Franklin

Apple

Franklin

Origin / History

Originated in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, where the original tree was supposed to be over one hundred years old as of 1900 (Downing). Elliott (1865) and Thomas (1903) also identify it as a native of Pennsylvania, with Elliott crediting Pomological Transactions and calling it "New" at that time.

Fisher (1963) lists additional Franklin entries that appear to describe distinct, later varieties sharing the name: one is a McIntosh × Delicious cross from Wooster, Ohio (also distributed by Bohlender Nursery, Tipp City, Ohio, accession A53120), and another a red-striped fall dessert apple maintained by the N.Y. State Fruit Testing Association, Geneva, N.Y. Additional holdings recorded at AES, Orono, Maine (1954) and a position on R12740-7A.

Tree

A rapid grower and a great/profuse bearer, productive even when young (Downing, Elliott, Thomas).

Fruit

Size: Below medium (Downing); medium (Elliott, Thomas); above medium for the Wooster, Ohio cross (Fisher).

Form: Oblate (Downing); regular and round (Elliott, Thomas); conic for the Wooster, Ohio cross (Fisher).

Stem: Not described in source.

Cavity: Not described in source.

Calyx: Not described in source.

Basin: Not described in source.

Skin: Whitish, shaded and splashed with rich red (Downing); bright red (Elliott, Thomas); well colored and splashed, red striped for the N.Y. State Fruit Testing Assoc. entry and the Wooster, Ohio cross (Fisher).

Flesh / Flavor: Yellowish white, tender, juicy, sharp subacid; rated "Good" (Downing). Yellowish, acid, vinous (Elliott). Rather acid (Thomas). Downing notes the fruit is "rather too acid to please many tastes." For the Wooster, Ohio cross: flesh cream, slightly soft, subacid, good quality (Fisher).

Core / Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

September to November (Downing); early October for the Wooster, Ohio cross; fall dessert for the N.Y. State Fruit Testing Assoc. entry (Fisher).

Uses

Dessert use indicated for the N.Y. State Fruit Testing Assoc. entry (Fisher). Downing's account suggests culinary suitability is implied by the sharp subacid character, though the high acidity limits dessert appeal for many tastes.

Subtypes / Variants

Fisher (1963) records multiple distinct apples held under the name Franklin in mid-20th-century U.S. collections, including the McIntosh × Delicious cross from Wooster, Ohio (also at Bohlender Nursery, Tipp City, Ohio) and a red-striped fall dessert apple at the N.Y. State Fruit Testing Association, Geneva, N.Y. These are likely separate varieties from the historical Lancaster Co., Pa. Franklin described by Downing, Elliott, and Thomas.

Other

Fisher (1963) records the following distribution and accession data for varieties under the name Franklin:

Franklin    Wooster, Ohio    McIntosh X Delicious, Fr. above med., conic., well colored-splashed. Flesh cream, sl. soft, sa., good qual. Early Oct.    139
AP-H-154
N4519    OrC, WyG, MtB, PaU, WiM, WiS, OhW, VtB, WaP, MnS
Franklin                CnS
Franklin    N. Y. State Fr. Test. Assoc., Geneva, N.Y.    Red striped, fall dess.    35    MoC
MeG
Franklin    AES, Orono, Maine, 1954                MeO
Franklin    Bohlender Nurs., Tipp City, Ohio    McIntosh X Delicious.    A53120    WyC
Franklin        Pos. on R12740-7A.        InL

Book Sources

Described in 4 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois

Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913

View original book sources (4)

Franklin.

Originated in Lancaster Co., Pa., where the original tree is supposed to be over one hundred years old. It is a rapid grower, bearing profusely even when young, but the fruit is rather too acid to please many tastes.

Fruit below medium, oblate, whitish, shaded and splashed with rich red. Flesh yellowish white, tender, juicy, sharp subacid. Good. September, November.

— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)

Fronclin.

Native of Lancaster Co., Pa. Tree, rapid grower, great bearer. Fruit, medium, regular, round, bright red ; flesh, yellowish, acid, vinous. New. (Pom. Trans.)

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)

Fronclin. Medium, round, bright red; rather acid. Great bearer. Pa.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

Franklin Wooster, Ohio McIntosh X Delicious, Fr. above med., conic., well colored-splashed. Flesh cream, si. soft, sa., good qual. Early Oct. 139 AP-H-154 N4519 OrC, WyG, MtB, PaU, WiM, WiS, OhW, VtB, WaP, MnS Franklin CnS Franklin N. Y. State Fr. Test. Assoc., Geneva, N.Y. Red striped, fall dess. 35 MoC MeG Franklin AES, Orono, Maine, 1954 MeO Franklin Bohlender Nurs., Tipp City, Ohio McIntosh X Delicious. A53120 WyC Franklin Pos. on R12740-7A. InL

— H.H. Fisher (USDA ARS), A Survey of Apple Clones in the United States (1963)

Franclin Fronclin Phillips' Sweet White Spanish Reinette