Shiawassee Beauty.

This Michigan apple may well be called Beauty. It was introduced at the meeting of the American Pomological Society in 1862, by T. T. Lyon, of Plymouth, Mich., who stated that it was a seedling of the Fameuse, the faults of which it does not inherit, though possessing all the good qualities of its parent, with a healthy and productive tree. (See Michigan Farmer, Dec. 11, 1859.)

Fruit medium, very handsome, very regular, quite flat; Surface very smooth, pale yellow, mixed and distinctly striped carmine; Dots scattered, minute. Basin wide, folded; Eye medium, closed; Calyx reflexed. Cavity wide, wavy; Stem short. Core wide, regular, somewhat open, meeting the eye; Seeds plump, short, dark; Flesh very white, fine-grained, tender, breaking; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic; Quality good to very good; Use dessert and market; Season October to January.

— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)

Shiawassee Beauty. Michigan Beauty. Originated in Shiawassee Co., Mich. Tree a strong upright grower until in full bearing, when it becomes partially pendent, very productive. Young wood dull reddish brown, slightly downy. This variety resembles Fameuse, but its wood shows its distinctiveness. Fruit medium, oblate, whitish, shaded, marbled, splashed, and striped with rich red, few light dots. Stalk rather short. Cavity large. Calyx small, closed. Basin large, open, slightly corrugated. Flesh firm, very white, tender, juicy, brisk, refreshing subacid. Very good. October, January.

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

SHIAWASSEE.

REFERENCES. 1. Lyon, Mag. Hort., 26:64. 1860. 2. Hovey, Ib., 27:67. 1861. fig. 3. Ib., 29:126. 1863. 4. Warder, 1867:459. fig. 5. Downing, 1869:351. 6. Mich. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1872:459. fig. 7. Thomas, 1875:204. 8. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1875:12. 9. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1881:220. 10. Barry, 1883:354. 11. Cook, Rural N. Y., 45:257. 1886. 12. Can. Hort., 11:43. 1888. 13. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:296. 14. Ib., Amer. Gard., 12:244. 1891. 15. Can. Hort., 15:117. 1892. 16. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:249. 17. Miller, Rural N. Y., 53:278. 1894. 18. Hoskins, Amer. Gard., 15:299. 1894. 19. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1896:72. 20. Burrill and McCluer, Ill. Sta. Bul., 45:341. 1896. 21. Van Deman, Rural N. Y., 56:839. 1897. 22. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Rpt., 1899:77. 23. Waugh, Vt. Sta. Bul., 83:92. 1900. 24. Ib., Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:308. 1901. 25. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Bul., 37:41. 1901. 26. Munson, Me. Sta. An. Rpt., 18:84, 90, 95. 1902. 27. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:46. 1903. 28. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:56. 1903. 29. Budd-Hansen, 1903:174. 30. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:144. 1904.

SYNONYMS. Michigan Beauty (5). SHIAWASSE (21). SHIAWASSE BEAUTY (1, 7, 8, 20). SHIAWASSEE (14, 26). SHIAWASSEE BEAUTY (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 25). Shiawassee Beauty (27). Shiawassee Beauty (23, 24, 28, 29, 30). SHIAWASSIE BEAUTY (15).

Fruit of the Fameuse type, of good size, quite attractive appearance and pleasant dessert quality. It has a flavor and aroma somewhat similar to that of McIntosh. Probably McIntosh would be preferred to Shiawassee by most fruit growers. The fruit of Shiawassee is fair, uniform and hangs pretty well to the tree. It ripens in October, and some portion of the fruit may be held till January. The tree is of uniform size, very hardy, vigorous, upright spreading, healthy and long-lived. It does not come into bearing very young, and when mature in some cases it is not a reliable cropper, but it is generally reported as yielding good to heavy crops biennially, or sometimes annually.

Historical. The original tree was planted as an ungrafted seedling in the orchard of Beebe Truesdell, in Vernon, Shiawassee county, Mich., and came into bearing about 1850 (1). The variety is often listed by nurserymen but is seldom planted in this state.

FRUIT.

Fruit medium to nearly large, uniform in shape but not in size. Form oblate conic, pretty regular but sometimes elliptical. Stem medium in length, slender to moderately thick. Cavity acute, varying from nearly acuminate to somewhat obtuse, deep, broad, rather symmetrical, sometimes compressed, often with outspreading russet rays. Calyx small to below medium, closed or slightly open; lobes rather short, moderately narrow. Basin rather shallow to moderately deep, rather wide, obtuse to somewhat abrupt, somewhat furrowed and wrinkled, often compressed. Skin rather pale yellow, usually entirely overspread with attractive red, irregularly splashed and striped with carmine. Dots small to medium, grayish. Calyx tube medium size, moderately wide, conical to short funnel-shape. Stamens median to nearly basal. Core below medium size, widely abaxile; cells symmetrical, usually open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels cordate to broadly ovate. Seeds rather dark brown, medium size, rather narrow, plump, acute. Flesh white, fine, crisp, tender, juicy, pleasant subacid, aromatic, rather sprightly, good to very good. Season October to January.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Shiawassee (Beauty) is a medium-sized, flat fruit with red-yellow skin of very good quality, suited for both kitchen and market use, ripening in winter. It was reported by 3 stations in the Northern Division and 1 station in the Central Division; the asterisk on both division counts indicates the variety is reported in more than one of the three divisions of the American Pomological Society. The Southern Division reported no stations.

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

Shiawasse Beauty. Medium, oblate, regular, smooth; deep brilliant red on greenish yellow ground; stalk very short, deeply sunk; basin small, regular; flesh white, tender, crisp, sub-acid and aromatic. October and November. Resembles Fameuse, but tree a stronger and more upright grower and fruit larger. Michigan.

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

Shiawassee (Shiawassee Beauty). — Originated in Shiawassee Co., Mich., one of the best varieties of the Fameuse type; tree a strong, moderately upright grower; a heavy bearer in alternate years. Fruit medium, very oblate, regular; surface polished, yellow, almost wholly covered with brilliant dark crimson, with obscure splashes; dots distinct, few, large, yellow; cavity obtuse, wide, regular, with stellate russet; stem medium; basin smooth, wide, shallow; calyx closed or open; segments divergent. Core half open, meeting; cells ovate, slit; tube conical; stamens median or basal; seeds few, plump, pointed; flesh firm, very white, tinged with red, brisk, pleasant subacid, very good. Early winter.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

SHIAWASSEE. Shiawassee Beauty.

This is another Fameuse seedling, and one well deserving general recognition, were it not that McIntosh and Fameuse excel it in tree and fruit. The apples have the merit of keeping well and of adding variety in size, color, and flavor to the winter supply of fruits. The variety originated in the orchard of Beebe Truesdell, Vernon, Michigan; it is little grown except in the state of its nativity. Its merits were first set forth in 1860.

Tree of medium size, very hardy, vigorous, upright-spreading, healthy and long-lived. Fruit medium to large, uniform in shape but not in size, oblate-conic, regular or sometimes elliptical; stem medium in length, slender; cavity acute, deep, broad, symmetrical, sometimes compressed, often with outspreading russet rays; calyx small, closed; lobes short, narrow; basin shallow, wide, obtuse, somewhat furrowed and wrinkled, often compressed; skin pale yellow, overspread with red, irregularly splashed and striped with carmine; dots small, gray; calyx-tube wide, conical; stamens median; core small, widely abaxile; cells symmetrical, usually open; core-lines meeting; carpels cordate; flesh white, fine, crisp, tender, juicy, pleasant subacid, aromatic, sprightly; good to very good; October to January.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)