Kentucky Sweet
Apple
Kentucky Sweet
Origin/History
A Kentucky or southern apple, found widely among emigrants from the Dixie Land states who settled the western country, where it was a great favorite on account of its abundant fruitage and rich sweetness. Downing characterizes the origin as unknown; Warder gives it as Kentucky or southern. Specimens under the name were received by Warder from the intelligent southern pomologist J. S. Downer of Fairview, Kentucky, and from J. W. Dodge of Pomona, Tennessee, from which the description and the figure (Fig. 145 in Warder) were taken. The variety had also been seen frequently in Southern Illinois.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium, conic, regular.
Stem: Short to medium.
Cavity: Acute, not deep, brown.
Calyx: Eye medium, long, open. Segments short.
Basin: Regular, narrow, not deep, leather-cracked.
Skin: Surface smooth, deep red; stripes obscured and scarcely visible; the yellow ground color rarely seen. Dots scattered, large, yellow.
Flesh and Flavor: Flesh yellow, tender, fine-grained, juicy. Flavor very sweet, rich, slightly perfumed. Quality very good to best.
Core and Seeds: Core oval, regular, not meeting the eye, somewhat open. Seeds numerous, large and imperfect, brown.
Season
November to January. Keeps well.
Uses
Baking, market, and stock.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1901) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Kentucky Sweet.
This is an apple of Kentucky or southern origin, found in many parts of the western country among the emigrants from Dixie Land, with whom it is a great favorite on account of abundant fruitage and rich sweetness. Specimens, under name, were received from the intelligent southern pomologist, J. S. Downer, of Fairview, Kentucky, also from J. W. Dodge, of Pomona, Tennessee,
Fig. 145.—KENTUCKY SWEET.
from which the description and drawing are taken. It has also been seen frequently in Southern Illinois.
Fruit medium, conic, regular; Surface smooth, deep red, stripes obscured and scarcely visible, the yellow ground color rarely seen; Dots scattered, large, yellow.
Basin regular, narrow, not deep, leather-cracked; Eye medium, long, open; Segments short.
Cavity acute, not deep, brown; Stem short to medium. Core oval, regular, not meeting the eye, somewhat open; Seeds numerous, large and imperfect, brown; Flesh yellow, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor very sweet, rich, slightly perfumed; Quality very good to best; Use, baking, market and stock; Season November to January. Keeps well.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Kentucky Sweet.
A Southern Apple of unknown origin.
Fruit medium, conic, regular, deep red, stripes obscured and scarcely visible. Dots scattered, large, yellow. Flesh yellow, tender, fine-grained, juicy, very sweet, rich, slightly perfumed. November, January. (Warder.)