Hunt Russet
Apple
Origin & History
The Hunt Russet originated on the Hunt farm in Concord, Massachusetts. According to Beach (1905), Mr. Wm. H. Hunt stated that the variety originated at least 150 years prior (placing its origin circa 1755 or earlier). Downing describes it as an old favorite said to have originated in the latter part of the seventeenth century, which has been widely disseminated under different names. In New England it was called Golden Russet and American Golden Russet by some; Hovey identified it as Bullock, but incorrectly.
Beach notes that it was once considered a profitable market apple but was so no longer by 1905, and was not being planted in commercial orchards. Elliott (1865) observed that it was "little known at the West."
Tree
Tree hardy, moderately vigorous, upright, spreading when in bearing, an annual and good bearer. Downing describes the growth as moderate; Elliott characterizes it as "rather slow." Young shoots (twigs) clear light reddish-brown, slightly grayish.
Fruit
Size: Medium or below. Elliott describes it as small.
Form: Roundish oblate, slightly conic (Downing). Beach describes it as a little oblate to distinctly conical, often elliptical, pretty uniform in shape. Elliott simply describes it as conic.
Stem: Varying in length (Downing). Short to medium, slender (Beach). Short, slender (Elliott).
Cavity: Large, deep, acute (Downing). Beach expands this to large, acute or approaching acuminate, deep, broad, sometimes furrowed and compressed. Elliott describes it as deep and broad.
Calyx: Partially open, with segments medium, a little reflexed (Downing). Beach describes the calyx as medium, partly open or sometimes closed, with lobes medium in length, broad, obtuse. Elliott describes the calyx as closed, with segments long, recurved.
Basin: Medium, slightly corrugated (Downing). Beach describes the basin as moderately deep to shallow, moderately narrow to rather wide, abrupt, slightly furrowed. Elliott describes a round, open basin.
Skin: Yellow ground color, mostly covered with thin dull russet, with a blush of bright rich red in the sun (Downing). Beach describes the skin as 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. Beach also notes it is "quite attractive for a russet apple." Elliott describes russet shaded with dull red on a greenish yellow ground.
Dots: Downing describes few brown dots. Beach describes dots as numerous, gray or russet.
Calyx Tube: Often long, funnel-shape (Beach). Stamens basal (Beach).
Flesh & Flavor: Yellowish white (Downing) or whitish tinged with yellow (Beach), fine-grained, tender, juicy. Downing describes the flavor as rich, brisk subacid, slightly aromatic. Beach describes it as subacid, sprightly becoming mild, and specifically notes "not sweet as some have stated." Elliott describes it as "juicy, fine grained, rather rich, sprightly, sub-acid flavor." Quality rated very good to best.
Core & Seeds: Core compact (Downing). Beach provides fuller detail: 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.
Season
January to April (Downing). January to April or later (Beach). December to April (Elliott).
Uses
Beach describes it as excellent in quality and a good keeper. Historically considered a profitable market apple, though no longer by the early twentieth century.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914) lists Hunt Russet in a variety-characteristic table with no prose description:
Hunt Russet.................. M | rob | yru | VG | b | W | 4* | 2* |
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Hunt's Russet.
Supposed to have originated with the Hunt family, of Concord, Mass., many years since. Tree hardy, moderate grower, upright, spreading when in bearing, an annual and good bearer. Young shoots light reddish brown, slightly grayish.
Hunt's Russet.
Fruit medium, or below, roundish oblate, slightly conic. Color yellow, mostly covered with thin dull russet, with a blush of bright rich red in the sun, few brown dots. Stalk varying in length. Cavity large, deep, acute. Calyx partially open. Segments medium, a little reflexed. Basin medium, slightly corrugated. Flesh yellowish white, fine-grained, tender, juicy, rich, brisk subacid, slightly aromatic. Very good or best. Core compact. January to April.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)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.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Hunt Russet.................. M | rob | yru | VG | b | W | 4* | 2* |
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)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.