Rhode Island Greening

Rhode Island Greening.

From its name this apple would appear, like the Peck's Pleasant, to have come from the sea-girt State. It is a universal favorite, and is found to succeed well in a great many situations; but there are some portions of the West where it has failed to give satisfaction, being slow to come into bearing, becoming an autumn instead of a winter fruit, and falling badly from the trees before picking time. In sandstone soils, however, even in Southern Indiana and Illinois, it does better than on the limestone clays; the fruit attains an enormous size, but matures too early for a winter apple.

Tree very vigorous, crooked, spreading, productive; Shoots stout, dark, with dark foliage.

Fruit large to very large, varying in shape from globular or round to flat, which is the prevailing and characteristic form. Surface smooth in the North, somewhat rough and often quite russeted in the South, a dull green, becoming yellow at maturity; Dots grey, irregular, numerous.

Fig. 79.— RHODE ISLAND GREENING.

Basin regular, small and russeted to a greater or less extent, sometimes extending half way down the sides of the fruit; Eye small to medium, closed.

Cavity wide, regular; Stem medium to long, curved, often reddish.

Core roundish-oval, regular, closed, clasping the eye; Seeds numerous, angular, dark; Flesh very yellow, breaking, tender, juicy, with a rich, acid flavor, making it a superior cooking apple, and very fine for the dessert when fully ripe; Quality almost first rate; Season October to December — in the North, keeping until March.

— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)

Rhode Island Greening.

Burlington Greening. Russine. Bell Dubois, Jersey Greening. Grunting von Rhode Island.

The Rhode Island Greening is such a universal favorite, and is so generally known, that it seems almost superfluous to give a description of it. It succeeds well in almost all of the northern sections of the States, and on a great variety of soils, and where it does succeed is one of the most esteemed and profitable among early winter fruits. In Southern Ohio, Indiana, and farther south it drops too early. Tree a very vigorous, strong, spreading grower. Young shoots reddish brown. Very productive.

Rhode Island Greening.

Fruit large, roundish, a little flattened, pretty regular, but often obscurely ribbed, dark green, becoming greenish yellow when ripe, when it sometimes shows a dull blush near the stalk. Calyx small, woolly, closed, in a slightly sunk scarcely plaited basin. Stalk three-fourths of an inch long, curved, thickest at the bottom. Flesh yellow, fine-grained, tender, crisp, with an abundance of rich, slightly aromatic, Lively, acid juice. Very good. November to February.

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

RHODE ISLAND GREENING.

REFERENCES.

1. Coxe, 1817:129. fig. 2. Thacher, 1822:134. 3. Duel, N. Y. Bd. Agr. Mem., 1826:476. 4. Fessenden, 1828:131. 5. Cat. Hort. Soc. London, 1831:32. 6. Kenrick, 1832:52. 7. Floy-Lindley, 1833:37. 8. Ib., 1833:86. 9. Mag. Hort., 1:326, 364. 1835. 10. Manning, 1838:56. 11. Ib., Mag. Hort., 7:51. 1841. 12. Downing, 1845:128. fig. 13. Horticulturist, 1:257. 1846. 14. Ib., 1:361, 407, 431. 1847. 15. Ib., 2:545. 1848. 16. Ib., 3:292. 1848. 17. Thomas, 1849:184. 18. Cole, 1849:123. fig. 19. Elliott, Horticulturist, 3:420. 1849. 20. Phoenix, Ib., 4:472. 1850. 21. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:90. 1851. col. pl. No. 22. 22. Hovey, 2:79. 1851. 23. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1852. 24. Elliott, 1854:104. fig. 25. Bivort, An. de Pom. Belge, 1855:60. 26. Gregg, 1857:58. 27. Hooper, 1857:79. 28. Horticulturist, 13:144. 1858. 29. Ill. Handb. Obst., 1:265. 1858. 30. Warder, 1867:414. fig. 31. Regel, 1868:453. 32. Mas, Le Verger, 1868:ii. 33. Leroy, 1873:853. fig. 34. Lauche, 1: col. pl. No. 62. 1882. 35. Barry, 1883:353. 36. Hogg, 1884:194. 37. Rural N. Y., 43:681. 1884. 38. Wickson, 1889:246. 39. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:296. 40. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:248. 41. Bredsted, 1893:171. 42. U. S. Pom. Bul., 7:354. 1898. 43. Adams, Amer. Gard., 22:599. 1901. 44. Eneroth-Smirnoff, 1901:425. 45. Budd-Hansen, 1903:163. fig. 46. U. S. Dept. Agr. Yr. Bk., 1903:233. col. pl. No. 26. 47. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:54. 1903. 48. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:141. 1904.

