Higby Sweet
Apple
Higby Sweet
Origin/History
Originated in Trumbull County, Ohio; introduced by Dr. Kirtland (Warder). Downing characterizes it as "one of the most delicate of sweet Apples, valuable either for the table or market."
Tree
Thrifty, upright grower, an early and good bearer. Young shoots very short-jointed, moderately stout, dark rich reddish brown, with very few light specks (Downing).
Fruit
Size and Form: Warder describes the fruit as large, round, truncated, and regular. Downing describes it as medium, roundish, slightly conical, and sometimes oblique — a conflict on both size and form.
Stem: Short (Downing); medium (Warder).
Cavity: Acute, rather deep, sometimes a little russeted (Downing). Warder describes it as deep, acute, regular, and brown.
Calyx: Closed. Segments short, erect (Downing). Eye medium, closed (Warder).
Basin: Narrow, deep, uneven (Downing). Warder describes it as abrupt, wavy, and deep — sources agree on depth but conflict on width and character.
Skin: Surface smooth (Warder). Color light waxen yellow, shaded with fine clear rich red in the sun (Downing); Warder describes the ground color as greenish-yellow, blushed. Dots scattered, distinct; Warder specifies white and dark; Downing describes them as gray and light, thinly sprinkled.
Flesh and Flavor: Very tender, juicy, and sweet. Warder describes the flesh as yellowish-white, tender, fine-grained, and juicy, with flavor very sweet, and quality good. Downing describes the flesh as white, very tender, juicy, sweet, and rates it very good to best.
Core and Seeds: Core small (both sources). Warder adds: regular, heart-shaped, closed, clasping the eye; seeds plump.
Season
October (Warder). November to January (Downing) — sources conflict, Downing's later and wider range likely reflects keeper quality and varying harvest times.
Uses
Baking (Warder). Table or market (Downing).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Description absent; variety present in variety-characteristic table. (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture, 1914)
Higby Sweet. M rob yr VG f a 1* 1* ......
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Higby Sweet. LADY BLUSH.
Origin Trumbull County, Ohio; introduced by Dr. Kirtland.
Fruit large, round, truncated, regular; Surface smooth, greenish-yellow, blushed; Dots scattered, distinct, white and dark.
Basin abrupt, wavy, deep; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity deep, acute, regular, brown; Stem medium.
Fig. 183.—HIGBY SWEET.
Core small, regular, heart-shaped, closed, clasping the eye; Seeds plump; Flesh yellowish-white, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor very sweet; Quality good; Use, baking; Season, October.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Higby Sweet.
Lady Cheek Sweet. Ladies' Blush.
Originated in Trumbull Co., O. This is one of the most delicate of sweet Apples, valuable either for the table or market. Tree a thrifty, upright grower, an early and good bearer. Young shoots very short-jointed, moderately stout, dark rich reddish brown, with very few light specks.
Fruit medium, roundish, slightly conical, sometimes oblique. Color light waxen yellow, shaded with fine clear rich red in the sun, thinly sprinkled with gray and light dots. Stalk short. Cavity acute, rather deep, sometimes a little russeted. Calyx closed. Segments short, erect. Basin narrow, deep, uneven. Flesh white, very tender, juicy, sweet, excellent. Core small. Very good to best. November to January.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Higby Sweet. M rob yr VG f a 1* 1* ......