Roxbury Russet
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Roxbury Russet
Origin / History
Roxbury Russet is a native of Massachusetts. It is supposed to have originated in Roxbury, Massachusetts, early in the seventeenth century. Budd and Hansen place it "soon after the settlement of the country." Hedrick places it "nearly 300 years ago," and so calls it "one of the oldest American varieties." Elliott gives the origin as uncertain, either Connecticut or Massachusetts.
Scions were taken to Connecticut soon after 1649. About 1797 it was introduced from Connecticut into Ohio and afterwards disseminated there as Putnam Russet, Marietta Russet, and so on. Elliott dates the introduction to the Ohio Valley "in 1796 or '97" and credits Israel Putnam, with distribution from there throughout the Southwest.
Warder records that it came West by different routes, by the Ohio River and by the lakes, and was "universally distributed." The trees brought to the mouth of the Muskingum River and propagated by Mr. Putnam had the name changed to Marietta and Putnam Russet. At the same time the fruit was so altered by increase in the russeting that it was long thought a different variety. The question was at length settled by interchange of grafts, and when these fruited the identity was proved.
The earliest references Beach cites (Thacher, 1822; Fessenden, 1828; Kenrick, 1832) give it as "Roxbury Russeting." Beach and Budd and Hansen head it "Roxbury," and Hedrick uses "Roxbury" in his text. Beach records "Rox" as the colloquial name. Bunyard enters it as Boston Russet but states that "the correct name is Roxbury Russet."
Warder calls it "perhaps as widely known and as much admired as any other in the catalogue." He reports the claim that more money has been realized from it than from any other variety, though on the Ohio River the Rome Beauty is considered equally profitable. Even so, by 1867 he found its popularity "on the wane."
Elliott calls it "unreliable, West or South." Downing calls it "one of the most popular market fruits in the country," as it is excellent, a prodigious bearer, and keeps till late in the spring "wherever the soil and climate suit it." South and West, he says, it is "not valuable." Thomas holds that its productiveness, uniformly fair fruit, and long keeping "render this variety one of the most profitable for orchard culture." He says it succeeds well throughout the Northern States but partially fails in a few localities at the West.
Beach calls it the most popular russet apple cultivated in New York. When well grown it is of good marketable size and rather attractive for a russet, but it varies greatly in size and appearance in different localities. Fruit grown in Central and Western New York keeps better than that produced in more southern localities and is therefore preferred by fruit buyers. Consequently it has been planted more extensively in that region than in any other. The recent increase in cold storage had lessened demand for long-keeping russets. Neither Roxbury Russet nor Golden Russet was being planted as extensively as before.
Hedrick calls it "the best known russet apple in America," whose fruits "are known by all." He reports that before cold storage it was found under the name "Russet" or "Rox" in all apple markets. With cold storage, demand for long-keeping, dull-colored russets fell off, and its popularity "is now on the wane." He finds it most popular in New England and westward into Michigan. Lowther's tables report it from 18 stations in the Northern Division and 1 station in the Central Division (in each case "also reported in more than one division").
Tree
Tree medium to large, moderately vigorous to vigorous; robust (Warder); healthy (Downing). Form spreading, roundish spreading or flat. Bunyard alone calls the growth compact. Young trees often crooked (Elliott).
Shoots rather downy to downy, stout, straggling, dark (Warder), reddish brown when young (Downing). Twigs above medium to short, straight or nearly so, stout, often with large blunt terminal buds; internodes medium to rather long. Bark rather light, dull, reddish-brown and olive-green, streaked lightly with grayish scarf-skin, much pubescent. Lenticels not conspicuous, scattering, medium to above, roundish, oval or elongated, sometimes raised. Buds large, broad, plump, obtuse, free or nearly so, slightly pubescent. Beach compares it with Golden Russet: the tree is larger, more spreading, and more productive, and the dots on the shoots are less conspicuous and less numerous.
Foliage gray-green (Warder). Leaf rather large, roundish, dark, upfolded, curved serrate (Bunyard).
