Yellow Transparent
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Yellow Transparent
Origin / History
Russian. Imported from St. Petersburg in 1870 by the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Zielinski says Yellow Transparent originated in Russia about 1850. E. A. Bunyard (1920), entering it under the name White Transparent, and George Bunyard & Co. (1914) say it was introduced early in the nineteenth century. George Bunyard & Co. call it "the Yellow Transparent of America." The Russian nomenclature list quoted by Hansen places it in a "Transparent group." Its merits were first brought to notice in this country by Dr. T. H. Hoskins of Newport, Vt. (Beach).
Downing (1900) calls Yellow Transparent a new Russian variety that "promises to be valuable for a cold climate as an early fruit of good quality." He notes some confusion among the new Russian apples, a few not true to name and others proved synonymous with older varieties. Some of them are large and handsome, and if the trees prove as hardy as claimed they will be valuable acquisitions for the North and Northwest.
Beach (1905) ranks it "one of the best of the extra early apples." He says it has been disseminated throughout the apple-growing regions from the Atlantic to the Pacific and is commonly listed by nurserymen. In New York its cultivation for home use is gradually increasing, with occasional limited planting for market. Thomas calls it "largely grown all over the country as an excellent early market apple." Budd and Hansen call it "now a commercial variety for first early," and Stark Bros. "a popular and well-known Russian variety." George Bunyard & Co. (1901) call it a new first early kind "of great excellence," and they and Veitch record the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Merit.
Hedrick finds Yellow Transparent "more readily characterized by its faults than by its virtues," earliness being its chief asset. He says it is grown north and south from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Zielinski (1964) calls it one of the best for growers wanting an extra early apple and "one of the leading commercial early varieties," spread widely. He adds that newer varieties ripening close to its season, such as Lodi, Early Red Bird, and Close, are partially replacing it.
Tree
Tree of medium size, moderately vigorous. Bunyard and Budd and Hansen call it vigorous, and the Agassiz station a medium grower. Hedrick calls the trees small, and Stark Bros. a dwarf grower. Habit upright and round-topped; Beach finds it upright at first, becoming spreading or roundish and rather dense. Branches short, stout, crooked, filled with short spurs; Zielinski gives a fairly heavy lateral branch system.
Beach records the wood. Twigs short, curved, stout, with large terminal buds; internodes medium. Bark conspicuously yellow or tawny, lightly streaked with scarf-skin, pubescent. Lenticels quite numerous, medium to small, oval or elongated, not raised. Buds medium size, broad, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent. Leaf very large, grayish-green, lax, upfolded, undulated, finely serrate or crenate (Bunyard).
Hardy to extremely hardy. Downing reports it "said" to have proved very hardy, and Hedrick calls it extremely hardy.
Comes into bearing very young. An early, good, annual or regular bearer. Beach finds it a more reliable cropper than Early Harvest, yielding good crops annually or nearly so. Bunyard calls it fertile, George Bunyard & Co. and Veitch an enormous bearer, and George Bunyard & Co. (1914) a very regular cropper. Zielinski cites its consistent production. Hedrick dissents, finding the trees "lack health and productiveness."
Beach finds the tree healthy. It suffers from twig blight (fire blight) in some portions of the West but appears quite free of it in New York. Lowther reports it "generally believed" more subject than most varieties to "blight," "fire blight" or "pear blight." Stark Bros. say it may blight where planted in heavy soils and succeeds best on thin soils. George Bunyard & Co. (1901) highly recommend it "for culture by the sea-side as well as in better positions," and Veitch likewise recommends it for the seaside. At the Agassiz, B.C., station it was planted spring 1890.
Fruit
Size: Medium to above medium, sometimes large. Pretty uniform in size and shape (Beach). Bunyard calls it fairly large, 3 by 2½, and Stark Bros. large; the Russian committee gives size 5 to 6. On young or vigorous-growing trees the fruit may grow rather large. On mature, slow-growing trees, especially when overloaded, it is apt to fall below medium unless thinned (Beach). Hedrick says the fruits on old trees run small and uneven in size and shape.