SYNONYMS.

Burlington Greening (1, 6, 12, 24, 33, 36). Greening (17 and common colloquial usage). GREEN NEWTOWN PIPPIN (7) erroneously, corrected by Floy. Green Newtown Pippin (36, erroneously 33). HAMPSHIRE GREENING (33). Hampshire Greening (24). JERSEY GREENING (1, 6, 24, 33, 36). Jersey Greening (6, 24, 33, 36, ? 2 and 12). RHODE ISLAND (47). RHODE ISLAND GREENING (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 44, 46, 48). Rhode Island Greening (47). Verte de l'Ile de Rhodes (33). VERTE DE RHODE ISLAND (33).

Rhode Island Greening is grown more extensively in New York than any other apple except the Baldwin and in a few sections of the state it surpasses even Baldwin. Its range of distribution on this continent is nearly coextensive with that of Baldwin. In accordance with the usage of the American Pomological Society (23) the word Greening in the name of this variety is put in italics as the first step toward shortening the name to Rhode Island. Fruit growers and fruit dealers know the variety very well by the name Rhode Island Greening but commonly call it by the simple name Greening. Among these classes of people it will doubtless continue to be known by the name Greening or Rhode Island Greening as long as it remains in cultivation.

The apple, as the name indicates, is green in color. It is commonly deep grass-green in autumn, and later, as it ripens, develops more or less of a yellow color. It often has a dull blush and occasionally develops a rather bright red cheek but is never striped. Generally it is a reliable cropper and productive. The fruit has a recognized standing both in domestic and foreign markets and sells readily at good prices. It is generally regarded as one of the very best cooking apples grown being almost the peer of Esopus Spitsenburg and decidedly superior to Baldwin for all culinary purposes. It is also very good in quality for dessert use. Hovey well remarks (22): "As a cooking apple, the Greening is unsurpassed; and as a dessert fruit of its season, has few equals. To some tastes it is rather acid; but the tenderness of its very juicy flesh, the sprightliness of its abundant juice, and the delicacy of its rich and fine flavor is not excelled by any of the numerous varieties that we at present possess. In addition to these merits, it ripens up of a fine mellow shade of yellow, and its entire flesh, when well matured, is of the same rich tint."

It is a favorite variety in nearly all of the apple-growing sections of the state but it succeeds particularly well in Central and Western New York and in the middle portion of the Hudson valley. When grown farther south it is less desirable for commercial purposes because it ripens earlier and is not so good a keeper. In the North it is a little less hardy than Baldwin. It is a good variety to grow with the Baldwin in commercial orchards because, being a little earlier in season, it can be picked and marketed before it is necessary to pick Baldwin. Moreover it bears good crops some years when there is but a light crop of Baldwins or perhaps none at all. In regions best adapted to its cultivation it thrives on different slopes and on a variety of soils, but generally, it appears to do particularly well on fertile gravelly or sandy loam with well-drained clay subsoil.

The tree is long-lived and eventually becomes large although it is not an exceptionally rapid grower. It is hardy, strong, vigorous, and usually pretty healthy but unless thorough preventive treatment is given, both the foliage and the fruit are often injured by the apple-scab fungus. In some locations the limbs are rather susceptible to the disease known as canker.¹

The tree does not come into bearing very young and in many cases it is classed as a biennial cropper, but in favorable locations with good care it becomes almost an annual bearer yielding moderate to heavy crops. The fruit hangs well to the tree until it begins to ripen, but then is apt to drop to a considerable extent especially in high winds.

The tree has a tendency to form a rather dense head particularly when the soil is kept fertile and well tilled and the foliage is thoroughly protected from the attacks of insects and fungi. In pruning, special care should be taken to keep the head sufficiently open so that the light may reach the foliage in all parts of the tree. Sometimes the orchardist makes the mistake of cutting out large branches from the center of the tree thereby exposing the remaining limbs to injury by sunscald. A better way is to thin the top every year by removing as many of the smaller branches as may be necessary to make it uniformly open.

