Danvers Winter Sweet
Apple
Origin & History
Originated in the town of Danvers, Massachusetts, from which it takes its name. According to Downing, it had been for a long time one of the best market apples in that region, though he considered it inferior to the Ladies' Sweeting. Elliott describes it simply as American.
Tree
Very vigorous and thrifty in growth, with a spreading habit (Elliott). An abundant and yearly bearer, described as very productive by all sources. Young shoots dark grayish brown, slightly downy (Downing), though Elliott describes shoots as yellowish. Downing notes it is a very rapid tree in its growth.
Fruit
Size: Medium to large. Downing and Elliott describe it as medium; Thomas as medium or rather large; Warder as large.
Form: Roundish oblong (Downing, Elliott), remotely oblong or conical, obscurely ribbed (Thomas). Warder describes it differently as globular, truncate, sometimes globular-oblate, regular. The surface is smooth but uneven (Warder).
Stem: Slender, inclining to one side (Downing, Elliott). Warder describes it as long, slender, and knobby. Thomas gives the length as three-quarters to one inch long.
Cavity: Wide, deep, and brown (Warder). Thomas describes the cavity as acute.
Calyx: Small, closed, with long segments (Warder). Elliott describes the calyx as small and woolly. Calyx set in a smooth, narrow basin (Downing).
Basin: Downing, Elliott, and Thomas agree the basin is narrow and smooth, though Elliott adds it is shallow. Warder, in contrast, describes the basin as abrupt, deep, and regular.
Skin: Smooth. Color is greenish-yellow, becoming a rather dull rich yellow (Thomas, Warder), with an orange blush (Downing, Elliott, Thomas — Warder does not mention a blush). Elliott additionally notes small russet specks. Dots numerous, medium, prominent, with white and green bases (Warder).
Flesh & Flavor: Yellow, sweet, and rich (all sources agree). Downing and Elliott describe the flesh as firm; Warder as breaking, fine-grained, and juicy. Downing rates it "Very good"; Warder rates it "good to very good." Downing's full assessment: "yellow, firm, sweet, and rich."
Core & Seeds: Warder describes the core as round, regular, and closed, with seeds numerous, long, brown, and pointed. Elliott describes the core as large and open, with seeds ovate pointed, dark rich brown — a direct conflict with Warder on whether the core is closed or open.
Season
December through winter. Warder gives December and January. Downing says it is "fit for use the whole winter, and often till April." Elliott gives December to April.
Uses
Valued as a baking apple (Warder, Downing, Elliott). Elliott also notes it as valuable for stock feeding.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Thomas notes the variety was illustrated as Fig. 408 in The American Fruit Culturist.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1845–1850) from Massachusetts
- Winship's Nursery (Brighton Nurseries , operated by the Winship family), Brighton (Boston) , Massachusetts — 1845
- Hovey & Co. , Cambridge , Massachusetts — 1849
- Azell Bowditch (Nursery / Fruit Catalog) , Boston , Massachusetts — 1850
View original book sources (4)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Danvers' Winter Sweet.
Origin Danvers, Massachusetts. Tree very thrifty, very productive.
Fruit large, globular, truncate, sometimes globular-oblate, regular; Surface smooth, uneven, greenish-yellow; Dots numerous, medium, prominent, with white and green bases.
Basin abrupt, deep, regular; Eye small, closed; Segments long.
Cavity wide, deep, brown; Stem long, slender, knobby.
Core round, regular, closed; Seeds numerous, long, brown, pointed; Flesh yellow, breaking, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor very sweet; Quality good to very good; Use, baking; Season, December and January.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Danvers Winter Sweet.
Epse's Sweet.
Origin, Massachusetts, in the town of Danvers, from which this variety takes its name, it has been for a long time one of the best market apples, but we think it inferior to the Ladies' Sweeting. It is an abundant bearer, and a very rapid tree in its growth. Young shoots dark grayish brown, slightly downy.
Fruit of medium size, roundish oblong. Skin smooth, dull yellow, with an orange blush. Stalk slender, inclining to one side. Calyx set in a smooth, narrow basin. Flesh yellow, firm, sweet, and rich. Very good. It bakes well, and is fit for use the whole winter, and often till April.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Danver's Winter Sweet.
Epse's Sweet.
American. Tree, vigorous, spreading, shoots yellowish, yearly productive; valuable winter fruit for baking or stock.
Size, medium; form, roundish oblong; color, dull yellow, with orange blush, and small russet specks; stem, slender, inclining to one side; calyx, small, woolly; basin, shallow, rather narrow; flesh, yellow, firm, sweet; core, large, open; seeds, ovate pointed, dark rich brown. December to April.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Danvers Winter Sweet.* Medium or rather large, roundish, remotely oblong or conical, obscurely ribbed; greenish yellow, becoming a rather dull rich yellow, sometimes an orange blush; stalk three-quarters to one inch long, cavity acute; basin smooth, narrow; flesh yellow, sweet, rich. Fig. 408. Growth vigorous, tree productive. Massachusetts.