Switzer
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Switzer
Origin / History
A Russian apple, imported by the U. S. Department of Agriculture in 1870. Received in 1888 for testing at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station from T. H. Hoskins, Newport, Vt. (Beach). A. G. Tuttle and C. G. Patten reported that their trees had blighted to death; while esteemed by many growers in the east, it was too subject to blight in the northwest, and it was thought that Switzer should be struck off the list recommended by the American Pomological Society for planting in the northwest, this opinion being ordered sent to the society for action at the next meeting (Russian Nomenclature Committee, per Hansen). At the Central Experimental Farm trial at Agassiz, BC, the tree was planted in the spring of 1893.
Tree
Tree moderately vigorous (Beach) to vigorous (Thomas), spreading, very productive (Thomas); a medium grower and an early bearer (Central Experimental Farm); comes into bearing rather early and is a fairly reliable cropper, yielding pretty good crops biennially as fruited at the New York Station (Beach). Form spreading, rather flat, open. Branches short, moderately stout, curved and crooked. Twigs short, curved, stout, with large terminal buds; internodes medium. Bark dark brown, streaked with heavy scarf-skin, slightly pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small, round, not raised. Buds large, prominent, broad, plump, obtuse, free, heavily pubescent. (Beach)
Subject to blight, particularly in the northwest (per Hansen / Russian Nomenclature Committee).
Fruit
Size. Medium (Hansen, Thomas, Budd-Hansen, Central Experimental Farm); below medium to above medium (Beach), well-grown specimens of medium size or below (Beach).
Form. Oblate, regular (Hansen, Budd-Hansen, Central Experimental Farm); roundish-oblate (Thomas); roundish or oblate, regular (Beach).
Stem. Long (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); medium to rather long, rather slender (Beach).
Cavity. Regular, somewhat acuminate, russeted (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); acuminate, moderately shallow, narrow, lightly russeted with thin, greenish-russet (Beach).
Calyx. Closed (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); small, closed; lobes medium in length, narrow, acute (Beach).
Basin. Wide, shallow, nearly flat, corrugated (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); shallow or almost none, narrow to wide, furrowed, often wrinkled (Beach).
Skin. Light yellow almost or wholly covered with bright crimson (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); pale yellow, striped and blushed with light crimson, very handsome (Thomas); clear white or becoming yellowish, washed with bright pink which often deepens to crimson (Beach) — when well grown a very handsome fruit, nearly white with beautiful blush (Beach); yellow, nearly covered with deep red (Central Experimental Farm).
Dots. White, few, obscure (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); whitish, obscure (Beach).
Flesh and flavor. Snow white, firm, fine-grained, rich, spicy, mild subacid, with sweet after-taste, very good (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); white, fine-grained, juicy, very good (Thomas); white, firm, fine, juicy, mild subacid, good (Beach); white, juicy, pleasantly sub-acid, quality good (Central Experimental Farm). Very good in flavor and quality either for dessert or culinary uses (Beach).
Core and seeds. Core half open, clasping; tube funnel-shaped, open nearly to core; stamens median (Hansen, Budd-Hansen). Per Beach: Calyx tube variable, elongated conical to cylindrical or funnel-form; stamens median to somewhat basal; core large, axile; cells closed or partly open; core lines clasping; carpels round, deeply emarginate; seeds large, dark brown, medium in width, long.
Season
September, October (Hansen, Budd-Hansen); late August to October (Beach). At Agassiz, BC, the season is given as January and February (Central Experimental Farm).
Uses
Valuable for market or culinary (Thomas). Very good in flavor and quality either for dessert or culinary uses (Beach). As compared with standard varieties of its season it does not appear to merit the attention of New York fruit growers (Beach).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 4 catalogs (1886–1901) from Alabama, Illinois, Washington
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- Puyallup & Yakima Nurseries , Puyallup, Washington (Lock Box 191) and North Yakima , Washington — 1892
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
View original book sources (5)
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Switzer—Origin, Russia—Fruit medium, oblate, regular; surface light yellow almost or wholly covered with bright crimson; dots white, few, obscure; cavity regular, somewhat acuminate, russeted; stem long; basin wide, shallow, nearly flat, corrugated; calyx closed. Core half open, clasping; tube funnel-shaped, open nearly to core; stamens median; flesh snow white, firm, fine grained, rich, spicy, mild subacid, with sweet after taste, very good. September, October.
