Sutton
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
SUTTON
Origin and History
Sutton takes its name from the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, where it originated. It was brought to notice through the Worcester County Horticultural Society in 1848 and was included by Hovey in a descriptive list of select varieties in 1849, in the belief that it would become a popular fruit, though it had as yet been but little disseminated. It was not included in the American Pomological Society Catalogue until 1877.
Sutton is supposed by some to be a seedling of Hubbardston. The tree certainly resembles Hubbardston somewhat but is much more vigorous and healthy. In color, texture, quality, and season, the fruit is intermediate between Hubbardston and Baldwin. Sutton has been practically unknown in New York state until recent years but is now being introduced quite extensively for commercial purposes. Within recent years it has been planted and top-worked upon older trees to a considerable extent in New York commercial orchards, though no old trees of this variety are known in the state.
The variety has been disseminated in Michigan under the name Morris Red, sometimes with erroneous synonyms Steele's Red or Steele's Red Winter of Ohio. Morris Red as fruited from stock obtained from D. G. Edmeston, Adrian, Michigan, is certainly identical with Sutton.
Tree
Tree vigorous with stout branches. Form upright spreading, eventually becoming roundish and dense. Twigs short to medium in length, straight, moderately stout to stocky; internodes short to medium. Bark dark olive-green somewhat tinged with reddish-brown, mottled and streaked with gray scarfskin, pubescent. Lenticels few, very scattering, not conspicuous, small to medium, elongated or roundish, not raised. Buds prominent, large, broad, obtuse to acute, pubescent, and free. Leaves somewhat narrow, medium to large; foliage vigorous, dark green, healthy, rather dense. In favorable locations the tree has vigorous dark green foliage, is handsome in form, a strong grower and productive, with a marked tendency to bear biennially.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium or rarely large, pretty uniform in size and shape. Roundish or slightly oblong, rounding toward cavity and basin, symmetrical, regular or very slightly ribbed.
Stem: Medium to short, sometimes fleshy.
Cavity: Acute or sometimes acuminate, moderately deep to deep, moderately wide to narrow, symmetrical, often with some greenish russet.
Calyx: Medium size, partly open, sometimes closed, pubescent; lobes vary from medium and obtuse to long and acuminate.
Basin: Moderately shallow and obtuse to rather deep and abrupt, medium in width, somewhat furrowed and slightly wrinkled, sometimes compressed.
Skin: Moderately thin and tough, often slightly roughened toward the basin by inconspicuous, concentric broken russet lines and fine russet dots; otherwise glossy and smooth. Color attractive bright red striped with carmine or purplish carmine, nearly overspreading the lively yellow or greenish ground color. Prevailing effect attractive red. The less highly colored fruit has a distinctly striped appearance.
Calyx Tube: Symmetrical, conical or sometimes funnel-form. Stamens median.
Core: Medium or below, slightly abaxile. Cells symmetrical and closed; core lines slightly clasping.
Carpels: Broadly cordate approaching elliptical, emarginate, sometimes slightly tufted.
Seeds: Rather light brown, small to above medium, plump, acute, sometimes a little tufted.
Flesh and Flavor: Slightly tinged with yellow, rather firm, moderately fine-grained, crisp, tender, juicy, mild subacid, good to very good.
Season
Intermediate between Hubbardston and Baldwin. Early winter in the southern part of the state; farther north in season for home use from November to March, with the commercial limit extending to February.
Uses
Its uniform size, symmetrical shape, beautiful color, and pleasant quality unite to make Sutton an excellent dessert apple. However, being mild in flavor it is less desirable for culinary use. It sells well in the general market but appears especially suitable for fancy market and fruit-stand trade. The fruit hangs well to the tree. It does not keep quite so long as Baldwin, hardly averages as large, and because it is more tender requires more careful handling. Although in some regions its fruit appears to be somewhat more subject to scab than that of Baldwin, in many localities it has gained a reputation of being remarkably healthy in foliage and fruit.
Although it has not done well in some localities, in most parts of New York state it is regarded as one of the most promising of the newer varieties. Because the trees of this variety are still young at the time of this writing, the value of Sutton for commercial planting in New York has not been fully determined.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)SUTTON.
REFERENCES. 1. Cole, 1849:130. 2. Hovey, Mag. Hort., 15:249. 1849. fig. 3. Elliott, 1854:85. 4. Downing, 1857:190. 5. Warder, 1867:616. fig. 6. Thomas, 1875:513. 7. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1877:14. 8. Mich. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1880:50, 184, 207. 9. Barry, 1883:355. 10. Can. Hort., 11:8. 1888. 11. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:294. 12. Can. Hort., 14:36, 274. 1891. 13. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:250. 14. Munson, Me. Sta. Rpt., 1893:133. 15. Rural N. Y., 55:115, 181. 1896. 16. Lyon, Mich. Sta. Bul., 143:200. 1897. 17. Rural N. Y., 57:178, 239, 244. 1898. 18. Woodward, Ib., 58:264. 1899. 19. Beach, W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1899:90. 20. Van Deman, Rural N. Y., 60:54, 789. 1901. 21. Can. Hort., 24:121. 1901. 22. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:309. 1901. 23. Budd-Hansen, 1903:184. 24. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:57. 1903. 25. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:45. 1903. 26. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:145. 1904.
