Sack and Sugar
Apple
Origin/History
This apple was raised at the beginning of the present century (early 1800s) by Mr. Morris, a market gardener at Brentford, in Essex, and sometimes bears his name (Herefordshire Pomona, 1885). Downing (1900) describes it as "a little, old, early English Apple." Bunyard (1920) characterizes it as "a very old West country apple" — a conflicting geographic attribution — and cites Ronalds as an earlier reference.
Tree
Hardy, a free and vigorous grower, and an immense bearer (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing concurs: a fine grower and good bearer.
Fruit
Size: Below medium, approximately 2¼ inches wide and 1¾ inches high (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard (1920) gives dimensions as 2½ by 2¼ inches and rates the fruit medium in size. Downing (1900) describes it as small.
Form: Roundish, inclining to oval, with prominent ridges round the eye (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing (1900) gives roundish conical. Bunyard (1920) describes it as round, tapering to the eye, irregular, with one rib more prominent than the rest.
Stem: Always very short and stout, not protruding from the cavity (Bunyard). Not described in the other sources.
Cavity: Moderately deep, rather narrow, free from russet (Bunyard). Not described in the other sources.
Calyx/Eye: Closed, with pointed segments overlapping each other, set rather deeply (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard (1920) likewise describes the eye as closed, but with segments reflexed — conflicting with the overlapping orientation given by the Pomona.
Basin: Round, angular, and plaited (Herefordshire Pomona). Bunyard (1920) describes the basin as fairly deep, rather uneven, and slightly ribbed.
Skin: Pale yellow, marked with a few broken stripes and streaks of bright crimson on the side next the sun (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing (1900) likewise notes pale yellow. Bunyard (1920) describes the skin as pale yellowish-green, sprinkled with prominent dark green dots — conflicting with the other two sources, with no mention of crimson stripes and a slightly greener ground colour.
Flesh/Flavor: White, very soft and tender, very juicy, sugary, with a pleasant, brisk, balsamic flavour (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing (1900) concurs: white, soft, juicy, and sweet, rating the quality as Good. Bunyard (1920) describes the flesh as pale yellow — conflicting with the white reported by both other sources — very tender, juicy, with a pleasing aromatic flavour.
Core/Seeds: Not described in any source.
Season
Ripens at the end of July and beginning of August, continuing through September (Herefordshire Pomona). Downing (1900) gives August. Bunyard (1920) gives September.
Uses
Excellent for dessert or culinary use (Herefordshire Pomona, Bunyard).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in any source.
Other
Bunyard (1920) cites "Ronalds, P. 1" as an earlier reference to this variety.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
View original book sources (3)
— Woolhope Naturalists Field Club, The Herefordshire Pomona (1885)PLATE XXVII.
- SACK AND SUGAR.
[Syn : Morris's Sack and Sugar.]
This Apple was raised the beginning of the present century, by Mr. Morris, a market gardener at Brentford, in Essex, and sometimes bears his name.
Description.—Fruit: below medium size, two inches and a quarter wide, and an inch and three quarters high ; roundish, inclining to oval, with prominent ridges round the eye. Skin : pale yellow, marked with a few broken stripes and streaks of bright crimson on the side next the sun. Eye : closed, with pointed segments overlapping each other, and set rather deeply in a round, angular and plaited basin. Flesh : white, very soft and tender, very juicy, sugary, and with a pleasant, brisk, balsamic flavour.
An excellent apple for dessert, or culinary use. It ripens in the end of July and beginning of August and continues during September.
The tree is hardy, a free and vigorous grower, and an immense bearer.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Sack and Sugar. Morris's Sack and Sugar. A little, old, early English Apple. Tree a fine grower, and good bearer. Fruit small, roundish conical, pale yellow. Flesh white, soft, juicy sweet. Good. August.
— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)SACK AND SUGAR. Ronalds, P. 1. Dessert or culinary, September, medium, 2½ by 2¼, round, tapering to eye, irregular, showing one rib more prominent than the rest. Colour, pale yellowish-green, sprinkled with prominent dark green dots. Flesh, pale yellow, very tender, juicy, with pleasing aromatic flavour. Eye, closed, segments reflexed, in a fairly deep rather uneven basin, which is slightly ribbed. Stem, always very short and stout, not protruding from cavity which is moderately deep, rather narrow, free from russet. Origin, a very old West country apple.