In training the young tree it is well to form the head rather high because as it matures the branches become long, wide-spreading and more or less drooping, and where the tree is headed low the lower branches eventually are so much in the way that it is necessary to remove them. Moreover when loaded with fruit these bend so close to the ground as to interfere with the free circulation of the air beneath the tree, and thus conditions are produced which favor the development of the apple scab and other fungous diseases.

When well grown, Rhode Island Greening produces a large percentage of high-grade fruit that is smooth, uniform and pretty large with little loss from undersized or other low-grade apples. It appears to be somewhat more subject than Baldwin to the attacks of apple scab and unless thorough preventive treatment is given this trouble is apt to cause very serious loss both by direct injury to the fruit and by opening the way to the attacks of other fungi, notably the pink-rot fungus.²

In ordinary storage it is in season from October to March or April and its common commercial limit is January or early February. It may be held commercially in cold storage till March or April (48). It ripens rapidly during periods of warm weather in autumn and does not stand heat well before going into storage as this induces scald. If put in cold storage in good condition the fruit keeps well and goes down gradually but if affected by scald or disease it goes down quickly. In going down, it scalds badly in storage, loses in quality, turns yellow, becomes mealy and large specimens are liable to burst (48).

The markets of the East prefer the green-colored fruit probably because this color is regarded as an indication that the apples are not over-ripe. In some western markets however the more attractive yellow and blushed fruit sells well. Some fruit growers follow the practice of picking the fruit while it is still quite green in order to hold its green color. Such fruit does not have as good flavor and quality as that which is allowed to become properly ripened on the tree and probably it is more liable to scald but storage men differ in their opinions on this point. It is very important that fruit of this variety which is intended for cold storage should be hurried into storage as soon as it is picked. This practice is more essential with Rhode Island Greening than with the average variety (48).

Historical. The locality of the origin of Rhode Island Greening is not known with certainty but there is little reason to doubt that it originated in the State of Rhode Island and probably in the vicinity of Newport near the place now known as Green's End (43), "where, in olden times, there was a tavern kept by Mr. Green, who raised apple trees from seed. Among the trees thus produced was one which bore a large green apple. The scions of this tree were in such demand by the people who stopped there as guests, that the tree died from excessive cutting and exhaustion. The fruit which resulted from grafting with these scions was known by different names in Rhode Island as the 'apple from Green's Inn,' while in adjoining States it was called the 'Green's Inn apple from Rhode Island.' * * * In the town of Foster, upon the farm of Thomas R. Drowne, at Mt. Hygeia, stands an old Rhode Island Greening tree, which is supposed to be nearly 200 years old. * * * This tree, to the knowledge of members of the family now living, has borne uninterruptedly until within a few years.³ * * * On the farm of Frederick W. Winslow, a few rods southwest of the lime kiln on the northern verge of Fruit Hill, stands a Rhode Island Greening tree, which is locally known as the 'Daughter Tree.' This tree is a limb of the mother tree, which was broken off in the September gale of 1815, and which upon being thrust into the rich moist soil, took root and became an independent tree. The mother tree was planted * * * in 1748. It was, therefore, 141 years old when it was cut down in 1889. * * * Authentic records of trees of this variety that were planted about 150 years ago in the soil of North Providence, on the farm of the late Lemuel Angell, are still in possession of that family. It was introduced into the old Plymouth colony from Newport in 1765; from there (?) it was carried into Ohio in 1796 by General Putnam."

While we have no record of its earliest introduction into this state it is well known that Rhode Island Greening was pretty widely disseminated in the older settled regions of New York during the eighteenth century. It is often found in the very oldest orchards now in existence in New York and it also ranks as one of the most important varieties in recently planted orchards.

TREE.

Tree large or above medium, strong, vigorous. Form wide-spreading, somewhat drooping, rather dense. Twigs medium to long, often somewhat crooked, rather stocky; internodes usually short. Bark olive-green with reddish-brown tinge, thinly covered with lines of gray scarf-skin, pubescent. Lenticels scattering but rather conspicuous, medium in size to rather large, usually roundish, raised. Buds medium to large, broad, plump, obtuse, appressed, pubescent. Leaves rather large, broad; foliage rather dense.

