Sweet And Sour
Apple
Origin & History
The Sweet and Sour apple derives its name from the peculiar property of possessing both sweet and sour qualities in the same fruit. The earliest detailed account of its origin comes from the Rev. Peter Whitney, writing in the Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Volume I), as quoted by Thacher (1822). Whitney described a tree then growing in an orchard belonging to his father, the Reverend Aaron Whitney of Petersham, Massachusetts, which had been transplanted there forty years prior. The tree stood almost in the midst of a large orchard, in a rich strong soil. There was no appearance of the trunk or any of the branches having been engrafted or inoculated. It was a number of years after it had borne fruit before the different tastes were noticed, but since they were first discovered — about twenty years before Whitney's account — there had been constantly the same variety in the apples. Whitney noted that many persons of distinction, and of nice tastes, had travelled a great distance to view the tree and taste the fruit. He speculated that "the corcula, or hearts of two seeds, the one from a sour, the other from a sweet apple, might so incorporate in the ground as to produce but one plant; or that farina from blossoms of those opposite qualities, might pass into and impregnate the same seed."
Beach (1905) observed that at the time of Whitney's account it was customary to set orchards with seedling trees from some local nursery, and concluded it was probable that the original tree originated in a seedling nursery from which it was transplanted into the Whitney orchard, where it first attracted attention because of the curious character of its fruit.
Coxe (1817) reported the variety was originally cultivated in the county of Middlesex, New Jersey, whence he obtained it. Downing (1900) stated origin unknown.
A persistent legend held that the variety was produced by joining two half buds — one of a sweet, the other of a sour variety — and inserting them as one bud under the bark of the stock as is ordinarily done in budding. This legend is recognized in the synonym "Compound," by which the apple was known to some in Western New York. Warder (1867) noted that "no educated nurseryman will now believe the old story of its having been produced by the combination of the buds of two varieties, a sweet and a sour." The supposed split-bud origin was discussed in horticultural periodicals including the Cultivator from 1844 to 1846 and later in the Rural New Yorker (1897, 1900).
Scattering trees of this variety were found in various parts of New York State. All sources agree the variety was of no special value but was propagated and cultivated as a curiosity.
Tree
Vigorous, spreading, and often quite productive (Beach, Downing). Beach noted the tree is "often quite productive"; Downing simply called it "productive."
Fruit
Size: Above medium to rather large (Beach). Large (Downing, Warder).
Form: Oblate, ribbed, and rather unsymmetrical (Beach). Often unequal and lop-sided, deeply furrowed (Warder). Coxe noted the surface is often uneven, with prominences and hollows. Beach observed the fruit bears some resemblance to Rhode Island Greening in form, color, and occasionally to some degree in flavor, but is more oblate and more often the sides are noticeably unequal.
Cavity: Rather shallow, broad, slightly furrowed (Beach).
Calyx: Large; lobes reflexed (Beach).
Basin: Shallow, broad, irregular (Beach).
Skin: Green, especially along the ribs, with a shade of yellow on the intervening surface and particularly on the exposed cheek (Beach). More marbled with green and yellow than Rhode Island Greening (Beach). Downing described the ribs as green and the intervening hollows as light yellow. Warder described the surface as yellow and green, with the ribs being more developed and ripening while the furrows remain undeveloped. When fully ripe, of a yellow colour (Whitney, as quoted by Beach).
Flesh & Flavor: The defining characteristic of this apple is the remarkable variation in flavor across different parts of the same fruit. Beach described the flesh under the yellow skin as very deeply tinged with yellow, mildly subacid or sweetish, but under the greenish skin, less yellow and more acid; quality remarkably variable, fair to good. Downing stated the ribs bear the flavor of the fruit, which is acid, while the intervening hollows are almost flavorless but sweetish, "this portion not having its juice well elaborated." Warder similarly noted the ribs, being developed and ripening, have flavor, while the furrows, not being developed, are flavorless and called sweet. Coxe described the prominences as having one taste and the hollows another.
Whitney's original account provides the fullest description of this phenomenon: two apples growing side by side on the same limb would often be of different tastes, one all sour and the other all sweet. The same apple would frequently be sour one side, end, or part, and the other sweet, "and that not in any order or uniformity; nor is there any difference in the appearance of one part from the other." Some had more of the acid and less of the sweet, and vice versa. The part which was sour was not very tart, nor the other very sweet. The differently-flavored apples were not peculiar to any particular branches but were found promiscuously on every branch of the tree.
Season & Uses
Coxe described it as an autumn fruit. Downing gave the season as December to February. The variety was universally regarded as a curiosity rather than a fruit of commercial or culinary value.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 133. SWEET AND SOUR.
This apple derives its name from the peculiar property of possessing these different qualities in the same fruit: the surface is often uneven, the prominences having one taste, and the hollows another; it is not otherwise deserving of much notice. It was originally cultivated in the county of Middlesex, N. Jersey, whence I obtained it; it is an Autumn fruit.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Sweet and Sour.
