Bowling's Sweet
AppleBowling's Sweet
Origin/History
Raised by Louis Bowling of Spottsylvania County, Virginia (per Elliott). Multiple sources confirm the variety's origin in Spottsylvania County, Virginia. The original descriptive account is attributed to H. R. Robey (rendered "H. R. Koby" in Elliott, likely a typographical error), as cited in Downing.
Tree
A very vigorous grower and very productive.
Fruit
Size: Medium.
Form: Roundish.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Dull red on a yellow ground. Lowther describes the skin as yellow-red.
Flesh/Flavor: Rich, juicy, sweet, and entirely free from acid. Quality rated "Good" (Downing, Lowther).
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October to January (Warder, Downing, Elliott, Thomas). Lowther gives the season of ripening as early autumn.
Uses
Primary use is market (Lowther).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Reported by 1 station in the Northern Division of the American Pomological Society; an asterisk indicates the variety is also reported in more than one division (Lowther).
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
View original book sources (5)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Bowling Sweet.
From Spottsylvania County, Virginia. Tree vigorous, very productive.
Fruit medium roundish, dull red on yellow; Flesh rich, juicy, sweet; Entirely free from acid; October to January.—[H. R. Robey, in Downing.]
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Bowling's Sweet.
From Spottsylvania Co., Va. A very vigorous grower and very productive.
Fruit medium, roundish. Color dull red, on a yellow ground. Flesh rich, juicy, sweet, and entirely free from acid. Good. October to January.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Bowling's Sweet is a medium-sized, round fruit with yellow-red skin. Quality is good. Primary use is market. Season of ripening is early autumn. It was reported by 1 station in the Northern Division of the American Pomological Society; the asterisk indicates the variety is also reported in more than one division.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Bowling's Sweet.
Raised by Louis Bowling, Spottsylvania County, Virginia. A very vigorous grower, and very productive.
Fruit, medium, roundish ; color, dull red, on a yellow ground ; flesh, rich, juicy, sweet, and entirely free from acid. October to January. (H. R. Koby, Ms.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Bowling's Sweet. Medium, roundish, dull red; rich, sweet. October to January. Va.