Molasses

Apple

Molasses

Origin/History

Origin of the primary variety is unknown. Downing (1900) notes that there are "three or four distinct apples under this name," one of which is claimed to have originated in Pennsylvania. Elliott (1865) describes his entry as American in origin. None of the variants under this name are considered of high value, except for cooking and feeding stock.

Tree

Primary variety (Downing): Upright, vigorous, and hardy.

Pennsylvania variant (Downing): A slow grower.

Elliott's Molasses / other variants: Not described in source.

Fruit

Because multiple distinct apples circulate under the name Molasses, the fruit characteristics are given separately by variant below. See Subtypes/Variants for full treatment.

Season

Varies by variant: October–November (Pennsylvania variant; Elliott's Molasses); January–April (primary Downing variant).

Uses

Fine for cooking (the roundish-conical, yellow-and-dark-red variant, per Downing). None of the Molasses class are valued except for cooking and feeding stock (Downing).

Subtypes/Variants

Downing explicitly identifies at least three or four distinct apples circulating under the name Molasses:

Variant 1 — Primary Downing entry: Fruit medium, oblate. Skin thick, rough, greenish yellow, shaded with dull red, thickly covered with large crimson or lilac dots, and dull lilac bloom. Flesh yellow and exceedingly sweet. Season: January to April. Tree upright, vigorous, and hardy. Origin unknown.

Variant 2 — Pennsylvania Molasses (Downing): One claimed to have originated in Pennsylvania. Fruit medium, roundish, pale yellow, tinge of crimson in the sun. Flesh yellow, compact, not very juicy, sweet. Tree a slow grower. Season: October, November.

Variant 3 — Elliott's Molasses (Downing citing Elliott; Elliott 1865 directly): Downing gives the synonyms for this variant as Priest's Sweet, Sutter, Slue Sweet. Elliott gives synonyms as Priest's Sweet, Butter, Blue Sweet. [NOTE: "Sutter" (Downing) and "Butter" (Elliott), and "Slue Sweet" (Downing) and "Blue Sweet" (Elliott) may represent transcription variants of the same names rather than true disagreements.]

Fruit small, roundish, red. Flesh dry, sweet. American origin. Season: October.

Variant 4 — Unnamed fourth variant (Downing): Fruit roundish conical, yellow, mostly shaded, splashed, and marbled with dark red. Flesh rich, sweet. Fine for cooking. Season not specified.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 2 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Molasses.

Origin unknown. Tree upright, vigorous, and hardy.

Fruit medium, oblate. Skin thick, rough, greenish yellow, shaded with dull red, thickly covered with large crimson or lilac dots, and dull lilac bloom. Flesh yellow and exceedingly sweet. January to April.

There are, besides the above, three or four distinct apples under this name. One is claimed to have originated in Pennsylvania.

Fruit medium, roundish, pale yellow, tinge of crimson in the sun. Flesh yellow, compact, not very juicy, sweet. Tree a slow grower. October, November.

Elliott describes a Molasses, giving as synonyms, Priest's Sweet, Sutter, Slue Sweet.

Fruit small, roundish, red. Flesh dry, sweet. October.

Another we have met is roundish conical, yellow, mostly shaded, splashed, and marbled with dark red. Flesh rich, sweet. Fine for cooking. None of this class are valued, except for the purpose of cooking and feeding stock.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Molasses. Priest's Sweet, | Butter, | Blue Sweet. American. Small, roundish, red, dry, sweet. October.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Amerikanischer Zucker A Blue Sweet Butter Molasses Sweet Priest's Sweet Slue Sweet Sutter Butter Priest's Sweet Sweet Bellflower Blue Sweet