This variety is interesting as a curiosity, rather than valuable for its good qualities. It has been suggested that it might be a sport; no educated nurseryman will now believe the old story of its having been produced by the combination of the buds of two varieties, a sweet and a sour.
Fruit large, oblate, often unequal and lop-sided, ribbed, and deeply furrowed.
Surface yellow and green, the ribs being developed and ripening have flavor, but the furrows not being developed are flavorless and called sweet.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Sweet and Sour.
Origin unknown. Tree vigorous, spreading, productive.
Fruit large, oblate, ribbed, the ribs being green, and the intervening hollows light yellow ; the ribs bearing the flavor of the fruit, which is acid, the intervening hollows being almost flavorless, but sweetish ; this portion not having its juice well elaborated. December, February.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)SWEET AND SOUR.
References. 1. Coxe, 1817:172. 2. Thacher, 1822:22. 3. Floy-Lindley, 1833:87. 4. Cultivator, 1:390. 1844. 5. Ib., 2:20, 102, 106, 153. 1845. 6. Ib., 3:130. 1846. 7. Thomas, 1849:186. 8. Emmons, Nat. Hist. N. Y., 3:90. 1851. 9. Mag. Hort., 18:153. 1852. 10. Elliott, 1854:178. 11. Horticulturist, 11:46. 1856. 12. Warder, 1867:475. fig. 13. Downing, 1869:374. 14. Rural N. Y., 56:176, 412, 436, 551, 567, 770. 1897. 15. Van Deman, Ib., 59:143. 1900.
Synonyms. Bower's Apple (9). Compound (14).
Scattering trees of this variety are found in various parts of the state. It is of no special value but is propagated as a curiosity.
Thacher (2) quotes the following very interesting description of the variety and account of its origin by the Rev. Peter Whitney in the Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Volume I.
"There is now growing, in an orchard lately belonging to my honoured father, the Reverend Aaron Whitney, of Petersham, deceased, an apple tree very singular with respect to its fruit. The apples are fair, and when fully ripe, of a yellow colour, but evidently of different tastes—sour and sweet. The part which is sour is not very tart, nor the other very sweet. Two apples, growing side by side on the same limb, will be often of these different tastes; the one all sour, and the other all sweet. And, which is more remarkable, the same apple will frequently be sour one side, end, or part, and the other sweet, and that not in any order or uniformity; nor is there any difference in the appearance of one part from the other. And as to the quantity, some have more of the acid and less of the sweet, and so vice versa. Neither are the apples, so different in their tastes, peculiar to any particular branches, but are found promiscuously, on every branch of the tree. The tree stands almost in the midst of a large orchard, in a rich and strong soil, and was transplanted there forty years ago. There is no appearance of the trunk or any of the branches having been engrafted or inoculated. It was a number of years, after it had borne fruit, before these different tastes were noticed; but, since they were first discovered, which is about twenty years, there has been, constantly, the same variety in the apples. For the truth of what I have asserted, I can appeal to many persons of distinction, and of nice tastes, who have travelled a great distance to view the tree, and taste the fruit, but to investigate the cause of an effect, so much out of the common course of nature, must, I think, be attended with difficulty. The only solution that I can conceive is, that the corcula, or hearts of two seeds, the one from a sour, the other from a sweet apple, might so incorporate in the ground as to produce but one plant; or that farina from blossoms of those opposite qualities, might pass into and impregnate the same seed. If you should think the account I have given you of this singular apple tree will be acceptable to the American academy, please to communicate it."
At the time when this account was first published it was customary in planting to set orchards with seedling trees from some local nursery, as was evidently done in this case, and if cultivated varieties were ever included they were later top-worked upon these seedling trees with which the orchard was first planted. From the account given by Whitney it is probable that the original tree of the Sweet and Sour apple originated in a seedling nursery from which it was transplanted into the orchard of his father where it first attracted attention because of the curious character of its fruit.
When this variety is discussed by fruit growers it is not unusual to hear some one relate the legend that it was produced by joining two half buds, one of a sweet the other of a sour variety, and inserting them as one bud under the bark of the stock as is ordinarily done in budding. This legend is recognized in the name "Compound" by which this apple has been known to some in Western New York (14). The supposed split-bud origin of Sweet and Sour is occasionally discussed pro and con in horticultural periodicals. An early discussion of this kind is found in the Cultivator from 1844 to 1846 (4, 5, 6) and a more recent one in the Rural New Yorker (14, 15).
The tree is vigorous, spreading and often quite productive. The fruit bears some resemblance to Rhode Island Greening in form, color, and occasionally to some degree in flavor. It is more marbled with green and yellow than Rhode Island Greening, more oblate and more often the sides are noticeably unequal.
Fruit.
Fruit above medium to rather large. Form oblate, ribbed and rather unsymmetrical. Cavity rather shallow, broad, slightly furrowed. Calyx large; lobes reflexed. Basin shallow, broad, irregular.
Skin green, especially along the ribs, with a shade of yellow on the intervening surface and particularly on the exposed cheek.
Flesh under the yellow skin very deeply tinged with yellow, mildly subacid or sweetish; but under the greenish skin, less yellow and more acid; quality remarkably variable, fair to good.