THE APPLES OF NEW YORK. 257 



SYNONYMS. Golden Russet (i, 3), but erroneously. Pineapple. Pineapple 

 Russet. Poughkeepsie Russet (i), but erroneously. Rhode Island Russet. 

 Winter Russet (i). 



This variety evidently belongs in the same group as Peck 

 Pleasant, Rhode Island Greening and Green Newtown. The fruit 

 is of good size, pretty uniform and fairly attractive in appearance 

 for a yellowish apple. It has a crisp, subacid flavor and easily ranks 

 good in quality for either dessert or culinary purposes. It is in 

 season from December to midwinter or later. Its commercial limit 

 in ordinary storage is November or December ; in cold storage it 

 may be held till March. It does not stand heat well before going 

 into storage. In going down it often shrivels, becomes mealy and 

 goes down quickly. It varies greatly in keeping quality in different 

 seasons and in different localities, and is not regarded favorably for 

 storage purposes. The tree is very hardy, healthy, very long-lived 

 and a reliable cropper, giving good crops biennially or in some cases 

 almost annually. The fruit hangs well to the tree, being borne on 

 slender twigs. It is perhaps worthy of attention for planting in the 

 home orchard where very hardy varieties are particularly desired, 

 but is seldom regarded as a profitable commercial variety in New 

 York state. 



Historical. This variety has long been cultivated locally in the vicinity of 

 Berwyn, Onondaga county, N. Y., where some trees of it nearly one hundred 

 years old are said to be still very productive. It has always been known there 

 under the name of Rhode Island Russet only! an d no t until 1904, when it was 

 identified by U. S. Pomologist Brackett, was it discovered that it was identical 

 with Perry Russet. The fact that long before it was known as Perry Russet 

 it had the local name Rhode Island Russet indicates that it was probably 

 known in Rhode Island before it was introduced into New York. 



Warder (2) publishes a description which was made from a specimen ex- 

 hibited by Mr. Utters at a meeting of the Northwestern Fruit Growers in 

 1850. Willey (i), writing from Madison, Wisconsin, made the following 

 statement concerning it in 1862. " Perry Russet is a sort sent from the East 

 under various cognomens, as Winter Russet, Poughkeepsie Russet, Golden 

 Russet, etc. It is universally hardy, succeeding in all locations, and much 

 esteemed everywhere. Tree good grower, forms a round even head; fruit 

 large, fair and excellent; keeps well through the winter. Too many cannot 

 be had, as it is the best of all the Russets." We are also informed that it has 

 been known under the names Pineapple Russet and Pineapple. 2 Downing, 

 in 1869 stated that this variety " was many years since carried from Perry, 



1 Letters, L. L. Woodford, 1904. 



2 Report by F. Newhall and Sons, Chicago, 111., 1904. 