FRUIT.

Fruit above medium to large or very large, quite uniform in shape and size. Form roundish to roundish oblate or sometimes slightly inclined to conic, regular or a little inclined to elliptical, sometimes obscurely ribbed, symmetrical or sides slightly unequal. Stem medium in length and thickness, partly green, pubescent. Cavity medium in size, acute, medium in depth and width, symmetrical or rarely lipped, usually smooth, sometimes russeted and with narrow, outspreading russet rays. Calyx below medium to rather large, usually closed, sometimes partly open, pubescent; lobes moderately long, acute. Basin small to medium, shallow and obtuse to moderately deep and abrupt, regular or slightly furrowed.

Skin moderately thick, tough, smooth, waxy, grass-green varying to rather yellow, sometimes with brownish-red blush which rarely deepens to a distinct bright red (37). Dots greenish-white or russet, especially numerous toward the basin and often submerged. Prevailing effect green or yellowish.

Calyx tube rather wide, usually cone-shape with fleshy pistil point projecting into the base but occasionally funnel-form. Stamens median to basal.

Core medium or below, somewhat abaxile to axile or nearly so; cells pretty uniform, symmetrical, closed or partly open; core lines meeting if the calyx tube is cone-shape, otherwise clasping. Carpels rather thin, flat, emarginate, roundish to roundish cordate, sometimes tufted. Seeds few; often some are abortive. The plump ones are large, moderately narrow, long, acute to acuminate and sometimes tufted.

Flesh yellowish, firm, moderately fine-grained, crisp, tender, juicy, rich, sprightly subacid, peculiarly flavored, very good in quality.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)

Rhode Island Greening

The Rhode Island Greening does not do the best in the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountain states, but is at home in New England, New York and Pennsylvania. In the northeastern and north central states it is probably unsurpassed as an apple for dessert and culinary purposes. As its name indicates, the apple is green in color; is generally a deep grass-green in early autumn, but later as it ripens develops a more or less yellowish color. In some sections of the country it has a dull blush and occasionally develops a rather bright red cheek, but never striped. Generally it is productive and an annual bearer. The fruit has a recognized standard in both domestic and foreign markets and sells at good prices.

Delaware Red.

The tree is long lived and eventually becomes large, although it is not an exceptionally rapid grower. It is hardy, strong, vigorous, and usually pretty healthy, but unless thorough preventive treatment is given, both foliage and fruit are often injured by apple scab fungus. The form of the tree is wide-spreading, somewhat drooping, rather dense. Twigs medium to long, often somewhat crooked, rather stocky, internodes usually short. Bark olive green with reddish brown, thinly covered with lines of gray scarf skin, pubescent. Leaves rather large, broad, foliage rather dense. Fruit is above medium to large or very large, quite uniform in size and shape. Form roundish, oblate or sometimes inclined to conic, regular or a little inclined to elliptical, somewhat obscurely ribbed, symmetrical or sides slightly unequal. Skin moderately thick, tough, smooth, waxy, grass-green varying to rather yellow.

Originated in Rhode Island, and in the town of Foster, in Rhode Island, is a tree supposed to be nearly 200 years old. (1914.)

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

THE RHODE-ISLAND GREENING APPLE.

Rhode-Island Greening. Coxe's View of Fruits, &c. Jersey Greening, } Burlington Greening, } According to Coxe. Hampshire Greening, according to American Fruit Growers' Guide.

There are few apples better known than the Rhode-Island Greening, and few, if any, that surpass it, all its qualities considered. It is extensively cultivated, and, with the exception of the Roxbury Russet and Baldwin, is more generally planted than any other variety. Indeed, these three apples are the main orchard fruits of this country, and are not likely soon to be displaced by kinds of more recent introduction. As a cooking apple, the Greening is unsurpassed; and as a dessert fruit of its season, has few equals. To some tastes it is rather acid; but the tenderness of its very juicy flesh, the sprightliness of its abundant juice, and the delicacy of its rich and fine flavor, is not excelled by any of the numerous varieties that we at present possess. In addition to these merits, it ripens up of a fine mellow shade of yellow, and its entire flesh, when well matured, is of the same rich tint.

