Isham
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Isham
Origin / History
Isham originated in Wisconsin, grown from seed of Bailey Sweet. It was introduced about 1864 by F. K. Phoenix of Delavan, Wisconsin (Beach). It has been grown to some extent in some of the Western states but had not been much tested in New York, and Beach judged it doubtful whether it is desirable for planting in any portion of that state. At the Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC, trees were planted in the spring of 1894.
Tree
Tree moderately vigorous; at Agassiz BC the tree was described as a strong grower. Form upright spreading. Twigs medium to long, rather stout, in some cases quite blunt at the tips, straight or nearly so; internodes rather long. Bark reddish-brown overlaid with heavy grayish scarf-skin, not pubescent or very sparingly so. Lenticels rather inconspicuous, rather scattering, irregular in size and shape, not raised. Buds large, prominent, fleshy, heavily pubescent, adhering to bark.
Fruit
Size. Sources disagree on size. Hansen, Beach, and Budd-Hansen describe the fruit as medium. Lowther (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture) and the Central Experimental Farm catalogue at Agassiz BC describe it as large.
Form. Roundish, slightly tapering (Hansen, Beach, Budd-Hansen). Lowther gives the form as roundish (oblate). The Agassiz BC catalogue describes the fruit as round, oblate, conical.
Stem. Short.
Cavity. Regular, acute, with much radiating russet.
Calyx. Open; segments flat, convergent.
Basin. Very shallow, minutely wrinkled.
Skin. Yellowish-green mostly covered with brownish-red, solid and mixed on the sunny side, striped and broadly splashed on the shady side (Hansen, Beach, Budd-Hansen). Dots distinct, russet, numerous, minute, with a few large russet dots. Lowther records the color simply as "+". The Agassiz BC catalogue describes the skin as yellowish, shading to russet.
Flesh and flavor. Flesh very yellow with yellow veinings, firm, very sweet; quality very good (Hansen, Beach, Budd-Hansen). Lowther rates the quality as good. The Agassiz BC catalogue describes the flesh as coarse, white, not juicy, pleasant — conflicting with the other sources on both color and texture.
Core and seeds. Core closed; cells round, entire; calyx tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds long, large, flat.
Season
Late fall and early winter (Hansen, Beach, Budd-Hansen). Lowther gives the season as winter. The Agassiz BC catalogue gives September and October.
Uses
Lowther lists the use as kitchen. Other sources do not specify uses.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Isham Sweet
- Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902) — listed as Isham's Sweet
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 9 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois, Oregon, Washington
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Isham's Sweet
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901 — listed as Isham's Sweet
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901 — listed as Isham's Sweet
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904 — listed as Isham's Sweet
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909 — listed as Isham's Sweet
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912 — listed as Isham's Sweet
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912 — listed as Isham's Sweet
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912 — listed as Isham's Sweet
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913 — listed as Isham's Sweet
View original book sources (5)
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Isham Sweet—Origin, Wisconsin—Fruit medium, roundish, slightly tapering; surface yellowish green, mostly covered with brownish red, solid and mixed on sunny side, striped and broadly splashed on shady side; dots distinct, russet, numerous, minute, a few large russet dots; cavity regular, acute, with much radiating russet; stem short; basin very shallow, minutely wrinkled; calyx open, segments flat convergent. Core closed; cells round, entire; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds long, large, flat; flesh very yellow, with yellow veinings, firm, very sweet; quality very good. Late fall, early winter.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)ISHAM.
REFERENCES. 1. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:242. 2. Hoskins, Rural N. Y., 53:310. 1894. 3. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1899:17. 4. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:60. 1902. fig. 5. Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:53. 1902. 6. Budd-Hansen, 1903:105.
SYNONYMS. ISHAM SWEET (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). ISHAM Sweet (6).
A red sweet apple of medium size, in season in late fall and early winter. It has been grown to some extent in some of the Western states but it has not been much tested in New York and it is doubtful whether it is desirable for planting in any portion of this state.
Historical. Isham originated from seed of Bailey Sweet. It was introduced about 1864 by F. K. Phoenix, Delavan, Wis. (2).
TREE.
Tree moderately vigorous. Form upright spreading. Twigs medium to long, rather stout, in some cases quite blunt at the tips, straight or nearly so; internodes rather long. Bark reddish-brown overlaid with heavy grayish scarf-skin, not pubescent or very sparingly so. Lenticels rather inconspicuous, rather scattering, irregular in size and shape, not raised. Buds large, prominent, fleshy, heavily pubescent, adhering to bark.
FRUIT (4, 6).
Fruit medium. Form roundish, slightly tapering. Stem short. Cavity regular, acute, with much radiating russet. Calyx open; segments flat, convergent. Basin very shallow, minutely wrinkled. Skin yellowish-green mostly covered with brownish-red, solid and mixed on sunny side, striped and broadly splashed on the shady side. Dots distinct, russet, numerous, minute; a few large russet dots. Calyx tube funnel-shape. Stamens median. Core closed; cells round, entire. Seeds long, large, flat. Flesh very yellow with yellow veinings, firm, very sweet, very good.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Isham Sweet. — Origin, Wisconsin. Fruit medium, roundish, slightly tapering; surface yellowish green, mostly covered with brownish red, solid and mixed on sunny side, striped and broadly splashed on shady side; dots distinct, russet, numerous, minute, a few large russet dots; cavity regular, acute, with much radiating russet; stem short, basin very shallow, minutely wrinkled; calyx open; segments flat convergent. Core closed; cells round, entire; tube funnel-shaped; stamens median; seeds long, large, flat; flesh very yellow with yellow veinings, firm, very sweet, quality very good. Late fall, early winter.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Isham (synonym I. Sweet). Size: large. Form: roundish (oblate). Color: "+". Quality: good. Use: kitchen. Season: winter.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1894. Tree a strong grower. Fruit large, round, oblate, conical. Skin yellowish, shading to russet. Flesh coarse, white, not juicy, pleasant. Season September and October.