Bullet

Origin/History

Bullet is an old variety of Southern origin, formerly much grown in Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina, but now superseded by better sorts. Origin is otherwise unknown. It was historically known in some quarters under the names "Bartlett" and "Priestly" (Elliott; Downing), and was also published under the synonyms "Green Abram" and "North Carolina Greening" (Downing; Thomas). Its value lay principally in its exceptional long-keeping quality rather than in superior flavor.

Tree

The tree is hardy, a slow and rather slender grower, of a drooping habit, and productive (Downing). Thomas corroborates that the tree is productive.

Fruit

Size and Form

Sources differ somewhat on size and form. Downing (in his second entry) describes the fruit as medium, oblate, and oblique. Thomas describes it as rather small and roundish. Elliott describes it as medium and oblong. Downing's first entry (treating the variety under its "Bartlett/Priestly" synonym) describes it as medium and oblong truncated. Where sources can be reconciled, the fruit appears to range from rather small to medium, with form described variously as oblong, oblong truncated, oblate oblique, or roundish depending on the source.

Stem

The stalk is short, often with a lip at the base (Thomas).

Cavity

The cavity is small (Thomas).

Calyx

Not described in source.

Basin

The basin is deep (Thomas).

Skin

Downing (second entry) describes the skin as greenish, mostly overspread with stripes and shades of red and grayish russet. Thomas describes the skin as striped with light and dark red on greenish yellow. Elliott describes the fruit as bright red on yellow. Downing's first entry describes it as bright red and yellow. The dominant impression across sources is a greenish or greenish-yellow ground largely covered with red striping, shading, and in some descriptions grayish russet.

Flesh and Flavor

Downing (second entry) describes the flesh as white, firm, moderately juicy, with a peculiar subacid flavor, and rates it Good. Thomas describes the flesh as tender, juicy, with a pleasant sub-acid flavor. Downing's first entry describes the flesh as light yellow and subacid, rating it Good. Elliott describes the flesh as light yellow and rates it inferior. The core is small and compact (Downing, second entry).

Core and Seeds

The core is small and compact (Downing).

Season

January to June, as reported consistently across Downing and Elliott. Thomas does not give explicit dates but notes its value as a long keeper in Virginia and North Carolina.

Uses

Valuable principally for its long-keeping quality (Downing; Thomas). Thomas notes its particular value in Virginia and North Carolina in this regard. Elliott's rating of "inferior" for flesh quality and Downing's note that the variety has been "superseded by better sorts" both indicate that Bullet was grown for storage and keeping rather than for eating quality.

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

The variety as described by Downing appears under two separate entries in his text — one treating it under the "Bartlett/Priestly" synonymy with an oblong, bright red and yellow fruit description, and a second fuller entry under "Green Abram / North Carolina Greening" synonymy with the oblate, oblique, greenish-red-russeted description. These two Downing entries differ in form and flesh color and may reflect either two distinct strains circulating under the Bullet name, or an inconsistency within Downing's own compilation.