Red Rance

Apple

Origin/History

Origin unknown (Downing). Downing's 1900 entry lists this variety under the name "Red Range," almost certainly a spelling variant of Red Rance as used by Thomas and Lowther.

Tree

Vigorous, upright spreading grower; productive (Downing).

Fruit

Size: Medium or below (Downing); medium (Thomas; Lowther).

Form: Roundish, slightly conic (Downing). Thomas and Lowther give roundish-oblate — a conflicting form description.

Stem: Short (Downing).

Cavity: Small (Downing).

Calyx: Closed (Downing).

Basin: Broad and shallow (Downing).

Skin: Fine yellow ground, shaded with red, thickly covered with whitish dots (Downing). Thomas describes the coloring as red striped, without mention of a yellow ground; Lowther's table codes the color as "yr" (yellow-red).

Flesh/Flavor: Yellowish, firm, juicy, and rich, with a mild Spitzenburg flavor (Downing). Quality rated good to very good (Downing); good (Thomas); very good (Lowther).

Season

December to February (Downing); winter (Thomas; Lowther).

Uses

Not described in source.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Lowther's Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914) includes Red Rance in a coded variety-characteristic table, which carries regional division ratings not found in other sources. The table row is reproduced here:

Red Rance. Size: M. Form: rob. Color: yr. Quality: VG. Use: b. Season: W. N. Div.: 10*. C. Div.: 9*.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

Red Range.

Origin unknown. Tree a vigorous, upright spreading grower, productive.

Fruit medium or below, roundish, slightly conic. Color fine yellow, shaded with red and thickly covered with whitish dots. Stalk short, inserted in a small cavity. Calyx closed, set in a broad, shallow basin. Flesh yellowish, firm, juicy, rich, with a mild Spitzenburgh flavor. Good to very good. December, February.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Red Rance. Size: M. Form: rob. Color: yr. Quality: VG. Use: b. Season: W. N. Div.: 10*. C. Div.: 9*.

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

Red Rance. Medium, roundish-oblate, red striped; good. Winter.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Red Range