Lyscom
AppleLyscom
Origin / History
Lyscom originated in Massachusetts, specifically in Southborough, Worcester County, as recorded by Kenrick (1832). It is an old variety that was once quite widely disseminated, and was described as not generally known by Warder (1867). By the time of Beach's writing (1905), it had become nearly obsolete in New York and was not recommended for planting there, as it was not considered superior to other varieties of its season.
Tree
The tree is vigorous, upright, and spreading (Downing). Beach characterizes it as a moderate grower yielding moderate to good crops. Young shoots are dark brown and downy (Downing).
Fruit
Size
Large to very large. Beach notes it somewhat resembles Twenty Ounce in general appearance, but is less attractive.
Form
Roundish, varying from a little oblate to slightly oblong conic; flattened and regular according to Warder; often broadly ribbed especially toward the apex (Beach).
Stem / Stalk
Short, deep set, moderately thick (Beach; Warder; Downing; Elliott). Thomas describes the stalk as three-fourths of an inch long and slender.
Cavity
Deep, regular (Warder); deep, round, and even (Downing); acuminate, very deep, broad, symmetrical, russeted and with outspreading russet rays (Beach).
Calyx
Large (Warder; Downing); small according to Elliott; medium to large, usually closed, pubescent (Beach). Calyx deep set (Thomas). Calyx tube wide, elongated cone-shape; stamens median to basal (Beach).
Basin
Large, plaited (Warder; Elliott); broad and plaited (Downing); often oblique, deep, moderately narrow to rather wide with broad, deep furrows (Beach).
Skin
Smooth, yellowish or greenish yellow ground, striped and splashed with red (Warder; Downing; Elliott; Lowther). Thomas describes broad, broken, distinct, pale red stripes on yellowish or greenish yellow ground. Beach describes the skin as thick, tough, rather dull green or somewhat yellowish, striped, splashed and somewhat blushed with red.
Flesh / Flavor
Whitish (Warder) or somewhat tinged with yellow (Beach); fine-grained, tender, juicy (Warder; Downing; Beach). Flavor mild sub-acid, agreeable (Warder); exceedingly mild and agreeable (Downing); mild, slightly sub-acid, moderately rich, good flavor (Thomas); subacid becoming very mild subacid (Beach); tender, mild, not high in flavor but acceptable (Beach). Quality good (Warder; Lowther) to very good (Downing).
Core / Seeds
Core rather large, axile; cells closed; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels ovate, slightly emarginate, somewhat tufted. Seeds short, often nearly round, plump, obtuse (Beach).
Season
September to November (Warder; Downing; Elliott); middle and late autumn (Thomas); early autumn (Lowther); late September or October to November or December (Beach).
Uses
Suitable for table (dessert) and kitchen (Warder); acceptable for either dessert or culinary uses (Beach); kitchen and market (Lowther).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther notes that the Northern Division of the American Pomological Society reports the variety at 4 stations, with an asterisk indicating the variety is also reported in at least one other division; Central and Southern Division counts are not recorded.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
View original book sources (6)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Lyscom.
Origin Massachusetts. This pleasant dessert apple is not generally known.
Fruit large, roundish, flattened, regular; Surface smooth, yellowish, striped and splashed with red.
Basin large, plaited; Eye large.
Cavity deep, regular; Stem short.
Flesh whitish, fine-grained, tender, juicy; Flavor mild sub-acid, agreeable; Quality good; Use, table and kitchen; Season, September to November.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Lyscom.
Osgood's Favorite. Matthew Stripe.
Origin, Massachusetts. Tree vigorous, upright, spreading. Young shoots dark brown, downy.
Fruit large, roundish, greenish yellow, with a few broken stripes or splashes of red. Stalk short, planted in a deep, round, even cavity. Calyx large, in a broad, plaited basin. Flesh fine-grained, and exceedingly mild and agreeable in flavor. Good to very good. September to November.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)LYSCOM.
REFERENCES. 1. N. E. Farmer, 1830 (cited by 17). 2. Kenrick, 1832:36. 3. Mag. Hort., 1:364,395. 1835. 4. Hovey, Ib., 4:48. 1838. 5. Manning, 1838:51. 6. Ib., Mag. Hort., 7:46. 1841. 7. Downing, 1845:89. 8. Cole, 1849:111. 9. Thomas, 1849:151. 10. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:32. 1851. 11. Elliott, 1854:145. 12. Mag. Hort., 20:241. 1854. 13. Hooper, 1857:56. 14. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 15. Warder, 1867:605. 16. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:294. 17. Ragan, U. S. P. B. I. Bul., 56:186. 1905.
SYNONYMS. Lyscom (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17). Matthew's Stripe (3, 8, 17). Osgood's Favourite (3, 7, 8, 9, 17).
A very large apple somewhat resembling Twenty Ounce in general appearance but less attractive; flesh tender, mild, not high in flavor but acceptable for either dessert or culinary uses. The tree is a moderate grower and yields moderate to good crops. It is in season from late September or October to November or December. Not recommended for planting in New York because it is not superior to other varieties of its season.
Historical. Origin Southborough, Worcester county, Mass. (2). It is an old variety which has been quite widely disseminated. It is now nearly obsolete in New York.
FRUIT.
Fruit large or very large. Form roundish varying from a little oblate to slightly oblong conic, often broadly ribbed especially toward the apex. Stem deep set, short, moderately thick. Cavity acuminate, very deep, broad, symmetrical, russeted and with outspreading russet rays. Calyx medium to large, usually closed, pubescent. Basin often oblique, deep, moderately narrow to rather wide with broad, deep furrows. Skin thick, tough, rather dull green or somewhat yellowish, striped, splashed and somewhat blushed with red. Calyx tube wide, elongated cone-shape. Stamens median to basal. Core rather large, axile; cells closed; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels ovate, slightly emarginate, somewhat tufted. Seeds short, often nearly round, plump, obtuse. Flesh somewhat tinged with yellow, rather fine, tender, juicy, subacid becoming very mild subacid, good. Season late September or October to November or December.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Lyscom is large in size. Form is not recorded. Skin color is greenish yellow. Quality is good. Use is both kitchen and market. Season is early autumn. The Northern Division of the American Pomological Society reports 4 stations; the asterisk indicates the variety is also reported in at least one other division. Central and Southern Division counts are not recorded.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Lyscom.
Matthew's Stripe, | Osgood's Favorite.
From Mass. Fruit, large, round; greenish yellow, broken stripes, and splashes of red ; stem, short ; cavity, deep ; calyx, small ; basin plaited; flesh, fine-grained, mild sub-acid. September to November.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Lyscom. Large, round, with broad, broken, distinct, pale red stripes, on yellowish or greenish yellow ground; stalk three-fourths of an inch long, slender; calyx deep set; flesh fine grained, mild, slightly sub-acid, moderately rich, good flavor. Middle and late autumn. Massachusetts.