Burr's Winter Sweet
AppleBurr's Winter Sweet
Origin/History
Raised by Elisha Burr of Hingham, Massachusetts (Elliott gives the town as "Higham," likely a variant spelling of the same place). Elliott cites Hovey's Magazine as his source for this variety.
Tree
A good grower (both sources). Elliott describes the habit as spreading. Comes early into bearing and is an abundant, productive bearer (both sources).
Fruit
Size: The sources conflict on size. Downing describes the fruit as medium; Elliott describes it as large.
Form: Downing calls the form oblate inclining to conic. Elliott describes it as roundish oblate, flattened at the base and full at the crown. Elliott notes the surface is smooth.
Stem: Short (both sources). Elliott adds that the stem is slender.
Cavity: Downing describes the cavity as large. Elliott describes it as broad and open.
Calyx: Closed (both sources). Elliott adds that the eye is medium in size and the calyx segments are short.
Basin: The sources conflict here. Downing describes the basin as small. Elliott describes it as open and ribbed.
Skin: The sources give complementary but not identical accounts. Downing describes the ground color as yellow, marbled and striped with light and dark red. Elliott describes the ground color as greenish yellow, striped and splashed with vermilion, with russet at the stem end and small gray specks over the surface.
Flesh and Flavor: Yellowish (both sources), tender (both sources), and sweet with an aromatic quality (both sources). Downing describes the flavor as sugary and aromatic, and adds that the flesh is fine-grained and juicy. Elliott describes a slight aromatic perfume. Quality rated Very Good by Downing.
Core and Seeds: Core small (both sources). Elliott notes the seeds are medium in size.
Season
Downing: November to March. Elliott: December to March.
Uses
Not described in source.
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)Burr's Winter Sweet. Raised by Elisha Burr, Hingham, Mass., a good grower, comes early into bearing, productive. Fruit medium, oblate inclining to conic, yellow, marbled and striped with light and dark red. Stalk short, inserted in a large cavity. Calyx closed. Basin small. Flesh yellowish, fine grained, tender, juicy, with a sugary aromatic flavor. Very good. Core small. November to March.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Burr's Winter Sweet. Native of Higham, Massachusetts. Tree, good grower, spreading. Early and abundant bearer. Fruit, large, roundish oblate, flattened at base, full at crown — smooth, greenish yellow, striped and splashed with vermilion, russet at stem — small gray specks : stem, short, slender ; cavity, broad, open ; eye, medium, closed ; segments, short ; basin, open, ribbed ; core, small ; seeds, medium ; flesh yellowish, tender, sweet, slight aromatic perfume. December to March. (Hov. Mag.)