Sweet and Sour

In 1905, Beach notes that this variety was of no special value but was propagated as a curiosity. It is probably that the original tree of this apple originated in a seedling nursery from which it was transplanted into the orchard of Rev. Aaron Whitney's father in Petersham. A legend about the apple was often repeated that it was produced by joining two half buds, one of a sweet and 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." It is described as producing both sweet and sour apples.