Long Island Russet
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin/History
An old apple, much grown in New Jersey and Long Island, and valued highly for cider purposes (Downing). Beach states it was formerly much grown on Long Island and in Westchester county, where it was considered profitable and particularly valued for cider. By 1905, Beach considered it "nearly obsolete." Hicks (1894, cited by Beach) still valued it on Long Island and noted its keeping quality.
Beach records that a second, distinct variety was circulating under the same name from various parts of Long Island, the Hudson valley, and one locality in Michigan. Beach states this fruit "does not correspond with the description by Coxe" and he was unable to identify it with any named variety. It too was no longer being planted and was "fast becoming obsolete, being represented now only by old trees." Beach provides a full pomological description of this second variety (see Subtypes/Variants below).
Tree
Vigorous, spreading, and productive (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Coxe describes it as small. Downing says below medium. Elliott says medium.
Form: Rather oblong, diminishing towards the crown (Coxe). Downing describes it as roundish. Elliott says roundish oblong.
Stem: A full inch in length, planted very deep (Coxe).
Cavity: Coxe notes the stalk is "planted very deep," indicating a deep stem cavity.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Coxe describes the crown (calyx end) as "very hollow."
Skin: Yellow russet, clouded with black spots (Coxe). Downing describes it as yellow, mostly overspread with dull russet, with black spots or blotches when fully ripe. Elliott says dull yellowish russet. Beach notes its general appearance is attractive for a russet.
Flesh/Flavor: Dry and sweet; "makes a very sweet sirupy cider, which when fined is much admired" (Coxe). Downing says "yellowish, tough, rather dry, almost sweet." Elliott describes the flesh as greenish and dry. Warder (cited by Beach) classes it with the subacid apples, conflicting with Coxe's and Downing's descriptions of the flavor as sweet to almost sweet.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Keeps well (Coxe). Hicks (cited by Beach) says "it is a long keeper, sometimes keeping till apples come again." Downing gives the season as October to February. Elliott gives the season as December to March.
Uses
Highly valued for cider. Coxe says it "makes a very sweet sirupy cider, which when fined is much admired." Downing and Beach both note it was particularly valued for cider purposes.
Subtypes/Variants
Beach describes a second, distinct variety that was circulating under the name Long Island Russet, which he labels separately and notes "does not correspond with the description by Coxe." Beach was unable to identify it with any named variety. His full description follows:
Size: Medium to small, sometimes nearly large.
Form: Roundish to somewhat oblong, narrowing toward the basin, sometimes approaching truncate cylindrical, often with an oblique axis, irregular; not very uniform in size and shape.
Stem: Short to medium, moderately slender.
Cavity: Large, acute, usually deep, broad, green or russeted, sometimes furrowed.
Calyx: Closed or partly open; lobes rather narrow, acute.
Basin: Often oblique, of medium depth, rather narrow to moderately wide, rather abrupt, a little furrowed and wrinkled.
Skin: Tough, more or less covered with golden russet but usually with some patches of smooth bright yellow or green, irregularly marked with indistinct grayish scarf-skin. Dots inconspicuous, scattering, gray or russet. Prevailing effect is usually golden russet.
Calyx Tube: Conical to funnel-shape, with a wide limb and narrow cylinder.
Stamens: Basal to nearly median.
Core: Rather small, sometimes medium, abaxile or sometimes axile; cells often unsymmetrical, closed or open; core lines meeting or somewhat clasping.
Carpels: Smooth or nearly so, broadly roundish to angular-ovate, wide at the middle and tapering toward the base and apex, but slightly emarginate if at all, sometimes slightly tufted.
Seeds: Numerous, dark brown, medium in size, moderately narrow, plump, obtuse to acute, sometimes tufted.
Flesh: Tinged with a decided deep yellow, firm, at first rather crisp or hard, but often becoming tough, moderately fine, sprightly subacid, juicy, very good.
