Jewett Red
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin/History
Originated in Hollis, New Hampshire. It has been known in certain local markets in New England for fifty years or more (as of 1905), but had not yet been grown to any considerable extent in New York. Cultivated in the northern parts of New England and reported hardy at the West.
Tree
Tree makes a very unsatisfactory growth in the nursery and for that reason does best when top-worked on some thriftier stock. In the orchard it is a rather slow grower and hardly attains medium size; branches rather short and stout with comparatively few laterals and numerous spurs. Form spreading or roundish, somewhat open. Elliott describes the growth as "slow, rather slender, diverging," and notes it is best adapted to strong clay soils North, where it is hardy. The tree comes into bearing rather young but is only moderately productive. As compared with standard varieties like Baldwin and Rhode Island Greening, it evidently requires extra attention in pruning, spraying, fertilizing and tilling in order to secure a good average grade of fruit.
Twigs: Very short to moderately long, nearly straight, rather stout; internodes short.
Bark: Dull dark brownish-green varying to brownish-red mottled and streaked with light scarf-skin, slightly pubescent.
Lenticels: Rather scattering, small to medium, roundish, not raised, rather dull in color.
Buds: Rather short, small, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent.
Fruit
Size: Above medium to less than medium size, pretty uniform in size and shape (Beach). Elliott describes it as medium to large. Thomas gives medium or rather large.
Form: Roundish oblate, sides unequal, obscurely ribbed, often somewhat irregular (Beach). Elliott describes it as roundish flattened, tapering to the eye, sometimes angular. Thomas gives roundish, slightly oblate.
Stem: Short (Beach). Thomas notes the stem is nearly an inch long. Elliott says the stem is varying.
Cavity: Variable, acute to acuminate, shallow to medium in depth, moderately wide, furrowed obscurely if at all, green or russeted, sometimes lipped (Beach). Elliott describes the cavity as narrow. Thomas gives acuminate.
Calyx: Small to medium, open or partly closed; lobes broad, short, obtuse (Beach). Elliott describes the calyx as small, partially closed.
Basin: Shallow to medium in depth, moderately wide, obtuse, obscurely furrowed and slightly wrinkled (Beach). Elliott describes the basin as shallow, wrinkled. Thomas gives rather shallow.
Skin: Rather thin, tough, nearly smooth, dark red over yellow background, often deepening to purplish-red and obscurely marked with broken stripes and splashes of carmine (Beach). Dots numerous, often conspicuous, pale yellow or whitish. Characteristic bluish-white scarf-skin often more or less overspreads the base. Prevailing effect very attractive, deep red. Elliott describes the color as greenish yellow, mostly overspread or striped with red, with numerous white dots. Thomas gives striped red on yellow or slightly greenish yellow ground, with conspicuous white dots. Beach notes it is of the Blue Pearmain type and one of the best of that group in quality, with beautiful dark red color overspread with blue bloom.
Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish, moderately fine, tender, juicy, pleasantly aromatic, mild subacid or nearly sweet, good to very good (Beach). Elliott describes the flesh as yellowish white, fine-grained, tender, mild aromatic sub-acid. Thomas gives "remarkably tender, fine grained, mild sub-acid, slightly aromatic." Beach notes it is highly esteemed as a dessert fruit in portions of New England, particularly in Maine and New Hampshire. As fruited at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station it does not develop as high color nor as good quality as it does in the region where it originated.
Calyx Tube: Moderately narrow, funnel-form or approaching cone-shape (Beach).
Stamens: Median (Beach).
Core/Seeds: Core axile or nearly so; cells sometimes unsymmetrical, closed or sometimes open; core lines clasping. Carpels oval, elongated, emarginate. Seeds numerous, clear reddish-brown, below medium or rather small (Beach). Elliott gives core medium, seeds ovate rounded.
Season
Early winter apple. October to February (Beach). November to February (Elliott). Mid-autumn into winter (Thomas).
Uses
Highly esteemed as a dessert fruit in portions of New England, particularly in Maine and New Hampshire, where it is grown to some extent commercially. The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture classifies its use as "b" (both dessert and cooking).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture rates quality as "B" (best) and lists it under Northern Division 9.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)JEWETT RED.
