Mouse
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Mouse Apple
Origin/History
An old variety that originated in Ulster County, New York, where it was formerly popular. It appears in the pomological literature as early as Downing's 1845 edition and is cited by Thomas (1849), Emmons (1851), Elliott (1854), Hooper (1857), and Warder (1867). By 1905, Beach reported that the variety had become unknown to him and his correspondents, suggesting it had largely passed out of cultivation by that time.
Tree
Vigorous and productive (Downing).
Fruit
Size and Form: Large; roundish, slightly conical (Downing); roundish conical (Elliott).
Weight: Light (Downing).
Stem: Slender (Elliott).
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Closed (Elliott).
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Pale greenish yellow, with a brownish blush on the sun side, and a few scattered russety gray dots (Downing); pale greenish yellow, brownish blush in sun, russet dots (Elliott).
Flesh and Flavor: Very white (Downing) / white (Elliott); fine-grained, moderately juicy, delicate, faintly perfumed (Downing); also described as sprightly and faintly perfumed (Elliott). The flavor character differs between sources: Downing gives mild subacid; Elliott gives sprightly, suggesting a more pronounced acidity.
Quality: Good (Downing); not more than "very good" (Elliott).
Season
October to November (Downing). December to March (Elliott) — a substantial discrepancy; Elliott's later season may reflect a longer storage window or a different assessment of harvest and keeping behavior.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Mouse Apple. Moose Apple. Origin, Ulster Co., N. Y. Tree vigorous and productive. Fruit, in weight, light ; in size, large, roundish, slightly conical, pale greenish yellow, with a brownish blush on one side, and a few scattered, russety gray dots. Flesh very white and fine-grained, moderately juicy, delicate, faintly perfumed, mild subacid. Good. October, November.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)MOUSE.
REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1845:117. 2. Thomas, 1849:182. 3. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:82. 1851. 4. Elliott, 1854:147. 5. Hooper, 1857:62. 6. Warder, 1867:727.
SYNONYMS. Moose (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). MOUSE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
An old variety which originated in Ulster county, N. Y., where it was formerly popular (1). According to Downing the fruit is large, roundish conical, pale greenish-yellow with brownish blush; flesh very white, fine-grained, delicate, mild subacid; good; season October to November. This variety is unknown to us and we have received no reports concerning it from any of our correspondents.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Mouse. Moose. From Ulster Co., N. Y. Fruit, large, roundish conical ; pale greenish yellow, brownish blush in sun, russet dots ; stem, slender ; calyx, closed ; flesh, white, sprightly, faintly perfumed; not more than "very good." December to March.