Season: November to midwinter or later.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 36. LONG ISLAND RUSSET. This is a small apple, very much in appearance like the Coopers Russeting; the form is rather oblong, diminishing towards the crown, which is very hollow; the stalk is a full inch in length, planted very deep the flesh is dry and sweet; makes a very sweet sirupy cider, which when fined is much admired the skin is of a yellow russet, clouded with black spots this apple keeps well.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Long Island Russet.
An old Apple, much grown in New Jersey and Long Island, and valued highly for cider purposes. Tree vigorous, spreading, and productive.
Fruit below medium, roundish, yellow, mostly overspread with dull russet, black spots or blotches when fully ripe. Flesh yellowish, tough, rather dry, almost sweet. October to February.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)(I) LONG ISLAND RUSSET.
REFERENCES. 1. Coxe, 1817:123. fig. 2. Robey, Horticulturist, 11:89. 1856. 3. Elliott, 1858:173. 4. Warder, 1867:725. 5. Downing, 1869:255. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1875:10. 7. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:243. 8. Hicks, Rural N. Y., 53:205. 1894. 9. Thomas, 1897:643.
SYNONYM. English Russet (8).
This variety was formerly much grown on Long Island and in Westchester county, where it was considered profitable and particularly valued for cider (1, 8). It is now nearly obsolete. Coxe describes it as "Small, * * * rather oblong, diminishing towards the crown, which is very hollow; the stalk is a full inch in length, planted very deep the flesh is dry and sweet; makes a very sweet, sirupy cider, which when fined is much admired the skin is a yellow russet, clouded with black spots this apple keeps well." Elliott gives its season as December to March (3). Downing (5) gives the season as October to February. "Flesh yellowish, tough, rather dry, almost sweet." Warder (4) classes it with the subacid apples. Hicks (8) says "it is a long keeper, sometimes keeping till apples come again." Its general appearance is attractive for a russet.
(H) LONG ISLAND RUSSET.
From various parts of Long Island and from one locality in Michigan we have received under the name Long Island Russet the variety which is described below and illustrated in the accompanying color plate. This fruit has also come to us from the Hudson valley. It is evident that it does not correspond with the description by Coxe cited above. We have been unable to identify it with any named variety. So far as we can learn this variety is no longer being planted and is fast becoming obsolete, being represented now only by old trees.
FRUIT. Fruit medium to small, sometimes nearly large. Form roundish to somewhat oblong, narrowing toward the basin, sometimes approaching truncate cylindrical, often with an oblique axis, irregular; not very uniform in size and shape. Stem short to medium, moderately slender. Cavity large, acute, usually deep, broad, green or russeted, sometimes furrowed. Calyx closed or partly open; lobes rather narrow, acute. Basin often oblique, of medium depth, rather narrow to moderately wide, rather abrupt, a little furrowed and wrinkled. Skin tough, more or less covered with golden russet but usually with some patches of smooth bright yellow or green, irregularly marked with indistinct grayish scarf-skin. Dots inconspicuous, scattering, gray or russet. Prevailing effect is usually golden russet. Calyx tube conical to funnel-shape, with a wide limb and narrow cylinder. Stamens basal to nearly median. Core rather small, sometimes medium, abaxile or sometimes axile; cells often unsymmetrical, closed or open; core lines meeting or somewhat clasping. Carpels smooth or nearly so, broadly roundish to angular-ovate, wide at the middle and tapering toward the base and apex, but slightly emarginate if at all, sometimes slightly tufted. Seeds numerous, dark brown, medium in size, moderately narrow, plump, obtuse to acute, sometimes tufted. Flesh tinged with a decided deep yellow, firm, at first rather crisp or hard, but often becoming tough, moderately fine, sprightly subacid, juicy, very good. Season November to midwinter or later.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Long Island Russet.
Medium, roundish oblong, dull yellowish russet ; flesh, greenish, dry. December, March.