Richard's Graft
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin/History
Beach (1905) provides the most detailed account: this variety was originated at Greenport, Columbia County, New York, by Richard Delamatter, and was introduced about 1860 by E. G. Studley, a nurseryman of Claverack, Columbia County, New York. Its cultivation was being extended somewhat in Columbia County, but as yet it was but little known outside of the Hudson valley. Thomas (1903) likewise notes it was cultivated on the Hudson River.
However, Warder (1867) and Elliott (1865) both state the variety was "supposed to have originated in Ulster County, New York," a different county. Downing (1900) agrees with Beach in placing the origin at Greenport, Columbia County.
Elliott (1865) describes it as "an old fruit... as yet little known." Downing calls it "an excellent fall Apple, worthy of extended cultivation." Beach considers it "a very fine fall apple of superior dessert quality" and "an excellent variety for home use," noting it was also "being grown to a limited extent in commercial orchards with profit."
Tree
Tree a free, upright grower, productive. Warder (1867) describes the tree as "vigorous" and "very productive," while Beach (1905) describes it as "of medium size, moderately vigorous" and "a reliable cropper yielding good crops biennially." Downing (1900) describes the form as "upright spreading," while Beach gives the form as "upright or roundish, open." Beach further notes the tree is long-lived.
Young shoots very dark reddish brown, downy (Downing). Twigs moderately long, curved, moderately stout; internodes medium. Bark dark brown, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; pubescent. Lenticels quite numerous, medium size, round, not raised. Buds medium size, broad, acute to obtuse, free, pubescent (Beach).
Fruit
Size: Described variously as medium (Downing, Beach), medium to large (Warder), above medium (Elliott), and rather large (Thomas).
Form: Roundish oblate (Downing, Beach, Thomas). Warder describes the form as "regular, oblate." Elliott says "roundish flattened."
Stem: Downing and Beach describe the stem as medium length, slender. Elliott gives the stem as an inch long. Warder describes the stem as long and red.
Cavity: Large (Downing, Beach, Thomas). Warder describes it as wide and regular. Elliott says deep and broad.
Calyx: Small, closed. Downing notes the segments are sometimes recurved. Elliott describes the segments as reflexed.
Basin: Warder describes the basin as medium, abrupt, and folded. Downing says medium, slightly uneven. Beach says medium size. Elliott and Thomas both describe the basin as deep.
Skin: Yellow ground color, nearly covered with stripes, splashes, marblings, and shades of rich red (Downing says "rich red"; Beach says "deep red"). Warder describes the ground color more specifically as greenish-yellow, mixed and splashed with red, and adds that dots are numerous and white. Elliott and Thomas describe it more simply as yellow, striped with red. Surface smooth (Warder).
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh yellowish (Downing, Beach) or yellowish-white (Warder), fine-grained (Warder, Elliott, Thomas), very tender (Beach) or tender (Warder, Downing, Elliott, Thomas), juicy. Flavor rich, aromatic, subacid (Downing, Beach). Warder describes the flavor as "rich, sub acid" and rates the quality as "best." Elliott describes the flavor as "vinous." Thomas calls it "a refreshing, sub-acid, very good flavor." Downing rates the quality as "Very good," as does Beach. Warder quotes Downing as saying: "One of the best dessert apples of its season."
Core and Seeds: Core small, closed, clasping the eye. Seeds numerous, plump (Warder). Not described by other sources.
Season
September and October (Warder, Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Beach provides additional detail: the fruit begins to ripen during late August or early September; the crop ripens in succession during a period of several weeks, and some portion of the fruit may be kept till late autumn. Several pickings are required in order to secure the fruit in prime condition.
Uses
A dessert apple of superior quality (Warder, Beach, Elliott). Beach notes it is excellent for home use and was also being grown to a limited extent in commercial orchards with profit.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Lowther (1914) includes the variety in a variety-characteristic table only:
Richard's Graft. M rob yr VG b W 2*
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
View original book sources (6)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Richard's Graft.
RED SPITZENBERG — STRAWBERRY — WINE.
