Brittle Sweet
AppleBrittle Sweet
Origin / History
Origin unknown. Downing (1900) notes that this valuable apple is little known; in beauty and quality it may be classed as among the best, and deserves more attention. Lowther (1914) records it as reported from one station in the Northern Division.
Tree
A good grower (Warder, Elliott) and moderately vigorous (Downing). Very productive.
Fruit
Size
Above medium (Warder, Downing, Elliott); medium (Lowther).
Form
Roundish, approaching conic, sometimes elongated, angular (Warder, Elliott); roundish, approaching conical (Downing); round-conical (Lowther).
Stem / Stalk
Short (Warder, Elliott); rather short, slender (Downing).
Cavity
Broad, shallow (Warder, Elliott); regular, broad, moderately deep (Downing).
Calyx
Closed. Segments small, often recurved (Downing).
Basin
Small, corrugated.
Skin / Color
Greenish yellow, shaded and splashed with crimson, sprinkled with gray dots (Warder, Elliott). Downing (1900) describes the color as pale yellow, shaded, splashed and marbled over nearly the entire surface with shades of light and dark crimson red, with many small gray and white dots. Lowther characterizes it as red striped or splashed.
Flesh / Flavor
Yellowish, crisp, tender, juicy, sweet, and excellent (Warder, Elliott). Downing describes the flesh as yellowish, crisp, tender, juicy, with a peculiar honeyed sweet, and slightly aromatic. Quality very good (Downing, Lowther).
Core / Seeds
Core rather large (Downing). Seeds not described in source.
Season
September and October (Warder, Elliott); October and November (Downing); early autumn (Lowther).
Uses
Family use (Lowther).
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)Brittle Sweet.
"Origin unknown; good grower, and very productive.
"Fruit above medium, roundish, approaching conic, sometimes elongated, angular; Skin greenish yellow, shaded and splashed with crimson, sprinkled with gray dots; Stem short, inserted in a broad, shallow cavity; Calyx closed, set in a small corrugated basin; Flesh yellowish, crisp, tender, juicy, sweet, and excellent; Season, September, October." — Downing.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Brittle Sweet.
Origin unknown. Tree moderately vigorous, very productive. This valuable apple is little known ; in beauty and quality it may be classed as among the best, and deserves more attention.
Fruit above medium, roundish, approaching conical. Color pale yellow, shaded, splashed and marbled over nearly the entire surface, with shades of light and dark crimson red, many small gray and white dots. Stalk rather short, slender. Cavity regular, broad, moderately deep. Calyx closed. Segments small, often recurved. Basin small corrugated. Flesh yellowish, crisp, tender, juicy with a peculiar honeyed sweet, and slightly aromatic. Core rather large. Very good. October and November.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Brittle Sweet. Size: medium. Form: round-conical. Color: red striped or splashed. Quality: very good. Use: family. Season: early autumn. Northern Division: 1 reporting station (asterisk indicates the variety is reported in more than one division).
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Brittle Sweet.
Origin unknown — good grower, and very productive.
Fruit, above medium, roundish, approaching conic, sometimes elongated, angular ; skin, greenish yellow, shaded and splashed with crimson, sprinkled with gray dots ; stem, short, inserted in a broad, shallow cavity ; calyx, closed, set in a small corrugated basin ; flesh, yellowish, crisp, tender, juicy, sweet, and excellent. September, October. (Downing.)