Sweet Russet

Apple

USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection

Editor's Note

This is the winter Sweet Russet grown in Massachusetts, New York, and elsewhere — a medium oblate cooking apple covered with nettings and patches of russet, in season from November to March. It is the second of three distinct varieties described under the name Sweet Russet in Downing's entry, and the one Beach notices in Volume 1 of The Apples of New York. The better-known Sweet Russet of Parsons & Co., Flushing, is a small September apple; a third, from Kentucky, is described as Sweet Russett of Kentucky.

Sweet Russet

Origin / History

Origin unknown. Beach remarks that various varieties have been cultivated under the name Sweet Russet. The name is entered by Warder (1867), Downing (1869) and Bailey (1892). The apple Downing describes has been grown in New York, Massachusetts and elsewhere; Beach does not know that variety and has no report of its being grown anywhere in New York at the present time. The name has also been applied to the variety Beach describes as Pumpkin Russet. Sweet Russet was at one time disseminated by Parsons and Company, Flushing, N. Y.

Tree

Tree large, spreading and drooping, a moderately vigorous grower, hardy, long-lived. Usually a reliable cropper, yielding good crops biennially.

Fruit

Size: Small. The fruit Downing describes is medium in size.

Form: Roundish or oblate.

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Not described in source.

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Yellow, mostly covered with light russet tinged with red in the sun. On the fruit Downing describes the russet is in patches and network.

Dots: Not described in source.

Flesh and flavor: Juicy, sweet; Beach rates it "very good". Downing gives the flesh as rich and sweet.

Core and seeds: Not described in source.

Season

September and October (Beach). Downing's apple is in season from November to March.

Uses

Downing calls it a good apple for culinary use.

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

SWEET RUSSET.

Reference. 1. Downing, 1869:377. Synonym. Summer Russet (1).

Various varieties have been cultivated under the name Sweet Russet. The one here noticed, Downing states (1) has been grown in New York, Massachusetts and elsewhere and is a good apple for culinary use, in season from November to March. The fruit is medium in size, yellow, mostly covered with patches and network of russet and the flesh is rich and sweet. We do not know this variety and we have no report of its being grown anywhere in New York at the present time.

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

SWEET RUSSET.

REFERENCES. 1. Warder, 1867:528. fig. 2. Downing, 1869:377. 3. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:250.

SYNONYMS. Summer Russet (2). Sweet Russet (1, 2, 3).

A small roundish or oblate apple, yellow, mostly covered with light russet tinged with red in the sun, juicy, sweet, very good; season September and October. Tree large, spreading and drooping, a moderately vigorous grower, hardy, long-lived and usually a reliable cropper yielding good crops biennially. Origin unknown. It was at one time disseminated by Parsons and Company, Flushing, N. Y.

The name Sweet Russet has also been applied to the variety described as Pumpkin Russet on page 170.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Summer Russet