Brier
Crab Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Brier's Sweet Crab
Origin/History
Originated with B. B. Brier, of Baraboo, Wisconsin, as a result of the fertilization of the Siberian Crab with the Bailey apple (Downing, citing A. G. Tuttle manuscript; Beach). First noted in Rural N. Y., 1870, and reported by the American Pomological Society, 1871.
Tree
Tree vigorous, perfectly hardy, comes into bearing rather young, and is productive (Beach; Downing).
Fruit
Size: Large; Downing compares size to the Transcendent crab.
Form: Roundish to conic, ribbed (Beach). Downing describes the shape as resembling the Bailey Sweet.
Stem: Long, slender (Beach).
Cavity: Narrow, deep, russeted (Beach).
Calyx: Small, closed or slightly open (Beach).
Basin: Deep, narrow, abrupt, wrinkled (Beach).
Skin: Pale yellow washed with lively red, striped with carmine, dotted and flecked with yellow, and covered with a thin, whitish bloom (Beach). Downing describes the color as pale yellow, beautifully pencilled and splashed with carmine.
Calyx tube: Conical to funnel-form (Beach).
Stamens: Median (Beach).
Core/Seeds: Core medium in size, axile or nearly so; cells closed (Beach).
Flesh/Flavor: Flesh yellowish (both sources agree). Beach describes it as rich, fine-grained, moderately juicy, pleasant, sweet, aromatic, not astringent, good in flavor and quality. Downing describes it as crisp, juicy, very sweet and rich, of best quality.
Season
September and October (Beach).
Uses
Best quality for dessert or preserves (Downing).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Brier's Sweet Crab.
Originated with B. B. Brier, of Baraboo, Wis. Is the result of a fertilization of the Siberian Crab with the Bailey apple. Tree perfectly hardy, vigorous and productive.
Fruit as large as the Transcendent; shaped like the Bailey Sweet; color pale yellow, beautifully pencilled and splashed with carmine; flesh yellowish, crisp, juicy, very sweet and rich; quality best for dessert or preserves. (A. G. Tuttle, Manuscript.)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)BRIER.
REFERENCES. 1. Rural N. Y., 1870 (cited by 2). 2. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1871:51. 3. Downing, 1872:39 app. 4. Wis. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1876:70. 5. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1881:322. 6. Barry, 1883:358. 7. Gibb, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1884:34. 8. Keffer, S. D. Sta. Bul., 23:141. 1891. 9. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:235. 10. Thomas, 1897:629. 11. Budd-Hansen, 1903:216. fig.
SYNONYMS. BRIAR SWEET (1, 2, 9). BRIER (11). BRIER'S SWEET (4, 5, 6, 7, 8). Brier Sweet (11, erroneously 10). BRIER'S SWEET CRAB (3). VAN WYCK (10).
Tree vigorous, hardy, comes into bearing rather young and is productive.
Historical. Originated with B. B. Brier, of Baraboo, Wis., as a result of the fertilization of the Siberian crab with the Bailey apple (3).
FRUIT.
Fruit large. Form roundish to conic, ribbed. Stem long, slender. Cavity narrow, deep, russeted. Calyx small, closed or slightly open. Basin deep, narrow, abrupt, wrinkled. Skin pale yellow washed with lively red, striped with carmine, dotted and flecked with yellow and covered with thin, whitish bloom. Calyx tube conical to funnel-form. Stamens median. Core medium in size, axile or nearly so; cells closed. Flesh yellowish, rich, fine-grained, moderately juicy, pleasant, sweet, aromatic, not astringent, good in flavor and quality. Season September and October.