Moore's Sweet

Apple

USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection

Moore's Sweet

Origin and History

Moore's Sweet was known in the trade under several names, including Sweet Pippin, Polhemus, and Red Sweet Pippin; it was also sold as Pound Sweet by some nurseries. Downing (1900) characterizes it as a profitable and valuable commercial variety, though not a first-class apple for dessert purposes.

Tree

The tree is moderately vigorous and very productive. The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (Lowther, 1914) encodes it as "M rob VG b W," suggesting medium size, robust habit, very good quality rating, productive bearing, and winter classification — though the exact key for these abbreviations is not provided in the source, and these interpretations should be treated with caution.

Fruit

Size and Form: Medium, roundish oblate.

Skin: Dark dull red, with a slight bloom. Dots small, light-colored.

Flesh: Yellowish, rich, with a pleasant sweet flavor. Quality rated Good.

Core: Small.

Season

November to May — a long-keeping winter and spring apple.

Uses

While not ranked first-class for the table, Moore's Sweet is described by Downing as a very profitable and valuable variety for all cooking or stock-feeding purposes.

Note: The Lowther (1914) entry consists entirely of abbreviated codes ("M rob VG b W") without explanatory text. Details attributable solely to that source cannot be stated with confidence and have been noted as interpretive above.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (2)

Moore's Sweet.

Sweet Pippin. Polhemus. Red Sweet Pippin. Pound Sweet of some.

Tree moderately vigorous, very productive. Although not a first-class Apple, it is a very profitable and valuable one for all cooking or stock-feeding purposes.

Fruit medium, roundish oblate, dark dull red, with a slight bloom, small light-colored dots. Flesh yellowish, rich, pleasant sweet. Good. Core small. November to May.

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

Moore's Sweet. M rob VG b W

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

Black Sweet Josie Moore Kelley's Sweet Moor's Sweeting Moore Sweet Moore's Late Sweet Moore's Shanty Moore's Sweeting Polhemus Pound Sweet Red Sweet Pippin Red Winter Sweet Sweet Pippin Sweet Romanite Lyman's Pumpkin Sweet Moore's Sweeting Pumpkin Russet Cheeseboro Pumpkin Sweet Hog Island Sweet English Sweet Sweet Russet Pound Sweet Ramsdell Sweet Sweet Pippin Cheeseborough Russet Red Winter Sweet Spice Russet