Belden Sweet
AppleOrigin/History
An American variety grown in Connecticut. It is described as very prolific.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium or below (Warder; Downing). Elliott describes it as small; Thomas says "rather small."
Form: Roundish conic, angular (Downing; Warder). Thomas agrees: "conic, angular." Elliott describes it as globular.
Skin: Light yellow, with a warm cheek (Warder; Downing). Thomas describes it as "yellow with a blush." Elliott gives simply "light yellow."
Stem: Medium length, set in an acute, deep cavity (Warder; Downing). Elliott agrees the stem is medium with a deep cavity but does not mention the acute shape.
Calyx: Closed, in a small basin (Warder; Downing).
Flesh: White, tender, juicy, saccharine, with a pleasant, aromatic flavor (Warder; Downing). Thomas agrees: "white, pleasant, aromatic." Elliott describes the flesh as "white, tender, good" without mentioning juiciness or aromatic character.
Core: Large (Downing). Elliott specifies "large, open."
Quality: Rated "Good" by Downing.
Seeds
Not described in source.
Season
December to March (Warder; Downing). Elliott gives a narrower window of February and March. Thomas says simply "Winter."
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Belden Sweet.
"Grown in Connecticut, very prolific; Fruit medium or below, conic, angular; Skin light yellow, with a warm cheek. Stem medium, in an acute deep cavity; Calyx closed, in a small basin; Flesh white, tender, juicy, saccharine, with a pleasant aromatic flavor; December to March." — (Downing.)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Belden Sweet.
Grown in Connecticut, very prolific. Fruit medium, or below, roundish conic, light yellow, with a warm cheek. Stalk medium, in an acute, deep cavity. Calyx closed, in a small basin. Flesh white, tender, juicy, saccharine, with a pleasant, aromatic flavor. Core large. Good. December to March.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Belden Sweet. American, Fruit small, globular, light yellow; stem, medium : cavity, deep ; flesh, white, tender, good ; core, large, open. February and March.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Belden Sweet. Rather small, conic, angular, yellow with a blush; flesh white, pleasant, aromatic. Winter. Conn.