Berry
AppleBerry
Origin / History
Of Virginia origin according to Elliott; Downing, quoted by Warder, gives Virginia or North Carolina. Warder had no opportunity of examining the fruit and quotes his friend Charles Downing. Elliott: "Esteemed South, and will probably prove valuable all South West."
Tree
Vigorous, upright, very productive (Downing, quoted by Warder).
Fruit
Size: Above medium to rather above medium.
Form: Oblate to obliquely depressed; irregular (Elliott).
Stem: Short.
Cavity: Broad; generally broad and deep (Downing).
Calyx: Open.
Basin: Shallow; uneven (Downing).
Skin: Greenish-yellow ground, striped and splashed with red.
Dots: Large; with a dark center (Downing).
Flesh and flavor: Juicy; vinous (Elliott); rather coarse, with a pleasant sub-acid flavor (Downing). Elliott rates it "very good."
Core and seeds: Core small (Elliott).
Season
November to March. Downing gives November to March; Elliott gives December to March.
Uses
A valuable market fruit (Downing).
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
May be Nickajack.
Possibly Nickajack.
View original book sources (2)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Berry.
Red Hazel, | Pound.
From Virginia. Fruit, above medium, oblate irregular, red, striped, and splashed on greenish yellow, large dots; stem, short; cavity, broad; calyx, open; basin, shallow; flesh, juicy, vinous; "very good;" core, small. December to March. Esteemed South, and will probably prove valuable all South West.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Berry.
Not having enjoyed an opportunity of examining this fruit, I quote from my friend Chas. Downing.
"Origin Virginia or North Carolina. Tree vigorous, upright, very productive, and a valuable market fruit.
"Fruit rather above medium, obliquely depressed; Skin striped and splashed with red, on greenish-yellow ground, with large dots, having a dark center; Stem short, in a generally broad, deep cavity; Calyx open; Basin shallow, and uneven; Flesh rather coarse, juicy, with a pleasant sub-acid flavor; November to March."