Sam Young
Apple
Sam Young
Origin/History
Of Irish origin, introduced to public notice by Mr. Robertson, nurseryman of Kilkenny, about the beginning of the nineteenth century. Figured by Lindley, Pl. 130. Dr. Lindley wrote of it: "It is one of the finest apples the English cultivate."
Tree
Small, flat-headed in shape, and hardy. Bears abundantly. Well adapted for dwarf growth on the paradise stock.
Fruit
Size and Form: Small. Herefordshire Pomona describes the form as roundish oblate, two inches and a half wide and an inch and three-quarters high. Downing describes it as slightly flattened and regularly formed.
Stem: Short, not deeply inserted.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Large and widely open.
Basin: Wide, shallow, and plaited.
Skin: The two sources describe the ground color with a slight variation: Herefordshire Pomona gives it as light greenish yellow, while Downing describes it as bright yellow. Both agree the surface is largely covered with grey russet. Herefordshire Pomona adds that the yellow portions are strewed with minute russety dots, and that the side next the sun is tinged with brownish red.
Flesh and Flavor: Herefordshire Pomona describes the flesh as yellow, tinged with green, firm, crisp, tender, juicy, sugary, and highly flavoured. Downing describes it as greenish, quite juicy and tender, and rates it Good.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
November to February (Herefordshire Pomona); November to January (Downing).
Uses
A dessert apple. Herefordshire Pomona rates it a delicious little dessert apple of the first quality.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)
- SAM YOUNG.
[Syn : Irish Russet.]
This apple is of Irish origin, and was first introduced to public notice by Mr. Robertson, the nurseryman of Kilkenny, about the beginning of the present century. It is figured by Lindley, Pl. 130.
Description.—Fruit : small, roundish oblate, two inches and a half wide, and an inch and three-quarters high. Skin : light greenish yellow, almost entirely covered with grey russet, and strewed with minute russety dots on the yellow part, but tinged with brownish red on the side next the sun. Eye : large and widely open, set in a wide, shallow and plaited basin. Stalk : short, not deeply inserted. Flesh : yellow, tinged with green, firm, crisp, tender, juicy, sugary, and highly flavoured.
A delicious little dessert apple of the first quality ; in season from November to February.
The tree is small, flat-headed in shape, and hardy ; it bears abundantly, and is well adapted for dwarf growth on the paradise stock. Dr. Lindley says of it, "It is one of the finest apples the English cultivate."
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Sam Young. Irish Russet. Origin, Ireland. Fruit small, slightly flattened and regularly formed, bright yellow, a good deal covered with gray russet. Flesh greenish, quite juicy and tender. Good. November to January.