Parson
ApplePARSON
Synonyms: Parson's Sweet
Origin & History
Said to have originated near Springfield, Massachusetts, as a seedling in one of the old orchards of that locality. Fowler Brothers brought the stock to Geneva, New York, around 1880, where it was propagated for their own sales, as the variety was known only locally in the vicinity of Springfield. Mr. A. L. Root of the Fonthill Nurseries in Welland, Ontario, obtained the variety from Fowler Brothers and sent scions to the New York Station for testing in 1901.
Tree
Form and Growth: Vigorous with long, moderately stout branches. Form upright and somewhat spreading or roundish; open structure.
Twigs: Long, stout, slightly curved; internodes short.
Bark: Very dark brown lightly streaked with scarf-skin, pubescent.
Lenticels: Numerous, medium in size, oblong, slightly raised, rather conspicuous.
Buds: Deeply set in bark, large, broad, flat, obtuse, appressed, pubescent.
Fruit
Size and Form: Large; roundish, oblique, conical.
Skin: Moderately smooth. Color: yellow, nearly covered with rich dark red, marked with large white or russet-colored dots marbled on the shaded side.
Stem: Half to three-quarters inch long, deeply inserted, curved, slender.
Cavity: Deep, narrow, regular.
Basin: Large, slightly ribbed.
Calyx: Large, open.
Flesh: White, tender, flaky, fairly juicy, very sweet.
Core: Small.
Flavor & Quality
An apple of excellent flavor. Resembles the Sweet Winesap but is of much purer quality. Described as "a large handsome sweet early winter apple" and "one of the best of the class."
Season
Early winter.
Cultivation Notes
At the time of this report, the variety had not been sufficiently tested in the New York region to determine its full value for that area. It had remained known only locally in the vicinity of Springfield, Massachusetts, until its introduction to commercial cultivation in New York.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)PARSON.
REFERENCES. 1. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:246. 2. Craig, Can. Dept. Agr. Rpt., 1896:132.
SYNONYM. PARSON'S SWEET (1). Parson's Sweet (2).
A large, handsome, dark red, early winter apple of excellent flavor. It has not been sufficiently tested in this vicinity to determine its value for this region. Professor John Craig states that it resembles the Sweet Winesap but is of much purer quality.
Historical. Said to have originated near Springfield, Mass., as a seedling in one of the old orchards of that locality. Fowler Brothers brought the stock to Geneva, New York, about 1880 where it was propagated for their own sales as it was known only locally in the vicinity of Springfield. Mr. A. L. Root, of the Fonthill Nurseries, Welland, Ontario, who obtained the variety from Fowler Brothers, sent scions of it to this Station for testing in 1901.
TREE.
Tree vigorous with long, moderately stout branches. Form upright and somewhat spreading or roundish, open. Twigs long, stout, slightly curved; internodes short. Bark very dark brown lightly streaked with scarf-skin, pubescent. Lenticels numerous, medium in size, oblong, slightly raised, rather conspicuous. Buds deeply set in bark, large, broad, flat, obtuse, appressed, pubescent.
FRUIT.
The following is Craig's description of the fruit (2). "Large, roundish, oblique, conical. Skin moderately smooth; colour, yellow, nearly covered with rich dark red, marked with large white or russet-coloured dots marbled on the shaded side. Cavity, deep, narrow, regular; stem half to three-quarters inch long, deeply inserted, curved, slender. Basin large, slightly ribbed; calyx, large, open. Flesh white, tender, flaky, fairly juicy, very sweet; core small. A large handsome sweet early winter apple. One of the best of the class."