Spice Russet
AppleSpice Russet
Origin / History
Origin unknown (Downing). Elliott described Spice Russet in The Western Fruit Book (1865), and Downing later reproduced that description with credit to him. Thomas listed it as a winter apple in 1903. Lowther's table (1914) records it as reported by one station in the Northern Division and one in the Central Division, with no Southern Division stations listed.
Tree
A good grower and productive (Downing). In Lowther's station table, both the Northern and Central Division reports carry an asterisk, marking the variety as reported adapted to more than one division.
Fruit
Size: Below medium (Elliott) to small (Thomas, Lowther).
Form: Roundish flattened, round oblate. Lowther gives flat and conical.
Stem: Slender.
Cavity: Narrow (Elliott).
Calyx: Closed.
Basin: Shallow (Elliott).
Skin: Light yellow to yellow russet. Carmine and yellow, bronzed, on the side exposed to the sun.
Dots: Numerous, small, fine.
Flesh and flavor: White, slightly tinged with yellow, or whitish. Fine-grained, juicy, slightly sweet or almost sweet, aromatic. Downing calls the flavor aromatic subacid. Elliott and Lowther rate it "very good," and Thomas rates it "good."
Core and seeds: Core large, somewhat hollow. Seeds ovate (Elliott).
Season
Winter, December to March.
Uses
Family use (Lowther).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Spice Russet. Sweet Russet, of some erroneously.
Fruit, below medium, roundish flattened; light yellow russet, numerous small fine dots; exposed to sun, carmine and yellow bronzed; stem, slender; cavity, narrow; calyx, closed; basin, shallow; core, large, somewhat hollow; seeds, ovate; flesh, white, slightly tinged with yellow, fine-grained, juicy, slightly sweet, aromatic; "very good." December to March.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Spice Russet.
Sweet Russet of some, erroneously.
Origin unknown. Tree a good grower and productive.
Fruit below medium, roundish flattened, light yellow russet, with numerous small fine dots, exposed to the sun carmine and yellow bronzed. Stalk slender. Calyx closed. Flesh whitish, fine-grained, juicy, almost sweet, aromatic subacid. December to March. (Elliott.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Spice Russet. Small, round oblate, yellow russet; aromatic, good. Winter.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Spice Russet: size small; form flat and conical; color yellow, russet; quality very good; use family; season winter. Reported by 1 station in the Northern Division and 1 station in the Central Division; the asterisk on both indicates the variety is reported as adapted to more than one division. No Southern Division stations are listed.