Sweet Romanite

Origin / History

Warder and Downing give the origin as unknown. Elliott records Sweet Romanite as introduced to the Ohio Pomological Society by W. B. Lipsey, of Morrow County, Ohio, and writes: "We have not been able to identify it with any variety heretofore described." He suggests the name was probably induced by the flesh, which is fine-grained and firm, "somewhat like the Gilpin or Romanite." In Illinois it was grown under the name "Sweet Nonsuch," having been introduced there under the erroneous name "Orange Sweet" (Elliott).

Warder likewise records it as grown in Illinois. There it was introduced at the State Society by "the lamented Cyrus R. Overman, President," and was "much esteemed by him." Thomas calls it "valuable at the West."

Tree

Hardy. A strong, upright grower (Downing). A moderate bearer; "moderate but regular" according to Elliott.

Fruit

Size: Medium.

Form: Roundish oblate or roundish flattened, regular; very regular according to Elliott. Warder gives it as round, sometimes flattened or truncate.

Stem: Short; slender according to Downing. Warder alone gives it as medium to long, and green.

Cavity: Open, regular, with little russet (Elliott). Deep, acute, wavy, brown (Warder).

Calyx: Large, with the segments in divisions, short, half erect (Elliott). Downing calls the segments erect and slightly recurved. Downing and Warder call the calyx closed, and Warder calls the eye small. Thomas calls it open.

Basin: Furrowed, corrugated, or folded and plaited. Elliott calls it broad and shallow. Warder calls it medium, or deep and abrupt.

Skin: Smooth, with a greenish-yellow ground, mostly striped and overspread with bright red, and covered with a fine bloom (Elliott). Downing calls it shaded, splashed, and striped with red. Warder describes it as blushed, mixed bright red and dull red, with the stripes indistinct.

Dots: Light (Downing). Warder calls them scattered and irregular, brown or fawn on the deeper colors.

Flesh and flavor: Flesh greenish yellow (Elliott), yellow (Warder), or yellowish white (Downing). It is fine-grained, firm, compact, crisp, breaking, tender, and juicy. Flavor sweet; Warder calls it "very sweet," and Downing calls it "rich, sweet." Elliott judges it "superior to Ramsdell's or Danvers' Sweeting." Warder and Downing both rate the quality "good to very good."

Core and seeds: Core small (Downing), or "medium, or rather small" (Elliott). Elliott calls it compact, with the center slightly hollow. Warder calls it roundish, closed, and clasping. Seeds ovate, oblong pyriform (Elliott); numerous, plump, and angular (Warder).

Season

Winter. The recorded season runs from November into April. Elliott and Downing give November to March, and Warder gives December to April. Thomas says it keeps through winter.

Uses

Baking, cider, table, and stock (Warder).

Subtypes / Variants

Elliott records another Sweet Romanite grown in the Western States. It is oblong, with a long, slender stem. Elliott gives its color as "core, light yellow, striped with red." Its flesh is more yellow and dry, and he judges it "an inferior or unworthy variety."

He also records a different Sweet Nonsuch. It is flat, with a slender stem and a deep cavity, and is light red on pale yellow. Its flesh is white, sweet, dry, and tough; he calls it "inferior."

Other

Thomas illustrates the variety as Fig. 405.