Polly Bright
AppleOrigin/History
Origin supposed to be Virginia. Considerably cultivated in Eastern Ohio (Warder). Thomas notes its range as "Va. and West."
Tree
Vigorous, upright spreading (Downing).
Fruit
Size: Not described in source.
Form: Elongated conic (Downing, Warder). Thomas describes it as oblong conic.
Stem: Stalk of medium length, in an acute cavity, russeted.
Cavity: Acute, russeted.
Calyx: In a small furrowed basin.
Basin: Small, furrowed.
Skin: Light yellow, shaded with carmine, obscurely striped. Thomas describes it as light yellow with a red cheek. Elliott notes it resembles Maiden's Blush in appearance.
Flesh/Flavor: Tender, juicy, with a pleasant subacid flavor. Rated "Good" by Downing. Thomas describes it as tender, pleasant. Elliott, in contrast, describes the flavor as sharp acid.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
September, October (all sources agree).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Polly Bright.
Origin Virginia. Considerably cultivated in Eastern Ohio.
"Fruit elongated, conic; Skin light yellow, shaded carmine, obscurely striped; Stalk of medium length, in an acute cavity, russeted; Calyx in a small furrowed basin. Flesh tender, juicy, with a pleasant sub-acid flavor; September, October."—(Downing.)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Polly Bright.
Origin supposed to be Virginia. Tree vigorous, upright spreading.
Fruit elongated conic. Skin light yellow, shaded with carmine, obscurely striped. Stalk of medium length, in an acute cavity, russeted. Calyx in a small furrowed basin. Flesh tender, juicy, with a pleasant subacid flavor. Good. September, October.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Polly Bright.
Resembles Maiden's Blush. Sharp acid. September, October.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Polly Bright. Oblong conic, light yellow, with a red cheek; tender, pleasant. September, October. Va. and West.