Form: Roundish conic to round conical, also roundish oblate or oblate conic and slightly conical, and roundish ovate (Beach); inclining to conical. Slightly or obscurely angular, slightly ribbed, sides unequal. Bunyard calls it irregular.
Stem: Short to long, most authors giving medium to long; Downing short to medium. Rather slender or rather thin (Downing; Bunyard), rather thick or rather stout (Beach; the Russian committee).
Cavity: Acute to obtuse, medium to deep, regular. Rather narrow or narrow (Beach; Bunyard) against rather large or very broad (Downing; the Russian committee). Usually russeted (Hansen), sometimes russeted or occasionally with light russet. Sometimes slightly lipped (Beach); sometimes a little greenish (Downing).
Calyx: Closed by most accounts; the Russian committee calls it open. Calyx medium size; lobes medium in length, broad (Beach). Calyx tube conical; Hansen (1902) calls it funnel-shaped. Stamens marginal.
Basin: Shallow to moderately deep, most authors giving shallow to medium; Bunyard alone calls it moderately deep. Narrow, somewhat abrupt. Corrugated or slightly corrugated, furrowed, wrinkled or slightly wrinkled. Thomas calls it regular. Bunyard calls it plaited, with distinct knobs, and Downing notes sometimes small protuberances.
Skin: Thin, tender, smooth, waxy; transparent (Hansen; Stark Bros.) or almost transparent (Thomas). Pale in color: pale yellow, light yellow, pale straw-yellow, pale waxen yellow, primrose, creamy-white, palest milky-yellow. Downing and Hansen call it clear white at first, becoming pale yellow when fully mature. Beach calls it pale greenish-yellow changing to an attractive yellowish-white, taking on a good clear yellow before becoming overripe; Hedrick gives a "clear, clean yellow." Handsome and attractive. George Bunyard & Co. (1914) call it "most distinct." The delicate color and tender skin show bruises readily.
Dots: Moderately numerous to many, or a moderate sprinkling. Light colored, white, greenish, or grayish. Large, suffused, somewhat obscure, often submerged. The Russian committee calls them slightly raised, irregular, gray.
Flesh and flavor: White to nearly white or whitish; Bunyard calls it greenish-white. Fine-grained, crisp, tender, juicy. Downing calls it half fine and more tender and delicate than Tetofsky; the Agassiz station calls it coarse. Moderately firm (Beach); soft (George Bunyard & Co., 1914).
Sprightly subacid and pleasant, "with a pleasant but not high flavor" (Beach). Zielinski gives "sprightly subacid but with good flavor." The Russian committee calls it "pleasant acid" and Bunyard simply acid, "a delicious summer fruit, brisk and digestible." Stark Bros. call it fragrant, and George Bunyard & Co. (1914) "refreshing, when eaten from the tree."
Quality "good to very good" (Downing; Budd and Hansen) or "good or sometimes very good" (Beach). Hansen (1902) and the Agassiz station rate it "very good," Thomas "good." Beach finds it not equal in quality to Early Harvest. Stark Bros. say it excels Early Harvest in both tree and fruit but is "not so good an apple nor so desirable as Liveland Raspberry."
Core and seeds: Core medium to small. Core nearly closed (Russian committee) to slightly or half open (Hansen; Budd and Hansen). Cells partly open to wide open (Beach). Core lines clasping. Carpels broadly ovate. Seeds medium size, rather wide, rather flat, obtuse to slightly acute (Beach).
Season
The recorded season runs from early July into September. Most authors give July and August. Several narrow it to early August, the Russian committee to August 1st to 10th, and the Agassiz station gives August and September. Downing places it early in August, a week or two before Tetofsky; Beach says it begins to ripen somewhat earlier than Early Harvest. Lowther says the date depends on latitude.