Very productive; a prodigious bearer; very fertile. Beach reports the reputation of a biennial bearer. On rich soils in favorable locations it is a pretty reliable cropper, he says, but in many places it has proved "but a moderate cropper and not very satisfactory." Perfectly hardy except on rich prairie soils, where it is sometimes liable to "bark burst" near the ground (Elliott). Does best in rich intervale soils (Hedrick). South and West it drops its fruit too early (Downing). Warder finds it very subject to attacks of the codling moth, which makes it fall.
Fruit
Size: Medium to large, often large; usually above medium to nearly large, sometimes large (Beach). Bunyard measures it 2¾ by 2. Lowther's station table records the size as "Mo." Variable in size and shape; larger than Golden Russet and less uniform in size and shape (Beach). Thomas notes that large specimens become conical, with short thick stalks, while small specimens are more flat, with longer and more slender stalks.
Form: Roundish oblate, a little flattened, slightly to often or frequently angular, often broadly and obscurely so; slightly or remotely conical, or oblate inclined to conic; sides sometimes unequal; slightly irregular. Sometimes remarkably elliptical. Beach finds it more oblate than Golden Russet and calls the elliptical form characteristic. Warder finds it often lop-sided at the West and sometimes conic and truncated.
Stem: One-half inch to an inch long (Thomas); nearly three-fourths of an inch, not deeply inserted (Downing). Length runs from short through medium to moderately long. Elliott, Downing, and Budd and Hansen call it slender or rather slender, but Beach calls it rather thick or swollen, pubescent, and often red on one side. Beach also finds it thicker than that of Golden Russet, which is usually shorter, not swollen, and not tinged with red. Curved (Warder).
Cavity: Acute, rarely acuminate, regular, pointed; medium (Elliott); medium in width to rather wide, sometimes lipped. Rather deep to deep (Beach; Budd and Hansen); Bunyard alone calls it wide and shallow. Beach finds it more often furrowed than in Golden Russet, whose cavity is more often green and marked with greenish-gray dots.
Calyx: Closed, firmly closed (Bunyard), or partly open (Beach); sometimes small but usually medium to rather large, pubescent. Lobes variable, medium to rather large and long, sometimes short, obtuse or acute (Beach); segments divergent (Budd and Hansen). Calyx tube rather large, moderately wide, with fleshy pistil point projecting into the base, usually conical, sometimes funnel-shaped (Beach). Stamens basal to median.
Basin: Round, regular or wavy, variable; rather shallow to moderate depth; usually medium in width, varying from narrow to rather wide (Bunyard calls it wide); obtuse to abrupt (Beach). Green (Warder). Furrowed and often slightly wrinkled, often folded, plaited; Budd and Hansen alone call it smooth.
Skin: Thick (Elliott), tough or moderately tender. Rough to rather rough, sometimes almost smooth. Ground dull green at first, greenish yellow, or green. Partly, largely, or entirely covered with brownish yellow to yellowish-brown, greenish, or dull brownish-green russet, in an open network of brownish yellow russet over the green surface (Budd and Hansen). Lowther gives the color as yellow and russet. A faint blush on the sunny side appears rarely to occasionally or sometimes, or a dull brown cheek (Thomas). Highly colored specimens develop a bronze blush which rarely deepens to red (Beach).
Russeting varies with latitude. Warder finds heavy brown russet in the South, but north of latitude 41° the fruit is green, often bronzed, with partial light russet. Beach finds it more variable in color than Golden Russet.
Dots: Few, minute, scattered, obscure, russet or gray.
Flesh and flavor: Greenish white to greenish yellow or yellow-green, tinged with yellow or greenish, with greenish yellow veinings (Budd and Hansen); yellower than Golden Russet (Beach). Firm, breaking, rather granular, somewhat coarse to often coarse, slightly crisp (Thomas), moderately tender to tender; moderately juicy to juicy.
