River

Apple

River Apple

Origin/History

Origin Massachusetts. Elliott's account explicitly cites Downing as its source.

Tree

Of slow growth, but productive.

Fruit

Size and Form: Medium to large. Downing describes the form as oblate, slightly conic, and ribbed. Elliott describes it as oblong oval, slightly conic, and ribbed. Thomas describes it as rather large and oblong ovate. The oblate form (Downing) conflicts with the oblong oval/oblong ovate form given by Elliott and Thomas; both versions are recorded.

Stem: Medium length, deeply planted.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Downing describes the calyx as open, set in a basin of moderate depth. Elliott describes it as small and closed, set in a basin of moderate depth. The open/closed characterization directly conflicts between these two sources.

Basin: Moderate depth.

Skin: Yellow, striped and shaded with dark red, with a slight bloom.

Flesh/Flavor: Pleasant subacid. Downing describes the flesh as juicy and tender. Elliott and Thomas additionally characterize the flesh as coarse — a detail Downing omits. The combined picture: coarse (Elliott, Thomas), juicy and tender (Downing, Elliott), pleasant subacid (all three sources).

Core/Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

August–September (Downing, Elliott). Thomas gives "Autumn."

Uses

Rated Good (Downing).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

River. Origin, Massachusetts. Tree of slow growth, but productive. Fruit medium to large, oblate, slightly conic, ribbed, yellow, striped and shaded with dark red, with a slight bloom. Stalk medium, deeply planted. Calyx open, set in a basin of moderate depth. Flesh juicy, tender, pleasant subacid. Good. August, September.

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

River.

Origin, Mass. Tree of slow growth, but productive. Fruit, medium to large, oblong oval, slightly conic, ribbed ; skin, yellow, striped and shaded with dark red, with a slight bloom ; stalk, medium, deeply planted ; calyx, small, closed, set in a basin of moderate depth ; flesh, coarse, juicy, tender, pleasant sub-acid. August, September. (Downing.)

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

River. Rather large, oblong ovate, striped; coarse, pleasant, sub-acid. Autumn. Mass.

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