The crop ripens continuously through three or four weeks, from July sometimes till early September, and two or more pickings are needed to secure the fruit in prime condition (Beach). Zielinski finds two pickings satisfactory in early-ripening or warmer districts. He reports ripening beginning in the first ten days of July in the Willamette Valley and about ten days earlier at Milton-Freewater and Ontario. It does not continue long in use (Downing) and can never be kept long (Hedrick).
Uses
Culinary and dessert. Excellent for culinary use, especially valuable for the kitchen, and acceptable for dessert (Beach; Thomas). Hedrick qualifies it as a very good culinary fruit if not overripe and acceptable for dessert at the proper stage of maturity. Zielinski calls it quite acceptable for dessert when fully ripe and excellent for home orchards because of its earliness and consistent production.
In New York it is grown for home use, with limited planting for market, particularly local market. There it is desirable for market because it colors before becoming overripe (Beach). A. G. Tuttle, quoted by Hansen, found it "profitable for the earliest fancy market, shipped in small boxes." George Bunyard & Co. and Veitch call it valuable for market.
It bruises readily and must be handled with extra care. Lowther calls it not a good shipper, and Hedrick says it can never be shipped far. Zielinski says it is usually considered a local-market apple, but in certain states, particularly early-ripening districts, extensive plantings have been made for shipping to distant markets.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Stark Bros. (1910) append the notation "NCS" to their entry.
Book Sources
Described in 9 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)
- Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)
- Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)
- Budd & Hansen, Systematic Pomology (1914)
- Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920) — listed as WHITE TRANSPARENT
- Zielinski, Apple Varieties for Oregon (1964)
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 75 catalogs (1850–1955) from Alabama, Arkansas, England, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington
- Azell Bowditch (Nursery / Fruit Catalog) , Boston , Massachusetts — 1850
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886 — listed as Grand Sultan
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- Palouse Nursery and Pleasant Dale Fruit Farm , Colfax, Washington Territory (situated two miles northeast of Colfax) - undated (single-page broadside flyer; "Washington Territory" suggests pre — 1889
- William H. Moon Co. , Morrisville, Bucks County , Pennsylvania — 1890
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- Puyallup & Yakima Nurseries , Puyallup, Washington (Lock Box 191) and North Yakima , Washington — 1892
- Oregon Wholesale Nurseries , Salem , Oregon — 1893
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894 — listed as Grand Sultan
- Green's Nursery Co. (Charles A. Green) , Rochester , New York — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- The Lovett Company , Little Silver , New Jersey — 1896
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1896
- Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897 — listed as White Transparent
- The Salem Nursery (John A. Francis , Proprietor), Salem , Virginia — 1897
- Arthur J. Collins & Sons , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1898
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- Reading Nursery , Jacob W. Manning, Proprietor, Reading , Massachusetts — 1898
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1898
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1899
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900 — listed as White Transparent
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900 — listed as White Transparent
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1901
- Mountain Grove Nurseries (Tippin & Moore , Proprietors; Geo. T. Tippin, J. W. Tippin, J. C. Moore), Mountain Grove , Missouri — 1901
- Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
- Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906
- J.B. Pilkington , Portland , Oregon — 1907
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Milton Nursery Co. (A. Miller & Sons , Proprietors), Milton , Oregon — 1909
- Wm. J. Corse (successor to Robert Sinclair / Sinclair Nurseries) , Baltimore , Maryland — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- C.F. Lansing , Salem , Oregon — 1910
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910
- James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911 — listed as White Transparent
- Galbraith Nursery Co. (DeWitt Hansen , Pres.-Mgr.), Fairbury , Nebraska — 1911
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1911
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1911
- Ballygreen Nurseries , Hanford , Washington — 1912
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913 — listed as White Transparent
- J. B. Pilkington , Nurseryman, Portland, OR (nurseries near Newberg, forty miles from Portland) — 1913
- Samuel Fraser , Geneseo , New York — 1913
- Van Holderbeke Nursery Co. , Incorporated, Spokane, Washington (nurseries at Otis Orchards WA, Pasadena WA, Kennewick WA) — 1913
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914 — listed as White Transparent
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1914
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1915
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- Holsinger Bros. Nurseries (Holsinger Brothers Nursery) , Rosedale , Kansas — 1916
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1916
- Manalapan Nurseries , Englishtown , New Jersey — 1916
- George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917 — listed as White Transparent
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1917
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1918
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Christopher Nurseries / John Stewart & Sons , Christopher , Washington — 1920
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon , Washington — 1921
- Columbia & Okanogan Nursery Co. , Wenatchee , Washington — 1925
- Hudson's Wholesale Nurseries , Tangent , Oregon — 1926
- Stark Bro's Nurseries , Louisiana , Missouri — 1932
- Milton Nursery Co. , Milton-Freewater , Oregon — 1947
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Forest Grove , Oregon — 1955
- North-Western Nurseries , Walla Walla , Washington
View original book sources (14)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Yellow Transparent.
