Spice Sweeting

Spice Sweeting

Origin / History

An old variety. Warder's specimens were supplied by Mr. Warren, of Massachusetts. Warder notes that other fruits found in Ohio and Illinois under this name have a deep, abrupt basin, large or long eye, and yellow flesh, and must be different fruits. Downing lists this variety also under the name Berry Bough.

Tree

Tree vigorous (Warder, Downing). Productive according to Warder and Downing; described as a moderate bearer by Elliott.

Fruit

Size and Form: Warder describes the fruit as full medium to large, handsome, flat, and irregular in outline. Elliott describes it as large and roundish. Downing gives the size as medium and the form as oblate. (Warder and Elliott thus disagree with Downing on size; all three give somewhat different shape descriptions — flat/irregular vs. roundish vs. oblate.)

Stem: Thick and knobby (Warder).

Cavity: Acute, wavy (Warder).

Calyx / Eye: Small, closed (Warder).

Basin: Shallow, folded (Warder).

Skin: Surface smooth (Warder, Downing). Warder describes the color as yellow, bronzy, and crimson. Downing describes it as pale yellow. Elliott gives yellowish. (Sources agree on a yellow ground; Warder alone notes bronzy and crimson overcolor.)

Dots: Numerous, green (Warder).

Flesh / Flavor: Flesh very white, tender, fine grained, and juicy, flavor sweet, quality good (Warder). Downing describes the flesh as rather firm, sweet, and highly aromatic, and notes it is apt to be knotty and unfair. Elliott describes the flesh as firm and sweet. (Warder's "tender" conflicts with Downing's "rather firm" and Elliott's "firm." All three agree on sweetness. Downing alone notes the high aromatic character and tendency toward knottiness.)

Core: Very wide, open, meeting the eye (Warder).

Seeds: Pointed, long, dark (Warder).

Season

September and October (Warder). August and September (Downing, Elliott). (Warder places the season a month later than the other two sources.)

Uses

Kitchen, baking, and stock (Warder).

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.