Flavor subacid, mild, sprightly and pleasing, rather rich to rich, and spicy (Budd and Hansen). Bunyard calls it "of excellent flavour." Warder alone calls it "decidedly acid." Beach finds it coarser and more mildly subacid than Golden Russet, which is more sprightly, finer-grained, and of richer flavor. Hedrick calls the fruit "remarkable for the amount of sugar contained."
Quality ranges from second rate to very good. Downing, Beach, and Budd and Hansen rate it "good to very good," and Lowther "very good." Bunyard calls it "a good late fruit," and Thomas credits it with "a good sub-acid flavor," though "not of the highest flavor." Elliott dissents with "hardly above second rate in quality," and Warder with "second rate."
Core and seeds: Core above medium to small, axile, compact, regular, closed. Cells usually symmetrical, closed, rarely partly open (Beach); ovate, slit (Budd and Hansen). Core lines meeting if the calyx tube is conical but clasping if it is funnel-shaped (Beach); Warder calls the core clasping. Carpels rather flat, elongated and narrowing toward the apex, or roundish ovate, sometimes slightly emarginate, mucronate, tufted (Beach).
Seeds ovate, pointed or acute, often abortive, defective or imperfect. Beach gives them as few, medium or above, long, plump, tufted, and longer and darker colored than those of Golden Russet. Budd and Hansen give about ten, half abortive, not plump. Warder calls them numerous and angular.
Season
The recorded season runs from November to June, and in cold storage to July. Most authors give December or January through May or June. The fruit ripens in January, keeps late in spring, and may be brought to market in June. Elliott calls it generally a good keeper. Shorter seasons are November to January (Warder) and January to March (Bunyard); Lowther's station table gives winter. Warder finds it a better keeper in the North and apt to ripen too early in the season in southern locations and on limestone soils, so that its value as a keeping apple is diminished. Beach holds it in cold storage to July.
Uses
Market and cooking, or kitchen and market; Bunyard classes it as dessert. Beach finds it, as an excellent keeper, well liked for southern trade and selling well in western and northwestern markets. Beach also reports increasing demand for export in recent years; Budd and Hansen, writing in 1914, call it "not as popular as formerly for export." Hedrick, on account of its sugar, calls it "about the best sort for cider."
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Bunyard warns that Reinette de Canada Grise is often wrongly called Boston Russet.
Book Sources
Described in 9 period pomological works
- Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 1 (1905) — listed as ROXBURY
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914) — listed as Roxbury
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920) — listed as Boston Russet
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 58 catalogs (1850–1924) from Alabama, California, England, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington
- Azell Bowditch (Nursery / Fruit Catalog) , Boston , Massachusetts — 1850
- Joseph Breck & Co. , Boston , Massachusetts — 1855
- St. Helena Nursery , Howell Prairie, Marion County, OR (Marion Co., Ogn.) — 1864
- Hutchison Nursery , James Hutchison, Oakland , California — 1881
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884
- Fancher Creek Nursery , Fresno , California — 1886
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1888
- California Nursery Co. , Niles , California — 1889
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1889
- Palouse Nursery and Pleasant Dale Fruit Farm , Colfax, Washington Territory (situated two miles northeast of Colfax) - undated (single-page broadside flyer; "Washington Territory" suggests pre — 1889
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1890
- William H. Moon Co. , Morrisville, Bucks County , Pennsylvania — 1890
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1891
- Puyallup & Yakima Nurseries , Puyallup, Washington (Lock Box 191) and North Yakima , Washington — 1892
- Milwaukie-Canby Nurseries , Canby, OR (and Milwaukie, OR) — 1893
- Sherwood Hall Nursery Co. , Timothy Hopkins (Menlo Park Nurseries), San Francisco / Menlo Park , California — 1893
- Oregon Wholesale Nurseries , Salem , Oregon — 1893
- Rogers Nursery Co. , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1893
- Green's Nursery Co. (Charles A. Green) , Rochester , New York — 1894
- Multnomah Nurseries , Russellville , Oregon — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1895
- The Lovett Company , Little Silver , New Jersey — 1896
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1897
