Baker Sweet
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Baker Sweet
Origin / History
An old fruit of Connecticut and Massachusetts, "much cultivated there" (Downing). Elliott places it in Tolland County, Conn. Elliott, Downing, and Thomas enter it as "Baker's Sweet." Beach cites earlier accounts by Downing (1857), Warder (1867), and Thomas (1875). He calls it "a golden yellow apple of good size and attractive appearance," says it was "formerly much grown in parts of New England," and notes it is "but little grown in New York state."
Tree
Tree medium size, only moderately vigorous or a slow grower; Elliott calls it a crooked grower. Downing calls the tree slender. Branches dark and rather slender, somewhat resembling Jonathan. Wood clear reddish brown (Downing). Form spreading; twigs rather stout (Beach). Productive; very productive in Beach's account. The fruit drops readily from the tree (Beach).
Fruit
Size: Medium to large, most authors giving medium; Elliott gives above medium. Beach calls it large to medium and of good size, pretty uniform in size and shape.
Form: Roundish, usually regular (Beach). The elongation is disputed: Elliott gives roundish elongated, while Beach gives roundish to oblate.
Stem: Long, rather slender. Beach gives short to rather long.
Cavity: Large, rather broad, acute to acuminate, symmetrical. Downing calls it smooth; Beach says it is sometimes partly russeted, with outspreading rays. Depth is disputed: Elliott calls it shallow, Beach deep.
Calyx: Closed, medium, pubescent; lobes broad at base, acute. Calyx tube medium, somewhat funnel-shape; stamens median (Beach).
Basin: Rather large (Downing). Beach gives shallow to moderately deep, narrow to above medium in width, somewhat abrupt, a little furrowed.
Skin: Moderately thin, tough, nearly smooth except for some patches of russet. Golden yellow, rich yellow, or good yellow, with a shade of brownish-red blush on the exposed cheek; prevailing effect good yellow (Beach). Beach calls its appearance attractive.
Dots: Russet, conspicuous (Beach).
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellow or yellowish, firm, rather tender, rather juicy. Texture is disputed: Elliott calls it coarse and Thomas rather coarse, while Beach gives moderately fine. Flavor sweet to very sweet, rich, and pleasant; Downing calls it "exceedingly saccharine and pleasant." Quality "good to very good" (Downing, Beach).
Core and seeds: Core above medium to large, abaxile. Cells open, sometimes unsymmetrical; core lines meeting. Carpels very broadly ovate to roundish, tufted. Seeds dark, medium to rather small, plump, acute, tufted (Beach).
Season
October to December. Most authors give November and December; Thomas calls it early winter. Beach begins the season in October, has it "ripening in late autumn," and calls it "not a late keeper."
Uses
A baking apple (Elliott). Beach calls it "a good variety for the home orchard where a sweet apple, ripening in late autumn, is desired." He judges it of little commercial value except where it can be disposed of in local market, because it is sweet, not a late keeper, and drops readily from the tree, notwithstanding that the tree is very productive.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
- Beach, The Apples of New York Vol. 2 (1905)
- Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)
- Downing, Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900) — listed as Baker's Sweet
- Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865) — listed as Baker's Sweet
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 4 catalogs (1891–1912) from Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Washington
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891 — listed as Winter Golden Sweet
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898 — listed as Winter Golden Sweet
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900 — listed as Winter Golden Sweet
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912 — listed as Winter Golden Sweet
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Baker's Sweet. Long Stem Sweet, | Late Golden Sweet, White Golden Sweet. An old fruit of Tolland County, Conn. Tree, crooked grower, productive. Fruit, above medium, roundish elongated ; golden yellow, some patches of russet ; stem, long ; cavity, shallow ; calyx, closed ; flesh, yellow, coarse, sweet ; baking ; core, large. November and December.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Baker's Sweet. Winter Golden Sweet. Long Stem Sweet. Late Golden Sweet. An old fruit of Connecticut and Massachusetts, and much cultivated there. Tree moderately vigorous, slender, somewhat resembling Jonathan. Wood clear reddish brown. Fruit medium, roundish, of a golden yellow color, with some patches of russet. Stalk long, inserted in a large smooth cavity. Calyx closed. Rather large basin. Flesh yellow, rich, exceedingly saccharine and pleasant. Good to very good. November, December.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)White Golden Sweet. See Baker's Sweet.
[Additional entry in this volume: "Baker's Sweet", pp. 716–716]
Baker's Sweet, or Winter Golden Sweet. Medium, roundish, rich yellow; rather coarse, rich. Early winter. Conn.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)BAKER SWEET.
REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1857:117. 2. Warder, 1867:712. 3. Thomas, 1875:492.
SYNONYMS. BAKER SWEET (2, 3). BAKER'S SWEET (1). Late Golden Sweet (1). Long Stem Sweet (1). Winter Golden Sweet (1, 3).
A golden yellow apple of good size and attractive appearance. Because it is sweet, not a late keeper and drops readily from the tree it is of little commercial value except where it can be disposed of in local market, notwithstanding that the tree is very productive. It is a good variety for the home orchard where a sweet apple, ripening in late autumn, is desired.
Historical. This is an old variety, formerly much grown in parts of New England (1). It is but little grown in New York state.
TREE.
Tree medium size, only moderately vigorous or a slow grower; branches dark, rather slender, somewhat resembling Jonathan (1). Form spreading. Twigs rather stout.
FRUIT.
Fruit large to medium, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form roundish to oblate, usually regular. Stem short to rather long, rather slender. Cavity large, acute to acuminate, deep, rather broad, sometimes partly russeted and with outspreading rays, symmetrical. Calyx pubescent, medium, closed; lobes broad at base, acute. Basin shallow to moderately deep, narrow to above medium in width, somewhat abrupt, a little furrowed. Skin moderately thin, tough, nearly smooth except for some patches of russet and conspicuous russet dots, good yellow with shade of brownish-red blush on exposed cheek. Prevailing effect good yellow. Calyx tube medium, somewhat funnel-shape. Stamens median.
Core above medium to large, abaxile; cells open, sometimes unsymmetrical; core lines meeting. Carpels very broadly ovate to roundish, tufted. Seeds dark, medium to rather small, plump, acute, tufted.
Flesh yellowish, firm, moderately fine, rather tender, rather juicy, very sweet, pleasant, good to very good.
Season October to December.