POMME GRISE D'OR.

Swazie Pomme Grise.

An old variety of unknown origin. I am informed it is considerably grown in Canada and sections of Western New York, and there were trees of it near Niagara on the Colonel Swazie farm—where it probably originated—two feet in diameter. Tree hardy, upright, moderately vigorous. Good bearer every other year. The fruit is more oblong, more golden in color, and more aromatic than the Pomme Grise, and is considered superior to it.

Pomme Grise d'Or.

Fruit small, oblate, or roundish oblate, conical; skin deep yellow, covered with a thin light cinnamon grayish russet, and many rather large light dots; stalk short to long, slender; cavity rather broad, deep; calyx small; basin quite large, deep, corrugated; flesh white, tender, juicy, mild subacid, rich and aromatic; very good or best; core rather small. January to March or April.

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

SWAYZIE.

REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1872:27 app. fig. 2. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883. 3. Ib., 1886-87:96. 4. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:250. 5. Woolverton, Out. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 3:16. 1896. figs. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1899:20. 7. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Bul., 37:46. 1901. 8. Waugh, Rural N. Y., 62:185, 186. 1903. figs. 9. Budd-Hansen, 1903:185. fig. 10. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:123. 1905. 11. Ib., 56:303. 1905.

SYNONYMS. GOLDEN GRAY? (10). POMME GRISE D'OR (1). Pomme Grise d'Or (5, 9, 10). SWAYSIE POMME GRISE (3). SWAYZIE (11). SWAYZIE POMME GRISE (4, 7). Swaysie Pomme Grise (11). SWAZIE POMME GRISE (5, 8). Swasie Pomme Grise (1). Swasie's Pomme Gris (10). Swasy (11). SWAZY Pomme Gris (6, 9).

This is a variety of the Pomme Grise group. As compared with Pomme Grise it is more oblong, has more of a golden color, is more highly aromatic and superior in quality (1, 6). The fruit is small to nearly medium, of a golden russet color and excellent dessert quality. Woolverton ranks it best in quality for dessert but poor for cooking or for either home or foreign market. He remarks that it succeeds well in Southern Ontario especially in the Niagara district; but, unfortunately, it is not very productive and consequently not profitable, one large tree at Maplehurst, 75 years planted, having yielded only an average of four barrels of fruit each alternate year (5). The first published description of this variety which we find is that given by Downing (1) under the name Pomme Grise d'Or with Swazie Pomme Grise as a synonym. Woolverton (5) gives an excellent illustrated description of the same variety under the name Swazie Pomme Grise with Pomme Grise d'Or as a synonym. The name Swazie has been spelled variously by different writers. We follow the form used by Downing (1) and accepted by Woolverton (5) and Waugh (8) as that appears to have priority in the published accounts of this variety.

Historical. Supposed to have originated on the Swazie farm near Niagara (1, 5, 7, 8). It is more generally known in Ontario and Quebec than in New York. It is not grown extensively in any portion of this state.

TREE.

Tree fairly vigorous, upright (1, 5, 7). Twigs long, rather slender, straight; internodes medium or below. Bark clear, light brownish-red, quite pubescent. Lenticels numerous, rather conspicuous, irregular in size and shape, raised. Buds medium, moderately prominent, acute or roundish, adhering to the bark or partly free, moderately pubescent.

FRUIT.

Fruit small or sometimes nearly medium. Form oblate conical to roundish. Stem short to medium length, slender. Cavity narrow to moderately wide, acute, deep. Calyx closed or partly open; lobes broad, obtuse. Basin narrow to moderately wide, medium in depth, furrowed gently if at all, slightly wrinkled. Skin rather pale yellow or greenish-yellow with some cinnamon-russet. Dots numerous, whitish. Calyx tube elongated, cone-shape. Stamens median. Core rather small to medium, somewhat abaxile, often with hollow cylinder in the axis; cells usually symmetrical, closed or open; core lines meeting. Carpels broadly roundish, nearly truncate at the base, narrowing toward the apex, mucronate. Seeds numerous, small to medium, variable in form, narrow to broad, often angular, usually obtuse or nearly so. Flesh whitish tinged with pale yellow, fine-grained, tender, crisp, juicy, highly aromatic, sprightly, rather mild subacid, pleasant, very good to best for dessert.

Season December to March.

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

Swazy Pomme Gris (Pomme Grise d'Or).—Supposed origin near Niagara, Ontario, Canada; tree is moderately vigorous, upright, good bearer in alternate years; fruit more oblong, of richer yellow and more aromatic than the Pomme Grise and is considered superior to it.

Fruit small to below medium, oblate to roundish; surface deep yellow, nearly covered with a thin light brownish gray russet; dots many, distinct, but not conspicuous; cavity deep, narrow; stem short to long, slender; basin narrow, deep, slightly corrugated; calyx half open. Core small; flesh pale greenish yellow, fine-grained, tender, juicy, aromatic, rich, sprightly subacid, very good to best. January to April.

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

Swayzie is a large apple of roundish conical form. The skin is yellow with russet. Quality is very good. Use: family. Season: winter.

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

SWAZIE. Golden Gray.

Swazie is very similar in fruit and tree to Pomme Grise. The fruits, however, in most respects are an improvement. Thus, the golden russet color makes them more attractive; they are, too, more aromatic; a little more richly flavored; of slightly larger size; and further distinguished by being more oblong. Unfortunately the trees are not productive and but fairly vigorous, though very hardy. The variety originated on the Swazie farm, Niagara, Canada, and was first described by Downing in 1872. Swazie is a comparatively rare variety except in Ontario and Quebec.

Tree vigorous, upright. Fruit small, oblate, conical or round; stem short, slender; cavity narrow, acute, deep; calyx closed or partly open; lobes broad, obtuse; basin narrow, medium in depth, furrowed gently, wrinkled; skin pale yellow with some cinnamon-russet; dots numerous, white; calyx-tube elongated, cone-shape; stamens median; core small, abaxile, often with hollow cylinder in the axis; cells symmetrical, closed or open; core-lines meeting; carpels broadly round, truncate at the base, narrowing toward the apex, mucronate; seeds numerous, small, narrow to broad, often angular, usually obtuse; flesh pale yellow, fine-grained, tender, crisp, juicy, highly aromatic, sprightly, mild subacid, pleasant; very good to best; December to March.

[Additional entry in this volume: "Swayzie", pp. 80–80]

SWAZIE. Golden Gray. Swazie is very similar in fruit and tree to Pomme Grise. The fruits, however, in most respects are an improvement. Thus, the golden russet color makes them more attractive; they are, too, more aromatic; a little more richly flavored; of slightly larger size; and further distinguished by being more oblong. Unfortunately the trees are not productive and but fairly vigorous, though very hardy. The variety originated on the Swazie farm, Niagara, Canada, and was first described by Downing in 1872. Swazie is a comparatively rare variety except in Ontario and Quebec.

Tree vigorous, upright. Fruit small, oblate, conical or round; stem short, slender; cavity narrow, acute, deep; calyx closed or partly open; lobes broad, obtuse; basin narrow, medium in depth, furrowed gently, wrinkled; skin pale yellow with some cinnamon-russet; dots numerous, white; calyx-tube elongated, cone-shape; stamens median; core small, abaxile, often with hollow cylinder in the axis; cells symmetrical, closed or open; core-lines meeting; carpels broadly round, truncate at the base, narrowing toward the apex, mucronate; seeds numerous, small, narrow to broad, often angular, usually obtuse; flesh pale yellow, fine-grained, tender, crisp, juicy, highly aromatic, sprightly, mild subacid, pleasant; very good to best; December to March.

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