Russell
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Russell
Origin / History
The variety has been traced to the farm of Capt. William Russell, Farmington, Maine, where it was known to be in fruit over sixty-five years ago. Local tradition holds that Capt. Russell, an early settler, walked from Massachusetts to his farm and brought in his pockets a quantity of apple-seed, and that this variety is one of the seedlings.
Tree
Tree spreading, an early and regular bearer.
Fruit
Size: Large.
Form: Round ovate, sometimes oblong conical, somewhat flattened at base, nearly regular.
Stem: Very short and stout.
Cavity: Small, regular, narrow, russeted.
Calyx: Closed; segments erect, convergent.
Basin: Regular, deep, abrupt, furrowed.
Skin: Surface waxen and smooth, except for the raised dots and occasional russet knobs. Bright yellow, with red cheek in the sun, obscurely striped.
Dots: Brown with light bases; raised.
Flesh and flavor: Yellowish, fine-grained, tender, moderately juicy. Pleasant subacid, good to very good.
Core and seeds: Core medium, oval, clasping. Seeds few, imperfect, light brown.
Season
September.
Uses
Fruit of the Maine Russell is described as pleasant subacid, good to very good in quality. The Canadian Russell is described as more desirable for home use than for commercial purposes, because it ripens unevenly.
Subtypes / Variants
A Canadian Russell, described by W. T. Macoun (Bul. 38, Canada Exp. Sta.), originated in Russell Co., Ontario. Fruit medium to above medium in size, roundish to oblate. Skin pale yellow, almost or completely covered with deep red. Dots few, gray, not prominent. Cavity shallow, open. Stem long, slender. Basin shallow, open, slightly wrinkled. Calyx closed. Flesh white, tender, melting, juicy, subacid, with a pleasant flavor having a suggestion of Fameuse about it, slightly astringent. Core large, quality good. Season, middle of August to middle of September. Tree vigorous. Top-grafted on Wealthy at the Central Experimental Farm, it has produced good crops every other year. It ripens unevenly, making it more desirable for home use than for commercial purposes.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (1)
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Russell.—This variety has been traced to the farm of Capt. William Russell, Farmington, Maine, where it was known to be in fruit over sixty-five years ago. The local tradition is that Capt. Russell, an early settler, walked from Massachusetts to his farm and brought in his pockets a lot of apple-seed, and this is one of the seedlings. Tree spreading, an early and regular bearer.
Fruit large, round ovate, sometimes oblong conical, somewhat flattened at base, nearly regular; surface waxen, smooth, except for the raised dots and occasional russet knobs, bright yellow, with red cheek in the sun, obscurely striped; dots brown with light bases; cavity small, regular, narrow, russeted; stem very short and stout; basin regular, deep, abrupt, furrowed; calyx closed; segments erect convergent. Core medium, oval, clasping; seeds few, imperfect, light brown; flesh yellowish, fine-grained, tender, moderately juicy, pleasant subacid, good to very good. September.
There is also a Canadian Russell, described by W. T. Macoun, (Bul. 38, Canada Exp. Sta.) as follows:
" Russell.—Originated in Russell Co., Ontario. Fruit medium to above medium in size, roundish to oblate; skin pale yellow, almost or completely, covered with deep red; dots few, gray, not prominent; cavity shallow, open; stem long, slender; basin shallow, open, slightly wrinkled; calyx closed; flesh white, tender, melting, juicy, subacid, with a pleasant flavor, having a suggestion of Fameuse about it, slightly astringent. Core large, quality good. Season, middle of August to middle of September; tree vigorous. Top-grafted on Wealthy at the Central Experimental Farm, it has produced good crops every other year. It ripens unevenly, making it more desirable for home use than for commercial purposes."