SYNONYMS. Beauty (4). Hubbardston Nonsuch (3) but incorrectly. MORRIS RED (8, 11, 25). MORRIS Red (16). Morris Red (19). Steele's Red (8, erroneously 11). Steele's Red Winter (8, of Ohio 19). SUTTON BEAUTY (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21). Sutton Beauty (3, 14, 22, 23, 24, 26).
Sutton is supposed by some to be a seedling of Hubbardston (22, 23). The tree certainly resembles Hubbardston somewhat but is much more vigorous and healthy. In color, texture, quality and season the fruit is intermediate between Hubbardston and Baldwin. Its uniform size, symmetrical shape, beautiful color and pleasant quality unite to make the Sutton an excellent dessert apple, but being mild in flavor it is less desirable for culinary use. It sells well in the general market but it appears especially suitable for fancy market and fruit-stand trade. It does not keep quite so long as Baldwin, hardly averages as large and because it is more tender requires more careful handling. Although in some regions its fruit seems to be somewhat more subject to scab than that of the Baldwin, yet in many localities it has gained a reputation of being remarkably healthy in foliage and fruit. The fruit hangs well to the tree. In favorable locations the tree has vigorous dark green foliage, is handsome in form, a strong grower and productive, with a marked tendency to bear biennially.
Sutton has been practically unknown in New York state until recent years but it is now being introduced quite extensively for commercial purposes. Although it has not done well in some localities, yet in most parts of the state it is regarded as one of the most promising of the newer varieties. Because the trees of this variety are still young the value of the Sutton for commercial planting in New York has not been fully determined.
Sutton has been disseminated in Michigan under the name Morris Red with Steele's Red or Steele's Red Winter of Ohio as erroneous synonyms. Ragan recognizes Morris Red as possibly identical with Sutton. Morris Red as fruited at this Station from stock obtained from D. G. Edmeston, Adrian, Mich., who has pronounced the fruit borne by this stock to be the true Morris Red¹, is certainly identical with Sutton. Leroy refers to Sutton Beauty erroneously as a synonym for Wellington.
Historical. Sutton takes its name from the town of Sutton, Mass., in which it originated. It was brought to notice through the Worcester County Horticultural Society in 1848 (2). In 1849 Hovey included it in a descriptive list of select varieties in the belief that it would become a popular fruit and remarked that it had as yet been but little disseminated. It was not included in the American Pomological Society Catalogue till 1877 (7). Within recent years it has been planted and top-worked upon older trees to a considerable extent in New York commercial orchards, but we do not know of any old trees of this variety in this state.
TREE.
Tree vigorous with stout branches. Form upright spreading, eventually becoming roundish, dense. Twigs short to medium in length, straight, moderately stout to stocky; internodes short to medium. Bark dark olive-green somewhat tinged with reddish-brown, mottled and streaked with gray scarfskin, pubescent. Lenticels few, very scattering, not conspicuous, small to medium, elongated or roundish, not raised. Buds prominent, large, broad, obtuse to acute, pubescent, free. Leaves somewhat narrow, medium to large; foliage vigorous, dark green, healthy, rather dense.
FRUIT.
Fruit medium or rarely large, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form roundish or slightly oblong rounding toward cavity and basin, symmetrical, regular or very slightly ribbed. Stem medium to short, sometimes fleshy. ¹ letters, D. G. Edmeston, 1897. ² Leroy, 1873:864.
Cavity acute or sometimes acuminate, moderately deep to deep, moderately wide to narrow, symmetrical, often with some greenish russet. Calyx medium size, partly open, sometimes closed, pubescent; lobes vary from medium and obtuse to long and acuminate. Basin moderately shallow and obtuse to rather deep and abrupt, medium in width, somewhat furrowed and slightly wrinkled, sometimes compressed. Skin moderately thin, tough, often slightly roughened toward the basin by inconspicuous, concentric broken russet lines and fine russet dots, otherwise glossy and smooth; color attractive bright red striped with carmine or purplish carmine nearly overspreading the lively yellow or greenish ground color. Prevailing effect attractive red. The less highly colored fruit has a distinctly striped appearance. Calyx tube symmetrical, conical or sometimes funnel-form. Stamens median. Core medium or below, slightly abaxile; cells symmetrical, closed; core lines slightly clasping. Carpels broadly cordate approaching elliptical, emarginate, sometimes slightly tufted. Seeds rather light brown, small to above medium, plump, acute, sometimes a little tufted. Flesh slightly tinged with yellow, rather firm, moderately fine-grained, crisp, tender, juicy, mild subacid, good to very good. Season intermediate between Hubbardston and Baldwin; early winter in the southern part of the state but farther north it is in season for home use from November to March, and the commercial limit extends to February.