REFERENCES. 1. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 8:250. 1842. 2. Thomas, 1849:149. 3. Cole, 1849:112. 4. Mag. Hort., 21:569. 1855. fig. 5. Downing, 1857:157. 6. Elliott, 1858:140. fig. 7. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 8. Warder, 1867:723. 9. Barry, 1883:347. 10. Hoskins, U. S. Pom. Rpt., 1886:274. 11. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:292. 12. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1893:133. 13. Waugh, Vt. Sta. Bul., 61:30. 1897. 14. Budd-Hansen, 1903:106. 15. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:126. 1904.
SYNONYMS. JEWETT'S FINE RED (5, 8, 9, 10, 14). Jewett's Fine Red (2, 4, 6, 12, 15). JEWETT'S RED (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 15). Nodhead (3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15).
An early winter apple of medium size and of beautiful dark red color overspread with blue bloom. It is highly esteemed as a dessert fruit in portions of New England, particularly in Maine and New Hampshire where it is grown to some extent commercially. It is of the Blue Pearmain type and one of the best of that group in quality. As fruited at this Station it does not develop as high color nor as good quality as it does in the region where it originated. The tree comes into bearing rather young but is a slow grower and only moderately productive. As compared with standard varieties like Baldwin and Rhode Island Greening, it evidently requires extra attention in pruning, spraying, fertilizing and tilling in order to secure a good average grade of fruit.
Historical. Origin, Hollis, N. H. (4). It has been known in certain local markets in New England for fifty years or more, but has not yet been grown to any considerable extent in New York.
TREE.
Tree makes a very unsatisfactory growth in the nursery and for that reason does best when top-worked on some thriftier stock. In the orchard it is a rather slow grower and hardly attains medium size; branches rather short and stout with comparatively few laterals and numerous spurs. Form spreading or roundish, somewhat open. Twigs very short to moderately long, nearly straight, rather stout; internodes short. Bark dull dark brownish-green varying to brownish-red mottled and streaked with light scarf-skin, slightly pubescent. Lenticels rather scattering, small to medium, roundish, not raised, rather dull in color. Buds rather short, small, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit above medium to less than medium size, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form roundish oblate, sides unequal, obscurely ribbed, often somewhat irregular. Stem short. Cavity variable, acute to acuminate, shallow to medium in depth, moderately wide, furrowed obscurely if at all, green or russeted, sometimes lipped. Calyx small to medium, open or partly closed; lobes broad, short, obtuse. Basin shallow to medium in depth, moderately wide, obtuse, obscurely furrowed and slightly wrinkled. Skin rather thin, tough, nearly smooth, dark red over yellow background, often deepening to purplish-red and obscurely marked with broken stripes and splashes of carmine. Dots numerous, often conspicuous, pale yellow or whitish. Characteristic bluish-white scarf-skin often more or less overspreads the base. Prevailing effect very attractive, deep red. Calyx tube moderately narrow, funnel-form or approaching cone-shape. Stamens median. Core axile or nearly so; cells sometimes unsymmetrical, closed or sometimes open; core lines clasping. Carpels oval, elongated, emarginate. Seeds numerous, clear reddish-brown, below medium or rather small. Flesh yellowish, moderately fine, tender, juicy, pleasantly aromatic, mild subacid or nearly sweet, good to very good. Season October to February (15).
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Jewett's Red Size: M Form: rob Color: — Quality: B Use: b Season: W N. Div.: 9*
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Jewett's Red. Jewett's Fine Red, | Nodhead. Tree, slow, rather slender, diverging growth; fruit, unfair while young; best adapted to strong clay soils North, where it is hardy, and said to succeed well. Fruit, medium to large, roundish flattened, tapering to the eye, sometimes angular: greenish yellow, mostly overspread or striped with red, numerous white dots; stem, varying; cavity, narrow; calyx, small, partially closed: basin, shallow, wrinkled; core, medium; seeds, ovate rounded; flesh, yellowish white, fine-grained, tender, mild aromatic sub-acid. November to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Jewett's Red. (Jewett's Fine Red, Nodhead.) Medium or rather large, roundish, slightly oblate; striped red on yellow or slightly greenish yellow ground, with conspicuous white dots; stem nearly an inch long; cavity acuminate; basin rather shallow; flesh remarkably tender, fine grained, mild sub-acid, slightly aromatic. Mid-autumn into winter. Cultivated in the northern parts of New England. Hardy at the West. New Hampshire.