Ralls Janet

Malus domestica
SpeciesMalus domestica
CultivarRalls Janet
Marketing names
  • Kokko
  • Neverfail
  • Ralls Genet
  • and others
OriginUnited States Amherst County, Virginia, 1785

Ralls Janet is a cultivated variety or cultivar of apple also known by many other names. It has been used extensively in modern apple breeding, and has several commercially important offspring, notably the Fuji.: 77  It was grown by Thomas Jefferson, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, at his primary residence, Monticello. It should not be confused with a largely red apple named Ralls found in New England and the Upper Midwestern United States.: 147 

The origins of the Ralls Janet remains unclear. Its namesake is reportedly Edmond-Charles Genet, a French minister who gave cuttings to Jefferson, who then passed them on to Virginia nurseryman Caleb Ralls. Another possibility is that Jefferson received this variety from a local nurseryman named Ralls, who lived across the James River from his summer home, Poplar Forest.: 147 In 1871, Dr. William Howsley reported that Caleb Rawles [sic] introduced the variety in 1795 as the Genet Apple.

The Ralls Janet is a medium variety with oblate geometry. It has greenish yellow skin, which is mottled and streaked with shades of red and pink. There may be some russetting near the stem.: 147  It blooms comparatively late, making it known as the Neverfail in central Virginia.: 147 

The Ralls Janet has dense, crisp, and yellowish flesh, a tart-sweet flavor, and a sweet aroma when cut. It is suitable for dessert and for making apple pie, apple butter, and apple cider.: 147 

This variety is highly susceptible to blossom fireblight and somewhat vulnerable to apple scab and bitter rot. But it is highly resistant to collar rot.: 147 

References

  1. 1 2 "Ralls Janet", National Fruit Collection, University of Reading and Brogdale Collections, retrieved 18 October 2015
  2. ↑ Mikolajski, Andrew (2012). The Illustrated World Encyclopedia of Apples. Lorenz Books. ISBN 978-0-7548-2066-6.
  3. ↑ Hatch, Peter J. (1998). The Fruits and Fruit Trees of Monticello. United States: University of Virginia. ISBN 0-8139-1746-8.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Burford, Tom (2013). Apples of North America: 192 Exceptional Varieties for Gardeners, Growers, and Cooks. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, Inc. ISBN 978-1-60469-249-5.
  5. ↑ Beach, S.A.; Booth, N.O.; Taylor, O.M. (1905), "Ralls", The apples of New York, vol. 1, Albany: J. B. Lyon, pp. 270–272
  6. ↑ William Howsley (1871). "Report of Dr. Howsley on Nomenclature of Apples". Proceedings of the 13th Session of the American Pomological Society.