Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-12-27

Since printing Mr. Gardner's letter about
the mixed-up state of the russetquestion,
we have been studying IL up, with the help
Of friends, and now think 1t may be un-
ravelled as follows
AMERICAN GOLDEN RUssET.
Synonyms :-Sheep's nose, Bullock's Pip
pin. This is grown upon Grand Isle, and
our correspondent, j. 7. Macomber, says
that though small it is one OF the best
apples he has tasted. Downing says it is
one of the most delicious and tender apples,
in flesh more resembling buttery pear
than an apple. This is very often con-
with the next, Hunts Russet, which
is, however, quite distinct, having red
cheek. The American Golden Russet is of
wi de distribution, east and west, but is not
perfectly hardy on Grand Isle, and is there.
fore far from being Iron Clad" Its fruit
is below medium size, roundish.opate, dull
yellow, sprinkled with a very thin russell
Flesh yellowish, very tender, juicy, with
very rich spicy flavor. Season in New York.
October to January. Keeps better in Yer.
mont. The tree is of erect growth, leaves
sharply serrate.
HUNTS RUssET.
Synonyms Golden Russet of Massachu-
sets, Fay's Russet, Russet Pearman. This
apple originated on the Hunt farm, Con-
cord, Massachusetts. Fruit medium in
size, roundish.oblaie, comic. Skin golden
russet with red cheek. Flesh yellowish-
white, tender, rich, mild, sweet-subacid.
Season in Massachusetts, January to April.
This variety is not very much known out of
New England. 1t is as highly esteemed,
where known, as the preceding and is a
better keeper The tree is vigorous, up
right and productive, the young shoots
clear, reddish brown. 1t succeeds in south.
ern Maine. We do not know of its being
grown in Vermont.
GOLDEN RUssET OF WESTERN NEW YORK.
Synonyms - English Russet, English
Golden Russet. This is an old English va
riety, but first became widely known and
popular as a market apple when grown on
the rich, fresh soils of Western New York.
The tree is thrifty, spreading, rather lrregu.
lar, forming bushy head. The young
shoots are the distinguishing peculiarity of
the variety, compared with other russets
likely to be confounded with it, being slen-
der, dull reddish brown, slightly downy, with
numerous small tohite dots Undoubtedly this
is the hardest russell, succeeding well on
the banks of Lake Memphremagog. At the
same time it is one Of the smallest and poor
est, and needs rich soil or heavy manuring
to make it at all profitable. 1t is long
keeper, but must be kept in tight barrels
and in very cool place, or it becomes worth
less from shrivelling. This is true, more or
less, of all the russets, the "russeting I"
being in fact mere open state of the pores
of the skin which allows the juice to evapo-
rate unless kept from the air and warmth.
Fruit medium or below in size, roundish, or
not comic. Skin very rough,
ooioi ycho"j uui iuoSoI, tho bhiu DIOuZeu
(not red) on the sunny side. Flesh whitish
yellow, fine-grained, compact, mild sub.acid.
December to March in New York, but keeps
late in the spring when grown in Northern
New England and properly cared for.
ENGLISH RUssET.
Synonym: Poughkeepsie Russet. AS the
" Golden Russet of Western New York " is
really an English apple, so, by the mis-.
naming of ignorance, the so-called En-
glish Russet is probably of American
origin. 1t is valuable long-keeping vari-
ETY., which has been quite extensively grown
in New York and New Jersey for market,
but is, we think, being much replaced by
the large Roxbury Russet. As grown there
it is not fit for use until February and may
be kept the year round, according to j. j.
Thomas. The tree grows very straight,
forming an upright head, with smooth, red
dish-brown shoots. The fruit is of medium
size, roundish, slightly conical, and very reg
ularly formed. Skin pale greenish-yellow
about two-thirds covered with russell, which
is thickest near the stalk. Flesh yellowish-
white, firm and crisp, with pleasant, mild,
sub-acid flavor. The quality of this apple
is inferior even to the Golden Russet of
western New York, and therefore the poor
est of the whole four that are likely to be
confounded.
AS this article is mainly written to distin-
guish these four sorts from each other, we
need not refer particularly to other russets.
The Roxbury Russet has now taken its
place alongside Of the Baldwin and Rhode
Island Greening as the great market apple
of its class, and is gradually excluding the
other sorts, not because it is better, but be.
cause it is larger and more snowy. In quail
ity it is no better than the two last named
and no better keeper. 1t is not much more
hardy than the Baldwin and Greening, and
cannot therefore be grown far north. II
Russets are desired, therefore, in those sec
tions, that of Western New York must be
chosen. When we come to amateur apples
'""s ioj "PPioo biO"h ohiJ ioi hoino uocj WV
old American Golden Russet and Hunts
Russet are the ones to choose for the east
though it would not be bad thing to try
the Egyptian or Bagby Russet of southern
illinois, good keeper, even there, and Of
such high, rich flavor that it has been callet
the best of all the russets. Like the Hum
and old American, it is only of medium size
but the tree is productive.
Among russets that are not keepers, but
are of the highest quality as dessert fruit
and are quite hardy far north, Ohough moi
strictly "iron clad y, we would like to cal
attention 10 two sorts which we have grow
ing in our own grounds. They are boil
Canadian in their origin, unless, indeed
they came originally from France. One il
the Whitney Russet, thrifty variety, frui
medium size, yellow with thin russettin(
and an occasional shade of crimson in tn,
sun. Downing has this as keeper, which
cannot be correct, as il is a fall apple il
northern Vermont. In quality it can hardly
be surpassed. The other is the Bourassa
pronounce Boo-ra-saw), which is a verJ
poor grower when root grated, but does wei