Scarlet Sweet

Scarlet Sweet

Origin/History

Origin, Ohio. The variety was received by John A. Warder from Jas. Edgerton of Barnesville, Ohio, who had exhibited it at the State Pomological Society at different times. Warder notes this variety is distinct from the Scarlet Sweeting of Sigler of Morgan County, Ohio, and is more like Hampton's Scarlet Sweet as recorded in M.S. notes.

Tree

Vigorous and productive (Downing). Young wood dark brownish red, downy (Downing). Not described by Warder.

Fruit

Size and Form: Medium. Warder describes the form as round, somewhat flattened, and regular. Downing describes it as roundish oblate, inclining to cone. (The two sources agree on an oblate tendency but differ on whether a conical inclination is present.)

Stem: Warder: medium, slender. Downing: varying.

Cavity: Deep (both sources). Warder further describes it as acute, regular, and brown. Downing adds that it is open.

Calyx and Basin: Calyx small, open (Downing). Eye medium, open, segments short (Warder). Basin wide, abrupt, regular (Warder; not separately characterized by Downing).

Skin: Surface smooth (Warder). Ground color yellow, shaded and striped with scarlet. Warder describes it as "striped and blushed scarlet"; Downing as "shaded and indistinctly striped and splashed with light scarlet." Dots present on the surface; Warder describes them as minute, while Downing describes them as many and light. (The two sources conflict on the quantity of dots.)

Flesh and Flavor: Flesh juicy (both sources). Warder describes the flesh as yellow, fine-grained, and simply sweet in flavor. Downing describes it as yellowish white and tender, with a mild, pleasant sweet flavor. (The two sources conflict slightly on flesh color — yellow vs. yellowish white — and Downing's description of the flavor is more specific.)

Core and Seeds: Warder describes the core as rather wide, regular, closed, and clasping the eye, with numerous, plump, angular seeds. Downing describes the core as small. (The two sources conflict on core size — rather wide vs. small.)

Quality: Good to very good (both sources agree).

Season

Warder: October to December. Downing: October to February. (Downing extends the storage season by approximately two months.)

Uses

Table, baking, and market (Warder).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Warder explicitly distinguishes this variety from the Scarlet Sweeting of Sigler of Morgan County, Ohio, noting the two are different fruits, and records that it more closely resembles Hampton's Scarlet Sweet as noted in M.S. records — a caution against confusing these similarly named Ohio sweet apples.