Of the origin of this old apple we have no certain information. Coxe, who is the first author who fully describes it, says nothing on this point. In New Jersey it was in his town, and still is in some localities, called the Jersey Greening; but from its name we presume it originated in Rhode-Island. It seems suited to all soils and localities, and flourishes throughout the Middle and Western States. It was one of the apples carried to Ohio, by Gen. Putnam, in 1796 or 97, and from thence distributed over that section of country. In the rich soils of the Ohio valley the most beautiful specimens are produced; but though so large and fair, they hardly equal in quality the produce of our more sterile soil and varied climate. It is a variety that cannot be too extensively cultivated.

The tree is a vigorous grower, not much inclined to run up, but assuming a rather low and branching habit, and consequently does not make so tall and round a head as the Baldwin; its branches spread out more, and, as the tree acquires age, they become somewhat pendent and nearly touch the ground: it is a regular bearer, producing moderately every year. Owing partly to the tenderness of its skin, it is more inclined to be wormy than some other varieties, which is the only fault, if this can be considered one, which the Greening possesses.

Tree.—Vigorous, with a branching and rather spreading habit, forming a broad, flattened head; annual growth, moderate.

Wood.—Light reddish chestnut, dotted with a few round white specks, downy at the ends, moderately stout, and short-jointed; old wood, grayish chestnut; buds, small, short, broad, much flattened, very erect, and slightly woolly: Flower-buds, medium size, woolly.

Leaves.—Medium size, long ovate, narrowing next to the stem, sharply pointed, bright green above, paler and slightly downy beneath, deeply and sharply serrated; petioles, medium length, about one inch long, stout, downy.

Flowers.—Large; petals obovate, wavy, cupped, and slightly tinged with blush.

Fruit.—Large, about three and a half inches broad, and two and three quarters deep: Form, roundish oblate, slightly flattened at the base, and indistinctly ribbed: Skin, fair, smooth, with an oily touch, of a clear deep green, becoming of a mellow yellow when ripe, with a faint tinge of blush on the sunny side: Stem, medium length, about three quarters of an inch long, moderately stout, curved, and inserted in a moderately deep cavity: Eye, small, closed, and slightly depressed in a somewhat furrowed basin; segments of the calyx, woolly: Flesh, yellow, fine, crisp and tender: Juice, very abundant, of a brisk, refreshing acid, very high flavored and rich: Core, medium size: Seeds, medium size.

Ripe in December, and often keeps till March.

— C.M. Hovey, The Fruits of America (1852)

Rhode Island Greening.

Burlington Greening, | Jersey Greening? Coxe, | Hampshire Greening.

This variety has been condemned in many sections, because of not producing as fine fruit on the same trees without care, as when the trees were young. Testimony has shown that it is a gross feeder, and needs soil well drained, rich in lime and phosphates : on usual soils, where the variety is defective, liberal dressing with wood ashes will answer. On sandy soils, well manured, the texture is closer than on clay. It is unreliable, South ; drops too early.

Fruit, large ; form, roundish flattened, sometimes a little angular at the base end ; color, green, yellowish green when ripe, with a dull blush, on sun-grown specimens, near the stem ; stem, medium ; cavity, open ; calyx, rather small, woolly ; basin, medium depth, slightly furrowed ; flesh, yellowish, fine-grained, tender, slightly aromatic, lively acid juice; core, small ; seeds, ovate pointed. December to February. The best cooking apple as yet known.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Rhode Island Greening.* (Greening.) Large, roundish oblate; green, becoming greenish yellow, always fair, a dull brown blush to the sun; stalk three-fourths of an inch long; basin rather small, often slightly russeted; flesh yellow—a rich yellow if much exposed to the sun, and whitish yellow or greenish white if much shaded—tender, juicy, with a rich rather acid flavor. Growth strong, young trees crooked or oblique, shoots rather spreading, leaves sharp serrate; very productive, single trees sometimes yielding forty bushels of fair fruit in favorable years and orchards 500 bushels per acre. Fine in New England and New York. Fig. 475. Tender far West. Susceptible to scab. Rhode Island.

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