Bars
AppleBars
Origin/History
American variety, originating in Rhode Island (Downing; Thomas).
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size
Sources conflict on size. Elliott describes the fruit as medium. Downing and Thomas both describe it as rather large.
Form
Sources differ slightly. Elliott describes the form as roundish oblong. Downing describes it as round. Thomas describes it as roundish.
Stem
Stalk long, slender (Downing).
Cavity
Small (Downing).
Calyx
Closed; segments slightly recurved (Downing).
Basin
Medium, furrowed (Downing).
Skin
Sources conflict on ground color and pattern. Elliott describes the skin as red striped on greenish yellow. Downing and Thomas agree on a pale yellow ground: Downing describes it as pale yellow, marbled and nearly covered with red, with a few russet spots; Thomas describes it as pale yellow, marbled red.
Flesh/Flavor
Sources conflict on quality. Elliott describes the flesh as greenish white and rates the quality as poor. Downing describes the flesh as whitish, tender, juicy, mild, and subacid, rating it very good. Thomas describes the flavor as mild, pleasant, and rich.
Core/Seeds
Core small (Downing).
Season
September (Downing). Late summer (Thomas).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)BARR. Bars.
American. Medium, roundish oblong, red striped on greenish yellow ; flesh, greenish white, poor.
[Additional entry from the same book, listed as 'Bars':] Barr. Bars. American. Medium, roundish oblong, red striped on greenish yellow; flesh, greenish white, poor.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Bars. Origin, Rhode Island. Fruit rather large, round, pale yellow, marbled, and nearly covered with red and a few russet spots. Stalk long, slender. Cavity small. Calyx closed. Segment slightly recurved. Basin medium, furrowed. Flesh whitish, tender, juicy, mild, subacid. Core small. Very good. September.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Bars. Rather large, roundish, pale yellow, marbled red; mild, pleasant, rich. Late summer. Rhode Island.