Cultivar 333: Barrie

Barrie is a prairie apple from the cross Columbia x Wealthy, introduced by Patterson in 1960. It appears in the University of Saskatchewan introduction list as A60-202. Later prairie references describe it as a mid season apple with small to medium fruit, about 5 cm across or up to about 2 1/4 by 2 inches. The skin is described as a cream ground with light red over it. [S1] [S3]

Sources agree on the parentage and the 1960 introduction date. They also link the cultivar to Patterson and to an earlier 1950 breeding or selection reference. One later source also gives the synonym James Barrie. [S1] [S3]

Under non irrigated field conditions at Saskatoon, Barrie was described as mildly sub acid and of good quality. [S3] A later prairie directory is less favorable. It calls the flesh coarse and yellow, notes some cracking and heavy russet in the cavity, and says the fruit does not keep. [S1] A Saskatchewan horticultural note is harsher and groups Barrie among varieties that lack size or quality. [S2] Barrie was a mid season prairie introduction with acceptable color and some local merit, but its reputation for dessert quality and storage was uneven. [S1] [S2] [S3]

The clearest growing context in the packet is geographic, not zonal. Barrie was described under Saskatoon field conditions without irrigation and remained in prairie reference literature focused on Saskatchewan and the Prairie Provinces. [S2] [S3] The packet does not give a direct hardiness zone statement.

Barrie matters in part because of its parentage. Columbia x Wealthy places it within the early prairie effort to develop useful apples from hardy northern material. The surviving descriptions show that those breeding goals could produce a cultivar that worked in the field but was still debated for eating quality. [S1] [S3]

Summary source basis

• S1: Edible Apples in Prairie Canada
• S2: hortfacts_1976_3.pdf
• S3: University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960

This summary currently draws chiefly from Edible Apples in Prairie Canada, with 2 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Mid season; of doubtful quality; coarse yellow flesh; some cracking and heavy russet in cavity; does not keep.”
— ^[1]

“Hardiness/status code shown at right: ST.”
— ^[1]

“Lacks size and/or quality compared with other varieties.”
— ^[3]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• Barrie is given as Columbia x Wealthy.
• Parentage is Columbia x Wealthy.
• Parentage given as Columbia x Wealthy.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• A60-202 Barrie Columbia x Wealthy 1960 Mid season; up to 2 1/4" x 2" under field conditions without irrigation, at Saskatoon, cream ground overlaid with light red, mildly sub-acid quality good.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p5
• A60-202 Barrie Columbia x Wealthy 1960 Mid season; up to 2 1/4" x 2" under field conditions without irrigation, at Saskatoon, cream ground overlaid with light red, mildly sub-acid quality good.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p5
• A60-202 Barrie Columbia x Wealthy 1960 Mid season; up to 2 1/4" x 2" under field conditions without irrigation, at Saskatoon, cream ground overlaid with light red, mildly sub-acid quality good.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p5
• A60-202 Barrie Columbia x Wealthy 1960 Mid season; up to 2 1/4" x 2" under field conditions without irrigation, at Saskatoon, cream ground overlaid with light red, mildly sub-acid quality good.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p5

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context