Parson
AppleParson
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, 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 to the New York Agricultural Experiment Station for testing in 1901. The Central Experimental Farm at Agassiz, British Columbia, planted it in spring 1894. Professor John Craig states that it resembles the Sweet Winesap but is of much purer quality. At the time of writing (Beach, 1905), it had not been sufficiently tested in the Geneva vicinity to determine its value for that region.
Tree
Beach (1905) describes the tree as vigorous, with long, moderately stout branches; form upright and somewhat spreading or roundish, open. The Central Experimental Farm (1900) records it as a moderate grower — a point of disagreement with Beach's characterization of vigor. 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: Beach/Craig (1905): large, roundish, oblique, conical. The Central Experimental Farm (1900) describes the fruit as medium in size, conical — a direct conflict with Craig's "large."
Stem: Half to three-quarters inch long, deeply inserted, curved, slender (Craig).
Cavity: Deep, narrow, regular (Craig).
Calyx: Large, open (Craig).
Basin: Large, slightly ribbed (Craig).
Skin: Two sources conflict substantially on color. Craig (1905): moderately smooth; color yellow, nearly covered with rich dark red, marked with large white or russet-colored dots, marbled on the shaded side. The Central Experimental Farm (1900): skin yellowish white, with a small blush on the sunny side only. Beach's own summary describes the variety as "a large, handsome, dark red" apple, in accord with Craig's account.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh white (both sources agree). Craig: tender, flaky, fairly juicy, very sweet. Central Experimental Farm: juicy, firm, sweet, quality good.
Core and Seeds: Core small (Craig).
Season
Early winter (both sources agree).
Uses
Classed as a sweet apple. Craig rates it "one of the best of the class." Beach describes it as "a large, handsome, dark red, early winter apple of excellent flavor."
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1900)
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as Parson's Sweet
View original book sources (2)
— 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."
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1894. Tree a moderate grower. Fruit of medium size, conical. Skin yellowish white, with a small blush on the sunny side. Flesh white, juicy, firm, sweet, quality good. Season early Winter.