Supposed to have originated in Ulster County, New York. Tree vigorous, upright, very productive.
Fig. 110. — Richard's graft.
Fruit medium to large, regular, oblate ; Surface smooth, greenish-yellow, mixed and splashed red ; Dots numerous, white. Basin medium, abrupt, folded ; Eye small, closed. Cavity wide, regular ; Stem long, red. Core small, closed, clasping the eye ; Seeds numerous, plump ; Flesh yellowish-white, fine-grained, tender, juicy ; Flavor rich, sub acid ; Quality best ; Use for the dessert ; Season September and October. Downing says : "One of the best dessert apples of its season."
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Richard's Graft.
Derrick's Graft. Red Spitzenburgh. Derrikinan. Strawberry. Wine. Dirck's Graft. Uncle Richard's Graft.
Originated at Greenport, Columbia Co., N. Y. An excellent fall Apple, worthy of extended cultivation. Tree a free, upright spreading grower, productive. Young shoots very dark reddish brown, downy. Fruit medium, roundish oblate. Color yellow, nearly covered with splashes, marblings, and shades of rich red. Stalk medium length, slender. Cavity large. Calyx small, closed. Segments sometimes recurved. Basin medium, slightly uneven. Flesh yellowish, tender, juicy, pleasant, rich, aromatic subacid. Very good. September, October.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)RICHARD GRAFT.
References. 1. Mag. Hort., 18:492. 1852. 2. Downing, 1857:101. fig. 3. Warder, 1867:457. fig. 4. Thomas, 1875:204. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1877:14. 6. Barry, 1883:340. 7. Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1888. 8. Hendricks, Rural N. Y., 47:759, 811. 1888. 9. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:248. 10. Budd-Hansen, 1903:166.
Synonyms. Derrick and Ann (8). Derrick's Graft (2, 4). Red Spitzenburg (3). Red Spitsenburgh (2, 4, 6). Richard (1). Richard Graft (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). Strawberry (2, 3). Wine (2, 3).
This is a very fine fall apple of superior dessert quality. It begins to ripen during late August or early September; the crop ripens in succession during a period of several weeks, and some portion of the fruit may be kept till late autumn. Several pickings are required in order to secure the fruit in prime condition. The tree is upright, of medium size, moderately vigorous, long-lived and a reliable cropper yielding good crops biennially. It is an excellent variety for home use and is being grown to a limited extent in commercial orchards with profit.
Historical. This variety was originated at Greenport, Columbia county, N. Y., by Richard Delamatter. It was introduced about 1860 by E. G. Studley, a nurseryman of Claverack, Columbia county, N. Y. Its cultivation is being extended somewhat in Columbia county, but as yet it is but little known outside of the Hudson valley.
Tree. Tree of medium size, moderately vigorous. Form upright or roundish, open. Twigs moderately long, curved, moderately stout; internodes medium. Bark dark brown, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; pubescent. Lenticels quite numerous, medium size, round, not raised. Buds medium size, broad, acute to obtuse, free, pubescent.
Fruit (2, 8). Fruit medium size. Form roundish oblate. Stem of medium length, slender. Cavity large. Calyx small, closed. Basin medium size. Skin yellow, nearly covered with stripes and splashes of deep red. Flesh yellowish, very tender, juicy, aromatic, subacid, very good. Season September.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Richard's Graft. M rob yr VG b W 2*
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Richard's Graft. Derrick's Graft, | Wine Strawberry, Red Spitzenberg. An old fruit, supposed from Ulster County, N. Y., but as yet little known. Tree, a free, upright grower, good bearer of an apple, fine for the dessert. Fruit, above medium, roundish flattened; yellow, striped with red; stem, inch long; cavity, deep, broad; calyx, closed; segments reflexed; basin, deep; flesh, fine grained, tender, juicy, vinous. September to October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Richards' Graft. (Derrick's Graft, Red Spitzenburgh.) Rather large, roundish-oblate; striped red on yellow; cavity large; basin deep; flesh fine grained, tender, with a refreshing, sub-acid, very good flavor. September and October. Cultivated on the Hudson River.