A new Russian variety, which was imported from St. Petersburg in 1870 by the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., and promises to be valuable for a cold climate as an early fruit of good quality, ripening before the Tetofsky, with more tender and delicate flesh, but does not continue long in use. It is said that the tree so far has proved to be very hardy, moderately vigorous, upright, an early and good bearer annually.
Fruit medium, roundish oblate, slightly conical, slightly angular; skin clear white at first, becoming pale yellow when fully mature, moderately sprinkled with light and greenish dots, somewhat obscure; stalk short to medium, rather slender; cavity rather large, sometimes a little greenish; calyx closed; basin medium, slightly corrugated, sometimes small protuberances; flesh white, half fine, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid; quality good to very good; core medium. Season early in August, and a week or two before Tetofsky.
There appears to be some confusion regarding some of the new Russian apples, a few not being true to name, and others having proved synonymous with older varieties; some of the new varieties are large and handsome, and if the trees prove as hardy as is claimed for them, they will be valuable acquisitions for the North and Northwest.
— N.E. Hansen, A Study of Northwestern Apples (1902)Yellow Transparent—Origin, Russia; imported from St. Petersburg, by U. S. Department of Agriculture. Tree upright, round-topped, an early and good annual bearer—Fruit medium, roundish conical, sometimes roundish oblate and slightly conical, obscurely angular; skin smooth, transparent; surface clear white, becoming pale yellow at maturity; dots white, large, suffused, obscure; cavity regular, obtuse, usually russeted; stem medium to long; basin narrow, shallow, corrugated; calyx closed. Core slightly open, clasping; tube funnel-shaped; stamens marginal; flesh white, tender, fine grained, juicy, pleasant, sprightly subacid, very good. Early August.
"TRANSPARENT GROUP.
Yellow Transparent; No. 60; White Transparent; Red Duck (spurious); Charlottenthaler; Enthaler; Thaler; Erdbeer Streifling; Nitchner's Erdbeer.
DESCRIPTION: Transparent—Size, 5 to 6; form, round, conical; color, pale straw-yellow, skin showing slightly raised irregular gray dots; cavity, very broad, medium deep; stem, long, rather stout; basin, medium, wrinkled; calyx, open; core, medium, nearly closed; flesh, fine grained, nearly white; flavor, pleasant acid; season August 1st to 10th; origin, Russia; tree upright; round topped.
A. G Tuttle: I find this variety profitable for the earliest fancy market, shipped in small boxes." (Rus. Nom. Com.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Yellow Transparent.* Medium, round conic; skin yellow, almost transparent; basin shallow, regular, cavity acute; flesh crisp, sub-acid, good. Largely grown all over the country as an excellent early market apple. Especially valuable for the kitchen. Russia.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)YELLOW TRANSPARENT.
