Wabash Red

Origin and History

Received in 1892 and 1894 from Downing and Morris, Clinton, Indiana, for testing at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station. This variety is distinct from Wabash (also called Wabash Bellflower), with which it may be confused.

Tree

Tree vigorous and upright to roundish in form, with rather dense branching. Twigs short to above medium, straight or somewhat curved, stout, with large terminal buds and medium to short internodes. Bark brownish-red mingled with olive-green, lightly mottled with scarf-skin and slightly pubescent. Lenticels conspicuous and quite numerous, small to medium, roundish or slightly elongated, slightly raised. Buds medium to large, broad, plump, obtuse, free or nearly so, slightly pubescent.

Fruit

Size and Form. Large to medium, quite uniform in size and shape. Form roundish oblate, a little inclined to conic, usually regular, though sides are sometimes unequal.

Stem. Short to above medium, rather thick.

Cavity. Small to medium, acuminate to nearly obtuse, moderately deep to deep, rather narrow to moderately broad, sometimes lipped, usually russeted with outspreading russet.

Calyx. Small to medium, closed or partly open; lobes sometimes separated at the base.

Basin. Medium size, usually shallow and obtuse but varying to moderately deep and somewhat abrupt, wide, somewhat furrowed and wrinkled.

Skin. Moderately thick and tough, nearly smooth. Bright clear yellow, in highly colored specimens largely overspread with bright red or orange-red, obscurely striped with darker red. Prevailing effect red.

Dots. Numerous and rather conspicuous, small to medium, whitish or pale yellow and russet.

Calyx Tube. Cone-shaped to truncate funnel-form. Stamens median.

Core and Seeds. Core rather small, axile or nearly so, with symmetrical cells usually closed and core lines somewhat clasping. Carpels roundish and smooth or nearly so. Seeds compactly filling the cells, medium or above, rather wide, somewhat obtuse, tufted; some often abortive.

Flesh and Flavor. Whitish slightly tinged with yellow, very firm, a little coarse, crisp, not tender, moderately juicy. Flavor mild subacid, pleasant, and sprightly; quality good.

Season

December to May. A late-keeping apple that retains its texture and flavor well throughout the season.

Uses

Suitable as a dessert apple of fairly good quality. Rather too mild in flavor for most culinary uses. Shows a tendency toward small fruit size under some growing conditions.

Other

The tree is a good grower, not slow in coming into bearing, and yields moderate to good crops nearly annually. The fruit shows attractive appearance with bright color and smooth, uniform surface. Based on testing at this Station, the variety was judged sufficiently promising to be worthy of further testing.