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
- Arthur J. Collins & Sons , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1898
- Reading Nursery , Jacob W. Manning, Proprietor, Reading , Massachusetts — 1898
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1899
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- S.L. Watkins , Grizzly Flats, El Dorado County , California — 1901
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1901
- Forestville Nurseries , T.J. True, Forestville , California — 1902
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- J.B. Pilkington , Portland , Oregon — 1907
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Milton Nursery Co. (A. Miller & Sons , Proprietors), Milton , Oregon — 1909
- Wm. J. Corse (successor to Robert Sinclair / Sinclair Nurseries) , Baltimore , Maryland — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- C.F. Lansing , Salem , Oregon — 1910
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
- Ballygreen Nurseries , Hanford , Washington — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Samuel Fraser , Geneseo , New York — 1913
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- Fancher Creek Nurseries , George C. Roeding, Fresno , California — 1918
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Christopher Nurseries / John Stewart & Sons , Christopher , Washington — 1920
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
- Fresno Nursery Co. , Fresno , California — 1924
- North-Western Nurseries , Walla Walla , Washington
View original book sources (9)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)ROXBURY RUSSET. Boston Russet, Putnam Russet, Sylvan Russet. Marietta Russet, Belpre Russet,
American. Origin uncertain, either Connecticut or Massachusetts. It was introduced to the Ohio Valley, in 1796 or '97, by Israel Putnam, and from thence distributed throughout the Southwest. It is a thick-skinned fruit, generally a good keeper, but hardly above second rate in quality; grown on rich prairie soils, it is sometimes liable to "bark burst" near the ground, but elsewhere perfectly hardy, and very productive. Spreading growth, with rather downy shoots; young trees often crooked. Unreliable, West or South.
Fruit, medium to large; form, roundish flattened, and often angular; color, dull green, overspread with brownish yellow russet, occasionally a faint blush on the sunny side; stem, slender; cavity, medium; calyx, closed; basin, round, moderate depth; flesh, greenish white, moderately juicy, mild sub-acid; core, compact; seeds, ovate, defective. January to June.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Roxbury Russet.
BOSTON RUSSET.—PUTNAM RUSSET.
This standard apple is perhaps as widely known and as much admired as any other in the catalogue. It was brought to the West by different routes—by the Ohio River and by the lakes—and has been universally distributed. Those brought to the mouth of the Muskingum River, and propagated by Mr. Putnam, had the name changed to that of the Marietta and the Putnam Russet; and at the same time the appearance of the fruit was so altered by increase in the russeting, that it was long thought to be a different variety, until the question was at length settled by interchange of grafts; and when these fruited the identity was proved.
It is claimed that more money has been realized from this than from any other variety, though, on the Ohio River, the Rome Beauty is considered to be equally profitable. The popularity of this Russet is on the wane, however, as it is very subject to attacks of the Codling-moth, which makes it fall, and because it is apt to ripen too early in the season in southern locations and on limestone soils. Hence its value as a keeping apple is diminished.
Tree robust, vigorous, spreading; Shoots stout, straggling, dark; Foliage gray-green.
Fruit large, oblate, often lop-sided at the West, frequently angular, sometimes conic and truncated; Surface overspread with heavy brown russet in the South, but green, often bronzed, and with partial light russet at the north of latitude 41°; Dots minute, scattered.
Basin regular or wavy, green, often folded; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity regular, pointed; Stem medium, curved.
Core regular, closed, clasping; Seeds numerous, angular, imperfect; Flesh greenish-yellow, breaking, granular, often coarse, juicy; Flavor decidedly acid; Quality second rate; Use, market and cooking; Season, November to January; a better keeper in the North.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Roxbury Russet.
Reinette Rousse de Boston. Howe's Russet. Marietta Russet. Belpre Russet. Boston Russet. Putnam Russet. Warner Russet. Sylvan Russet.
