NO. 101. SWAAR APPLE.

In the Low-Dutch language this name signifies a heavy apple—it is a highly celebrated winter table fruit in some parts of New-York, and New-Jersey; it is a large green apple, of great and uncommon flavour and richness; highly deserving of cultivation, in every collection of fine fruits.

— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)

Swaar.

Origin on the banks of the Hudson, in New York State. Tree vigorous, spreading, productive; Shoots stout, dark colored; Foliage large, curled.

Fruit large, form variable, being sometimes flat, where unusually developed, generally roundish, somewhat flattened, more or less angular or flattened on the sides, but not ribbed; Surface not smooth, often rough, greenish yellow, bronzed, becoming a dead golden yellow when ripe; Dots large, numerous.

Basin medium, wide, regular; Eye small, not long, closed.

Cavity wide, regular or wavy, green; Stem long, curved, pretty stout.

Core medium, regular, heart-shaped, closed, clasping; Seeds numerous, angular, pale; Flesh very heavy, yellow, fine-grained; Flavor very mild sub-acid, or sweet, very rich; Quality best; Use, table and kitchen; Season, March.

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

Swaar. Hardwick.

This is a truly noble American fruit, produced by the Dutch settlers on the Hudson, near Esopus, and so termed from its unusual weight, this word, in the Low Dutch, meaning heavy. It requires a deep, rich, sandy loam to bring it to perfection, and, in its native soils, we have seen it twelve inches in circumference, and of a deep golden yellow color. It is one of the finest flavored apples in America, and deserves extensive cultivation in all favorable positions, though it does not succeed well in damp or cold soils.

Fruit large, regularly formed, roundish or roundish oblate. Skin greenish yellow when first gathered, but when entirely ripe of a fine, dead gold color, dotted with numerous distinct brown specks, and sometimes faintly marbled with gray russet on the side and round the stalk. Stalk slender, three-fourths of an inch long, inserted in a very round cavity. [Sometimes this cavity is partially closed.] Calyx small, greenish, set in a shallow basin, scarcely plaited. Flesh yellowish, fine-grained, tender, with an exceedingly rich aromatic flavor and a spicy smell. Very good to best. Core small. The trees bear fair crops, and the fruit is in season from December to March.

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

SWAAR.

REFERENCES. 1. Dom. Encyc., 1804. (cited by 33). 2. M'Mahon, Gard. Cal., 1806:585. 3. Coxe, 1817:161. 4. Thacher, 1822:138. 5. Cat. Hort. Soc. London, 1831:37. 6. Kenrick, 1832:53. 7. Floy-Lindley, 1833:85. 8. Manning, 1838:60. 9. Manning, Mag. Hort., 7:50. 1841. 10. Downing, 1845:134. fig. 11. Thomas, 1849:185. fig. 12. Cole, 1849:126. fig. 13. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:88. 1851. col. pl. No. 22. 14. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1852. 15. Elliott, 1854:108. fig. 16. Hooper, 1857:90. 17. Gregg, 1857:59. fig. 18. Ill. Handb. Obst., 8:83. 1865. 19. Warder, 1867:632. fig. 20. Downing, 1869:373. fig. 21. Fitz, 1872:167. 22. Leroy, 1873:834. fig. 23. Barry, 1883:355. 24. Wickson, 1889:246. 25. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:298. 26. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:250. 27. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:310. 1901. 28. Eneroth-Smirnoff, 1901:463. 29. Dickens and Greene, Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:55. 1902. 30. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:57. 1903. 31. Budd-Hansen, 1903:184. 32. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:146. 1904. 33. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:302. 1905.

SYNONYMS. DER SCHWERE APFEL (18). Hardwick (20, 22, 33). SWAAR APPLE (2, 3, 4, 7).

In many parts of the state, and particularly in portions of the Hudson valley, Swaar has long been a favorite variety for the home orchard, being valued especially for dessert use because of its rich flavor and fine quality. It is less suitable for cooking and there is little demand for it in market except among the comparatively few people who know its good qualities. The fruit is usually of good size and form but not very attractive in color. Downing observes that this variety requires a deep, rich, sandy loam to bring it to perfection but that it does not succeed well in damp or cold soils, and adds that in its native soil he has seen it 12 inches in circumference and of a deep, golden yellow color (10). The tree is not as long-lived nor as hardy as either Baldwin or Rhode Island Greening. In many cases it is injured by apple canker¹ or by sunscald and occasionally it suffers from winter injury. In some localities it appears to be thriftier, hardier, and, on the whole, more successful when topworked upon some hardier and more vigorous variety such as Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening or Northern Spy than it does when grown upon its own trunk. Generally speaking it has the reputation of being a shy bearer, yielding moderate crops biennially; but in some cases it is regarded as a heavy cropper and an annual bearer. Often a comparatively large amount of the crop is lost in drops and culls. Its season is somewhat variable but in ordinary storage commonly extends from November or December to March or April (32).

Historical. Downing states “This is a truly noble American fruit, produced by the Dutch settlers on the Hudson, near Esopus” (10). Coxe (3) remarks that “In the Low-Dutch language this name signifies a heavy apple it is a highly celebrated winter table fruit in some parts of New-York, and New-Jersey; it is a large green apple, of great and uncommon flavour and richness; highly deserving of cultivation, in every collection of fine fruits.” It has been widely disseminated through the state and often a few trees of it are still found in old orchards but it has nowhere been cultivated extensively and is now seldom planted.

TREE.