"A. G. Tuttle and C. G. Patten reported that their trees had blighted to death. It appeared that, while esteemed by many growers in the east, it was too subject to blight in the northwest. It was thought that Switzer should be struck off the list recommended by the American Pomological Society for planting in the northwest, and this opinion was ordered sent to the society for action at the next meeting.'' (Rus. Nom. Com.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Switzer.* Tree vigorous, spreading, very productive; fruit medium, roundish-oblate; skin pale yellow, striped and blushed with light crimson; very handsome flesh, white, fine grained, juicy, very good. Russian. Valuable for market or culinary.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)SWITZER.
REFERENCES. 1. Hoskins, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1880:50. 2. Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1881:55. 3. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883:91. 4. Gibb, Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883:436. 5. Ia. Agr. Coll. Bul., 1885:12. No. 304. 6. Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1886-87:16. 7. Can. Hort., 12:344. 1889. 8. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1889:14. 9. Budd, Ia. Agr. Coll. Bul., 1890:18. No. 304. 10. Can. Hort., 13:216. 1890. 11. Van Deman, U. S. Pom. Rpt., 1890:418. col. pl. 12. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:251. 13. Amer. Gard., 13:639. 1892. 14. Can. Hort., 16:359. 1893. 15. Hoskins, Rural N. Y., 53:279. 1894. 16. Amer. Gard., 16:332, 412. 1895. fig. 17. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:255. 1895. 18. Can. Hort., 20:183, 412. 1897. 19. Amer. Gard., 19:652. 1898. 20. Macoun, Can. Dept. Agr. Rpt., 1901:198. 21. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:103. 1902. 22. Munson, Me. Sta. An. Rpt., 18:85. 1902. 23. Budd-Hansen, 1903:186. fig. 24. Thomas, 1903:303.
SYNONYMS. Suislepper (3, 4). Suislepper (5). Switzer (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24). Switzer (3, 4).
When well grown this is a very handsome fruit of medium size or below, nearly white with beautiful blush. It is very good in flavor and quality either for dessert or culinary uses. As fruited at this Station the tree comes into bearing rather early and is a fairly reliable cropper yielding pretty good crops biennially. As compared with standard varieties of its season it does not appear to merit the attention of New York fruit growers.
Historical. A Russian apple imported by the U. S. Department of Agriculture in 1870. It was received in 1888 for testing at this Station from T. H. Hoskins, Newport, Vt.
TREE.
Tree moderately vigorous with short, moderately stout, curved and crooked branches. Form spreading, rather flat, open. Twigs short, curved, stout with large terminal buds; internodes medium. Bark dark brown, streaked with heavy scarf-skin, slightly pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small, round, not raised. Buds large, prominent, broad, plump, obtuse, free, heavily pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit below medium to above medium. Form roundish or oblate, regular. Stem medium to rather long, rather slender. Cavity acuminate, moderately shallow, narrow, lightly russeted with thin, greenish-russet. Calyx small, closed; lobes medium in length, narrow, acute. Basin shallow or almost none, narrow to wide, furrowed, often wrinkled. Skin clear white or becoming yellowish, washed with bright pink which often deepens to crimson. Dots whitish, obscure. Calyx tube variable, elongated conical to cylindrical or funnel-form. Stamens median to somewhat basal. Core large, axile; cells closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels round, deeply emarginate. Seeds large, dark brown, medium in width, long. Flesh white, firm, fine, juicy, mild subacid, good. Season late August to October.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Switzer. — Origin, Russia. Fruit medium, oblate, regular; surface light yellow, almost or wholly covered with bright crimson; dots white, few, obscure; cavity regular, somewhat acuminate, russeted; stem long; basin wide, shallow, nearly flat, corrugated; calyx closed. Core half open, clasping; tube funnel-shaped, open nearly to core; stamens median; flesh snow-white, firm, fine-grained, rich, spicy, mild subacid, with sweet after-taste, very good. September, October. Switzer.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1893. Tree a medium grower and an early bearer. Fruit of medium size, oblate. Skin yellow, nearly covered with deep red. Flesh white, juicy, pleasantly sub-acid, quality good. Season January and February.