segments medium, a little reflexed. Core compact; flesh yellowish white, fine-grained, tender, juicy, rich, brisk subacid, slightly aromatic, very good to best. January to April.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

HUNT RUSSET. Golden Russet. New England Russet. Russet Pearmain. Hunt Russet, a favorite of a century and a half ago but now no longer planted, is found in many old orchards in New England and New York. The fruits are attractive, of excellent quality, and keep remarkably well. The variety takes its name from a Mr. Hunt upon whose farm, near Concord, Massachusetts, it originated.

Tree vigorous, upright-spreading. Fruit medium or small, uniform, oblate to conical, often elliptical, uniform in shape; stem short, slender; cavity large, acute, deep, broad, sometimes furrowed and compressed; calyx partly open or closed; lobes medium in length, broad; basin deep to shallow, narrow to wide, abrupt, furrowed; skin thin, tender, golden-russet or with red-russet cheek; dots numerous, gray or russet; calyx-tube long, funnelshape; stamens basal; core small, axile; cells symmetrical, closed; core-lines clasping the funnel cylinder; carpels round to elliptical, emarginate; seeds dark, medium in size, plump, usually obtuse; flesh yellow, fine, tender, juicy, subacid, sprightly becoming mild; very good to best; January to April or later.

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