This Russet, a native of Massachusetts, is one of the most popular market fruits in the country, as it is excellent, a prodigious bearer, and keeps till late in the spring wherever the soil and climate suit it. South and West it drops its fruit too early, and is therefore not valuable.
The tree is healthy, moderately vigorous, spreading, with young shoots of a reddish brown, downy.
Roxbury Russet.
Fruit of medium size, often large, roundish, a little flattened, and slightly angular. Skin at first dull green, covered with brownish yellow russet when ripe, with, rarely, a faint blush on one side. Stalk nearly three-fourths of an inch long, rather slender, not deeply inserted. Calyx closed, set in a round basin of moderate depth. Flesh greenish white, moderately juicy, with a rather rich subacid flavor. Good to very good. Ripens in January, and may be brought to market in June.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Roxbury Russet.* (Boston Russet, Putnam Russet of Ohio.) Medium or large, roundish-oblate, remotely conical; partly or wholly covered with rather rough russet on greenish yellow ground, sometimes a dull brown cheek; stalk one-half to an inch long, cavity acute; basin round, moderate; flesh greenish white, rather granular, slightly crisp, with a good sub-acid flavor. Keeps late in spring. Large specimens become conical, with short thick stalks; small specimens are more flat, and with longer and more slender stalks. Growth spreading, shoots downy. Although not of the highest flavor, its productiveness, uniformly fair fruit, and long keeping, render this variety one of the most profitable for orchard culture. It succeeds well throughout the Northern States, but partially fails in a few localities at the West. Fig. 431. Mass.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)ROXBURY.
REFERENCES. 1. Thacher, 1822:136. 2. Fessenden, 1828:130. 3. Kenrick, 1832:53. 4. Mag. Hort., 1:364. 1835. 5. Manning, 1838:62. 6. Mag. Hort., 7:48. 1841. 7. Downing, 1845:133. fig. 8. Floy-Lindley, 1846:411 app. 9. Horticulturist, 1:52, 341, 361. 1846-47. 10. Ib., 2:483. 1848. 11. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 14:112, 173. 1848. 12. Thomas, 1849:185, 190. fig. 13. Cole, 1849:135. fig. 14. Phoenix, Horticulturist, 4:472. 1850. 15. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:96. 1851. col. pl. No. 18. 16. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1852. 17. Elliott, 1854:106. 18. Hooper, 1857:73, 82. 19. Gregg, 1857:59. 20. Horticulturist, 13:144. 1858. 21. Mag. Hort., 26:6, 101. 1860. 22. Ib., 29:437. 1863. 23. Ill. Handb. der Obstk., 8:157. 1865. 24. Warder, 1867:25, 491. fig. 25. Regel, 1868:444. 26. Thompson, Mich. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1:31. 1870. 27. Leroy, 1873:153. fig. 28. Gardiner, Me. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1882. (cited by 35). 29. Barry, 1883:354. 30. Hogg, 1884:27. 31. Wickson, 1889:245. 32. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:296. 33. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:248. 34. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1893:133. 35. Knowlton, Me. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1894:126. 36. Lyon, Mich. Sta. Bul., 118:62. 1895. 37. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 3:13. 1896. fig. 38. Bunyard, Jour. Roy. Hort. Soc., 1898:356. 39. Eneroth-Smirnoff, 1901:434. 40. Budd-Hansen, 1903:169. fig. 41. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:55. 1903. 42. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:142. 1904.
SYNONYMS. Belpre Russet (17, 18, 27). BOSTON RUSSET (25, 27, 30). Boston Russet (9, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 24, 37). Marietta Russet (17, 18, 27). Putman's Russet (27, 30). PUTNAM RUSSET (23, 39). Putnam Russet (9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 27, of Ohio 12, 13 and 15). ROXBURY RUSSET (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34). Roxbury Russet (3, 27, 30, 40, 41, 42). ROXBURY RUSSETING (1, 2, 3). Roxbury Russeting (7, 27). ROX or ROX RUSSET (colloquial). RUSSET, BOSTON OR ROXBURY (7). Russet (27). Shippen's Russet (27, 30). Sylvan Russet (17, 18, 27).