REFERENCES. 1. Leroy, 1873:846. fig. 2. Budd, Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1880:523. 3. Downing, 1881:114 app. fig. 4. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1881:16. 5. Webster, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 7:54. 1881. 6. Gibb, Ib., 7:154. 1881. 7. Ib., Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1883:437. 8. Barry, 1883:336. 9. Hoskins, Rural N. Y., 43:651. 1884. fig. 10. Penhollow, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 10:65. 1884. 11. Thomas, 1885:530. 12. Rural. N. Y., 44:185, 200. 1885. 13. Gibb, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1886-87:14. 14. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1887:92. 15. Rural N. Y., 46:107, 201, 382. 1887. fig. 16. Can. Hort., 11:209, 223. 1888. 17. Fisk, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 14:33. 1889. 18. Can. Hort., 13:121, 132, 216, 272, 301. 1890. 19. Hamilton, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 15:27. 1890. 20. Can. Hort., 15:281. 1892. 21. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:253. 22. Budd, Ia. Sta. Bul., 19:535. 1892. 23. Pa. Sta. Rpt., 1892:110. fig. 24. Hoskins, Gard. and For., 7:138. 1894. 25. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 2:11. 1895. figs. 26. Van Deman, Rural N. Y., 55:613. 1896. 27. Hoskins, Ib., 56:156. 1897. 28. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 4:5. 1897. figs. 29. Waugh, Vt. Sta. Bul., 61:32. 1897. 30. Alwood, Va. Sta. Bul., 130:122. 1901. 31. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:313. 1901. 32. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:119. 1902. fig. 33. Dickens and Greene, Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:56. 1902. 34. Munson, Me. Sta. An. Rpt., 18:85, 88. 1902. 35. Rural N. Y., 61:626. 1902. fig. 36. Budd-Hansen, 1903:213. fig. 37. Farrand, Mich. Sta. Bul., 205:47. 1903. 38. Bruner, N. C. Sta. Bul., 182:24. 1903.
SYNONYMS. De Revel (1). Grand-Sultan (1). Revelstone (1). SKWOSNOI SCHOTOI (7). Skwosnoi Schotoi (5). Transparente de Saint-Leger (1). TRANSPARENTE JAUNE (1). YELLOW TRANSPARENT (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38). Yellow Transparent (7).
This is one of the best of the extra early apples, being excellent for culinary use and acceptable for dessert. It is not equal in quality to Early Harvest, but it begins to ripen somewhat earlier and is a more reliable cropper, yielding good crops annually or nearly so. Generally speaking, it is grown in New York state for home use only, but in some places it is cultivated to a limited extent for market, particularly for local market. It is desirable for this purpose because it takes on a good clear yellow color before becoming overripe. On account of its delicate color and tender skin it shows bruises readily and must be handled with extra care. The crop ripens continuously through a period of three or four weeks, and two or more pickings are required in order to secure the fruit in prime condition. It begins to ripen in July, and continues in season in some cases till early September. On young or vigorous-growing trees the fruit may grow rather large, but on mature slow-growing trees, especially when they are overloaded, the fruit is apt to be below medium size unless thinned. The tree is a moderately vigorous grower, hardy, healthy and comes into bearing very young. In some portions of the West it suffers from twig blight (fire blight) but it appears to be quite free from this disease in New York.
Historical. Imported from Russia by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1870. Its merits were first brought to notice in this country by Dr. T. H. Hoskins, of Newport, Vt. (9). It has been disseminated throughout the apple-growing regions of the country from the Atlantic to the Pacific and is now commonly listed by nurserymen (21). In New York its cultivation for home use is gradually increasing, and occasionally it is grown to a limited extent for market.
TREE. Tree of medium size, moderately vigorous, with short, stout, crooked branches filled with short spurs. Form upright at first but becoming spreading or roundish and rather dense. Twigs short, curved, stout with large terminal buds; internodes medium. Bark conspicuously yellow or tawny, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; pubescent. Lenticels quite numerous, medium to small, oval or elongated, not raised. Buds medium size, broad, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent.