Tree usually medium or below medium size, moderately vigorous; branches somewhat inclined to droop. Form roundish to quite spreading, rather dense, somewhat resembling that of Rhode Island Greening. Twigs below medium to short, straight or nearly so, rather slender to stout with prominent terminal buds; internodes short. Bark of the trunk and older limbs peculiarly rough, that of the new twigs clear dark brownish-red mingled with olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin and pubescent. Lenticels numerous, small to medium, elongated, slightly raised. Buds prominent, below medium to large, plump, acute, free or nearly so, slightly pubescent.

FRUIT.

Fruit above medium to large, fairly uniform in size and shape. Form roundish varying from oblate to somewhat oblong, often ribbed, regular, symmetrical. Stem medium in length, rather slender. Cavity below medium to rather large, usually round, acute to somewhat acuminate, rather deep, moderately wide, often somewhat furrowed, usually russeted and with broken outspreading russet. Calyx small to medium, closed or somewhat open; lobes broad, obtuse, usually connivent. Basin small to medium, usually shallow and obtuse, sometimes moderately deep and abrupt, moderately wide, a little furrowed and wrinkled. Skin medium in thickness, tough, somewhat roughened with dots and flecks of russet, green or eventually deep yellow, often shaded with a bronze blush. Dots numerous, greenish or russet. Prevailing effect green or yellow. Calyx tube cone-shape or elongated funnel-form. Stamens median or approaching marginal. Core small to medium, axile to slightly abaxile with hollow cylinder in the axis; cells symmetrical, closed or sometimes partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels thin, tender, broadly roundish, emarginate, mucronate, sometimes tufted. Seeds numerous, below medium to above medium, broad, plump, obtuse, rather light brown. Flesh yellowish, firm, moderately tender, rather fine-grained, juicy, mild or very mild subacid, aromatic, rich, very good to best.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)

Swaar is large in size, roundish (oblate) in form, with green-yellow skin. Quality: best. Use: both kitchen and market. Season: winter. Reported by 4 stations in the Northern Division (also reported in another division) and 8 stations in the Central Division (also reported in another division); no Southern Division reports recorded.

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

SWAAR.

American. "Produced by the Dutch settlers, on the Hudson; its name in low Dutch meaning heavy." It is one of the very best apples, growing well and producing abundantly on all rich, strong soils.

Fruit, medium, to large ; form, roundish, slightly ribbed or unequal on its surface and often a little angular ; color, greenish yellow at first, becoming a dull rich yellow, dotted with distinct brown specks, sometimes marbled with gray russet on the side and round the stem, and often tinged with dull red ; stem, slender ; cavity, round, deep ; calyx, small, half closed ; basin, shallow, somewhat plaited ; flesh, yellowish, fine-grained, juicy, tender, spicy aromatic perfume ; core, small, to medium ; seeds, broad ovate. January to March.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Swaar.* Rather large, roundish, slightly flattened at the ends, often considerably oblate, sides regularly rounded, crown as wide as base; color greenish yellow, becoming a rich yellow, sometimes faintly russeted, and a small blush near the base, when much exposed to the sun; stalk rather slender, three-fourths of an inch long; cavity round, moderate, or often small; basin small, even; flesh yellowish, fine-grained, compact, tender, with a very rich, mild, aromatic, agreeable, slightly sub-acid flavor. Esteemed by some as the finest winter table apple. Ripens through winter and keeps into spring. Shoots ascending, buds large, leaves coarsely rounded serrate. Fruit apt to be scabby on old overloaded trees. Not successful in all localities. Fig. 480. New York.

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

Swaar. — Originated by the Dutch settlers on the Hudson River, near Esopus, New York; the name in Low Dutch means heavy, alluding to its unusual weight; a deep, rich, sandy loam is required for its best development; tree vigorous, spreading, productive.

Fruit medium to large, roundish to roundish oblate, mostly regular, often obscurely angular; surface roughened by dots and sometimes with gray russet net-veining, greenish yellow, with bronze or red blush, at full maturity a fine dead golden yellow; dots many, very large, conspicuous, light russet; cavity regular, narrow, often russeted, sometimes nearly closed; stem long, slender; basin almost flat, smooth, or faintly wrinkled; calyx open; segments flat convergent. Core closed, clasping; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; cells roundish ovate, slit; seeds many, plump, pointed; flesh yellowish, very heavy, fine-grained, very rich, aromatic, very mild subacid, and spicy fragrance, very good to best. December to March.

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

SWAAR.

Swaar is distinguished by greenish-yellow fruits, covered with dots and flecks of russet, which have heavy, aromatic flesh of uncommonly rich flavor. The apples keep well both in ordinary and cold storage. Though the apples are comparatively unattractive, the faults of the variety are chiefly those of the trees, which are neither long-lived nor hardy; suffer much from apple-canker; lack vigor; are shy bearers; and lose a large part of the crop as drops or culls. Swaar was early produced by the Dutch settlers in the Hudson River Valley, and has long been a favorite in that region.

Tree of medium size, vigorous, round to spreading, dense; branches inclined to droop.

Fruit medium to large, uniform in size and shape, round-oblate, often ribbed, regular, symmetrical; stem medium in length, slender; cavity large, acute, deep, wide, often furrowed, usually russeted and with broken outspreading russet; calyx small, closed or open; lobes broad, obtuse, usually connivent; basin small, shallow, obtuse, wide, furrowed and wrinkled; skin tough, roughened with dots and flecks of russet, yellow, often shaded with a bronze blush; dots numerous, green or russet; prevailing effect yellow; calyx-tube cone-shape; stamens median; core small, axile, with hollow cylinder in the axis; cells symmetrical, closed or partly open; core-lines clasping; carpels thin, tender, broadly round, emarginate, mucronate, sometimes tufted; seeds numerous, broad, plump, obtuse, light brown; flesh yellow, firm, tender, fine-grained, juicy, mild or very mild subacid, aromatic, rich; very good to best; November to April.

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