The Roxbury is the most popular russet apple cultivated in New York. When well grown it is of good marketable size, and rather attractive for a russet, but it varies greatly in size and appearance in different localities. Being an excellent keeper it is well liked for southern trade. It also sells well in western and northwestern markets. The recent increase in cold storage facilities has had the effect of lessening the demand for long-keeping russet apples, and neither the Roxbury nor the Golden Russet is being planted as extensively as they once were, but within recent years there has been increasing demand for them for export. Roxbury fruit that is grown in Central and Western New York keeps better than that produced in more southern localities, and for this reason is preferred by fruit buyers. This variety has consequently been planted more extensively in this region than in any other. It generally has the reputation of being a biennial bearer and when grown on rich soils in favorable locations it is a pretty reliable cropper, but in many places it has proved but a moderate cropper and not very satisfactory.
Historical. It is generally supposed that this variety originated in Roxbury, Massachusetts, early in the seventeenth century. Soon after 1649 it was taken to Connecticut. About 1797 it was introduced from Connecticut into Ohio and afterwards disseminated there under the name Putnam Russet, Marietta Russet, etc. (9, 11, 24).
TREE.
Tree medium to large, moderately vigorous to vigorous. Form roundish spreading or flat. Twigs above medium to short, straight or nearly so, stout, often with large blunt terminal buds; internodes medium to rather long. Bark rather light, dull, reddish-brown and olive-green, streaked lightly with grayish scarf-skin, much pubescent. Lenticels not conspicuous, scattering, medium to above, roundish, oval or elongated, sometimes raised. Buds large, broad, plump, obtuse, free or nearly so, slightly pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit usually above medium to nearly large, sometimes large, variable in size and shape. Form oblate to oblate inclined to conic, often broadly and obscurely angular and sometimes remarkably elliptical as shown in the accompanying half-tone illustration; sides sometimes unequal. Stem short to medium rather thick or swollen, pubescent, often red on one side. Cavity acute rarely acuminate, rather deep, medium in width to rather wide, sometimes lipped. Calyx sometimes small but usually medium to rather large, pubescent, closed or partly open; lobes variable; medium to rather large and long; sometimes short, obtuse or acute. Basin variable, usually medium in width and depth, varying from narrow to rather wide, and from obtuse to abrupt, furrowed and often slightly wrinkled.
Skin tough or moderately tender, sometimes almost smooth, but usually largely covered with greenish to yellowish-brown russet. Highly colored specimens develop a bronze blush which rarely deepens to red. Dots russet or gray.
Calyx tube rather large, moderately wide, with fleshy pistil point projecting into the base, usually conical, sometimes funnel-shape. Stamens basal to median.
Core above medium to small, axile; cells usually symmetrical, closed, rarely partly open; core lines meeting if the calyx tube is conical but clasping if it is funnel-shape. Carpels rather flat, elongated and narrowing toward the apex, or roundish ovate, sometimes slightly emarginate, mucronate, tufted. Seeds few, often abortive, medium or above, long, plump, acute, tufted.
Flesh tinged with yellow or greenish, firm, somewhat coarse, moderately tender, breaking, juicy, sprightly subacid, good to very good.
Season December to May or in cold storage to July (42).
ROXBURY COMPARED WITH GOLDEN RUSSET.
As compared with the Golden Russet the Roxbury tree is larger, more spreading and more productive. The dots on the shoots of the Golden Russet are more conspicuous and more numerous than on the Roxbury. The fruit of Roxbury is larger, more oblate and it may be characteristically elliptical as shown in the accompanying half-tone plate; that of the Golden Russet is less variable in color and more uniform in size and shape. The Roxbury stem is thicker than that of Golden Russet, often tinged with red on one side and often swollen. The stem of the Golden Russet is usually shorter, not swollen and not tinged with red. The cavity of Roxbury is more often furrowed; that of the Golden Russet more often green and marked with greenish-gray dots. The flesh of the Golden Russet is more sprightly subacid, finer-grained and of richer flavor, that of the Roxbury being rather coarser, yellower, and more mildly subacid. The seeds of the Golden Russet are shorter than those of Roxbury and not so dark colored.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Roxbury (Roxbury Russet). — Supposed origin, Roxbury, Massachusetts, soon after the settlement of the country. Scions were taken to Connecticut soon after 1649. Tree moderately vigorous, spreading, very productive. Not as popular as formerly for export.