FRUIT. Fruit medium or above medium, sometimes large, pretty uniform in shape and size. Form roundish ovate to roundish conic or oblate conic, slightly ribbed; sides unequal. Stem medium to long, rather thick. Cavity acute or approaching obtuse, medium to deep, rather narrow, sometimes slightly lipped, sometimes russeted. Calyx medium size, closed; lobes medium in length, broad. Basin moderately shallow, rather narrow, somewhat abrupt, furrowed and slightly wrinkled. Skin thin, tender, smooth, waxy, pale greenish-yellow changing to an attractive yellowish-white. Dots moderately numerous, greenish and light colored, often submerged. Calyx tube conical. Stamens marginal. Core medium to small; cells partly open to wide open; core lines clasping. Carpels broadly ovate. Seeds medium size, rather wide, rather flat, obtuse to slightly acute. Flesh white, moderately firm, fine-grained, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid with a pleasant but not high flavor, good or sometimes very good.
Season late July and August.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Yellow Transparent. — Origin, Russia; imported from St. Petersburg in 1870 by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. It is now a commercial variety for first early. Tree vigorous, upright, round-topped, a good and early bearer.
Fruit medium or above, roundish conical, sometimes oblate conical, obscurely angular; surface smooth, light yellow; dots large, white, suffused, many; cavity regular, acute, usually russeted; stem long; basin narrow, shallow, corrugated; calyx closed. Core half open, clasping; tube conical; stamens marginal; flesh white, fine-grained, juicy, pleasant, sprightly subacid, good to very good. Late July and early August.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Yellow Transparent
This is one of the best early apples, ripening in July and August, depending on the latitude in which it is grown. It is very good for culinary purposes and acceptable for dessert. It is a good bearer, and the tree a vigorous grower, but on account of its delicate color and tender skin, it is not a good shipper. It is generally believed that this tree, more than most other varieties, is subject to "blight," "fire blight" or "pear blight."
Historical. This variety was imported from Russia by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1870. It first became popular by the attention given it by Dr. T. H. Hoskins, Newport, Vermont, and has been more or less propagated in all the apple growing regions of the United States.
The fruit is medium or above medium, sometimes large, and generally uniform in shape. Form roundish ovate to roundish conic or oblate, conic, slightly ribbed, sides unequal. Stem medium to long, rather thick. Cavity acute or approaching obtuse, medium to deep, rather narrow, somewhat abrupt, furrowed and slightly wrinkled. Skin thin, tender, smooth, waxy, pale greenish yellow, changing to an attractive yellowish white as it approaches the ripening period. Dots moderately numerous, greenish and light colored, often submerged. Calyx tubes conical. Stamens marginal. Core medium to small. Flesh white, moderately firm, fine grained, crisp, tender, juicy, subacid with a pleasant but not high flavor.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)WHITE TRANSPARENT. F., Transparente jaune. (Grand Sultan, Transparent de St. Leger, Yellow Transparent.) Culinary or dessert, early August, fairly large, 3 by 2½, round, conical, irregular. Colour, palest milky-yellow. Flesh, greenish-white, crisp, acid. Eye, closed, in a moderately deep, plaited basin with distinct knobs. Stem, medium, rather thin, in a narrow, deep cavity, occasionally with light russet. Growth, vigorous; fertile. Leaf, very large, greyish-green, lax, upfolded, undulated, finely serrate or crenate. Origin, Russian. Introduced early in the nineteenth century. A delicious summer fruit, brisk and digestible.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)YELLOW TRANSPARENT. Fig. 65.
