Fall Seek-no-Further
AppleOrigin/History
Of unknown origin. Grown in Connecticut, where it is much prized (Elliott; Thomas). Downing and Elliott both list the variety under the names Fall Seek-no-Further and Winter Seek-no-Further, treating them as the same fruit. Elliott's entry explicitly cites Downing as its source, accounting for the near-identical language between the two.
Tree
Thrifty and productive, with much the habit of the Rhode Island Greening (Downing). Elliott and Thomas concur on the thrifty and productive character.
Fruit
Size and Form: Very large, oblate.
Stem: Rather long (Elliott); long (Thomas).
Cavity: Broad, deep, russeted (Elliott); large, russeted (Thomas).
Calyx: Closed (Elliott).
Basin: Very broad, uneven (Elliott); broad, uneven (Thomas).
Skin: Yellow, mostly shaded with red, striped with darker red, and covered with numerous grayish dots (Downing; Elliott). Thomas describes the surface as shaded and striped with red on yellow.
Flesh/Flavor: Whitish, tender, moderately juicy, with a pleasant subacid flavor (Downing; Elliott). Thomas agrees: whitish, tender, pleasant, sub-acid. Quality rated Good (Downing).
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
October and November (Downing). Elliott gives the range as October through January — though Elliott's entry cites Downing throughout, and this may reflect a transcription difference between editions rather than a distinct observation.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Downing records a distinct apple circulating under the same name, received from Iowa: medium size, roundish, greenish with a slight blush in the sun; flesh white, tender, mild, subacid; quality rated Very Good; keeps until March.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
Possibly identical with: Watson
View original book sources (3)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Fall Seek-no-Further. Winter Seek-no-Further. Origin unknown. Tree much the habit of the Rhode Island Greening, thrifty and productive. Fruit very large, oblate, yellow, mostly shaded with red, striped with darker red, and covered with numerous grayish dots. Flesh whitish, tender, moderately juicy, with a pleasant subacid flavor. Good. October and November. There is another apple under name of Fall Seek-no-Further which we have received from Iowa, of medium size, roundish, greenish, with slight blush in the sun. Flesh white, tender, mild, subacid. Very good and keeps till March.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Fall Seek-no-Further. Winter Seek-no-Further.
Tree, thrifty and productive. Origin, unknown ; grown in Connecticut, and much prized there.
Fruit; very large, oblate ; skin, yellow, mostly shaded with red, striped with darker red and covered with numerous grayish dots : stalk, rather long, inserted in a broad, deep, russeted cavity : calyx, closed, in a very broad, uneven basin ; flesh, whitish, tender, moderately juicy, with a pleasant, sub-acid flavor. October, January. (Downing.)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Fall Seek-no-further. Very large, oblate; shaded and striped with red on yellow; stalk long; cavity large, russeted; basin broad, uneven; flesh whitish, tender, pleasant, sub-acid. Productive. Connecticut.