Roxbury.
Fruit medium to large, roundish, oblate, slightly angular; surface green, entirely covered with open net-work of brownish yellow russet, sometimes with a faint blush on sunny side; dots obscure, few, gray, minute; cavity deep, regular; stem short, rather slender; basin regular, smooth, rather shallow; calyx closed; segments divergent. Core closed; cells ovate, slit; tube conical; stamens median; seed about ten, half abortive, pointed, not plump; flesh greenish white, with greenish yellow veinings, moderately juicy, flavor rich, spicy, subacid, good to very good. January to June.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Roxbury Russet. Size: Mo; form: roundish oblate; color: yellow, russet; quality: very good; use: both kitchen and market; season: winter. Reported by 18 stations in the Northern Division (also reported in more than one division) and 1 station in the Central Division (also reported in more than one division).
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)BOSTON RUSSET. Her. Pom., 54. F., Reinette Rousse de Boston. (Roxbury Russet, Putnam Russet.) Dessert, January to March, medium, 2¾ by 2, flattened roundish, slightly conical, slightly irregular. Colour, entirely covered with dull brownish-green russet. Flesh, firm, juicy, greenish, of excellent flavour Eye, firmly closed in a wide plaited basin. Stem, moderately long in a wide shallow cavity. Growth, compact ; very fertile. Leaf, rather large, roundish, dark, upfolded, curved serrate. Origin, supposed to have originated at Roxbury, Mass., early in the seventeenth century. The correct name is Roxbury Russet. A good late fruit. Reinette de Canada Grise is often wrongly called Boston Russet.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)ROXBURY RUSSET. Fig. 50. Boston Russet. Rox. Roxbury. Russet. Roxbury is the best known russet apple in America. The apples are notable keepers and before the days of cold storage were to be found under the name "Russet," or "Rox," in all apple markets. With the coming of cold storage, the demand for the long-keeping, dull-colored russet apples has fallen off, and the popularity of Roxbury is now on the wane. The rough, tough-skinned, yellowish-brown, russeted fruits are known by all. The flesh, too, is distinct with its yellow-green color, its tenderness, and its pleasing sprightly flavor. The fruit is remarkable for the amount of sugar contained, making this about the best sort for cider. The variety does best in rich intervale soils, and is most popular in New England and westward into Michigan. Roxbury is supposed to have originated in Roxbury, Massachusetts, nearly 300 years ago, and is, therefore, one of the oldest American varieties.
Tree medium to large, vigorous, round-spreading. Fruit large, variable in size and shape, oblate or oblate-conic, often broadly and obscurely angular and sometimes remarkably elliptical, sides unequal; stem short, thick or swollen, pubescent, often red on one side; cavity acute, deep, wide, sometimes lipped; calyx large, pubescent, closed or partly open; lobes long, sometimes short, obtuse; basin variable, narrow, obtuse, furrowed and often wrinkled; skin tough, covered with yellowish-brown russet, colored specimens developing a bronze blush which rarely deepens to red; dots russet or gray; calyx-tube large, wide, with fleshy pistil point projecting into the base, conical; stamens basal; core axile; cells symmetrical, closed, rarely partly open; core-lines meeting; carpels flat, elongated and narrowing toward the apex, sometimes emarginate, mucronate, tufted; seeds few, often abortive, long, plump, acute, tufted; flesh yellow, firm, coarse, tender, breaking, juicy, sprightly subacid; good to very good; December to May.