Yellow Transparent is more readily characterized by its faults than by its virtues. Earliness is the chief asset of the variety, though, if not over-ripe, the apples are very good culinary fruits, and at the proper stage of maturity are acceptable for dessert. The apples are above medium size, and have a clear, clean yellow color. The chief faults are: the fruits on old trees run small and uneven in size and shape; the tender flesh shows bruises readily; and the fruits can never be kept long nor shipped far. The trees are small and lack health and productiveness, but come in bearing very early and are extremely hardy. The variety was imported from Russia in 1870, and is now grown north and south from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Tree of medium size, vigorous, upright becoming spreading, dense, with short, stout, crooked branches filled with short spurs. Fruit sometimes large, uniform in shape and size, round-oval, round-conic or oblate-conic, ribbed, sides unequal; stem medium to long, thick; cavity acute, medium to deep, narrow, sometimes lipped, sometimes russeted; calyx closed; lobes medium in length, broad; basin shallow, narrow, abrupt, furrowed and wrinkled; skin thin, tender, smooth, waxy, pale yellow changing to yellowish-white; dots numerous, light colored, often submerged; calyx-tube conical; stamens marginal; core medium in size; cells partly open to wide open; core-lines clasping; carpels broadly ovate; seeds wide, flat, obtuse; flesh white, firm, fine-grained, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid, with a pleasant but not high flavor; good; July and August.
— Quentin B. Zielinski, Apple Varieties for Oregon (1964)Yellow Transparent*
For growers wanting an extra early apple, this is one of the best. It is excellent for cooking purposes and quite acceptable for dessert when fully ripe. Yellow Transparent originated in Russia about 1850. It has spread widely and is now one of the leading commercial early varieties. This variety is usually considered for a local market, but in certain states—particularly early ripening districts—extensive plantings have been made for shipping to distant markets.
Characteristics
Trees are medium sized, moderately vigorous, with a fairly heavy lateral branch system. The fruit is medium sized and uniform in shape, taking on a good, clear, yellowish-white color before becoming overripe. The skin is thin, rather tender, smooth, and waxy. The flesh is white, moderately firm, fine grained, crisp, tender, juicy, sprightly subacid but with good flavor. The variety is excellent for home orchards because of its earliness and consistent production. For market purposes it must be handled with care for its delicate, clear color and tender skin show bruises readily. In early ripening districts or warmer areas, two pickings will handle the crop satisfactorily. In the Willamette Valley, Yellow Transparent begins ripening during the first 10 days of July, whereas in warmer districts such as Milton-Freewater and Ontario, it ripens approximately 10 days earlier. The tree is a moderately vigorous grower, hardy, healthy, and comes into bearing very young. Within recent years, several newer varieties ripening close to this season, such as Lodi, Early Red Bird, and Close are partially replacing Yellow Transparent.
— Central Experimental Farm, Central Experimental Farm, Agassiz BC — Catalogue of Fruit Trees under Test (Bulletin No. 3, 1900) (1900)Planted Spring 1890. Tree a medium grower and regular bearer. Fruit above medium size, roundish inclining to conical. Skin pale yellow, with a sprinkling of grayish dots. Flesh whitish, coarse, tender, juicy, pleasantly sub-acid, quality very good. Season August and September.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Fruit Catalogue (1901) (1901)Medium, a new first early kind, of great excellence; enormous bearer, of handsome primrose appearance; valuable for market. Highly recommended for culture by the sea-side as well as in better positions. A.M., R.H.S.
— Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co., Stark Bros. Year Book (1910) (1910)A popular and well-known Russian variety, large, pale waxen, transparent yellow; tender and must be handled carefully; sub-acid, crisp, and fragrant. Tree a dwarf grower and a young bearer. Excels Early Harvest in both tree and fruit, but not so good an apple nor so desirable as Liveland Raspberry. Tree very hardy, but where planted in heavy soils may blight. Succeeds best on thin soils. NCS
— James Veitch & Sons, Veitch's Fruit Trees (1911) (1911)medium size, an enormous bearer, valuable for market and recommended for seaside. A.M. ... July & Aug.
— George Bunyard & Co., George Bunyard Catalog of Fruit Trees (1914) (1914)Dessert or Culinary; July-Aug. Conical, creamy-white, most distinct; flesh soft, juicy and refreshing, when eaten from the tree; growth vigorous, very regular cropper. This Apple was introduced from Russia early in the 19th century. It is the Yellow Transparent of America.