Keiser
AppleKeiser
Origin/History
An old variety much grown in Jefferson County, Ohio, and highly prized there. Not widely distributed. Warder's description was made from fruit obtained from his friend T. S. Humrickhouse of Coshocton.
Tree
Thrifty, upright (Warder). Elliott and Downing describe the growth of the tree as like "Puambo" (Elliott) / "Bambo" (Downing).
Fruit
Size
Medium (Elliott, Downing); full medium to large (Warder).
Form
Roundish oblate, slightly oblique, angular (Elliott, Downing); oblate, uneven (Warder).
Stem
Short (Elliott, Downing); quite short (Warder).
Cavity
Large (Elliott, Downing); acute, deep (Warder).
Calyx / Eye
Calyx small, closed (Elliott, Downing); eye small, closed (Warder).
Basin
Broad, shallow, corrugated (Elliott, Downing); wide, deep, folded (Warder). Sources disagree on depth — Elliott and Downing describe a shallow basin, while Warder describes it as deep.
Skin
Pale yellow, shaded with red, indistinctly striped, and thickly sprinkled with large grayish dots (Elliott, Downing). Warder describes the surface as smooth, greenish-yellow, mixed and striped red, with dots scattered and minute. Sources disagree on dot character — Elliott and Downing report large grayish dots thickly sprinkled, while Warder reports minute, scattered dots.
Flesh / Flavor
Yellowish, not very juicy, but mild subacid (Elliott, Downing); rated "Good" by Downing. Warder describes the flesh as yellow, tender, fine grained, juicy, with quality good to best. Sources disagree on juiciness — Elliott and Downing call it not very juicy, while Warder calls it juicy.
Core / Seeds
Core very small, regular, closed, clasping; seeds numerous, short, plump (Warder). Not described by Elliott or Downing.
Season
November to February (Elliott, Downing); December to January (Warder).
Uses
For table and kitchen (Warder).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Elliott notes that there is another Red Seek-no-further grown near Lebanon, Pennsylvania, which is distinct from Keiser and a universal favorite there, with a season of December to April.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Keiser. Red Seek-no-further. An old variety much grown in Jefferson Co., Ohio, and highly prized, growth of tree like Puambo. Fruit, medium, roundish oblate, slightly oblique, angular; skin, pale yellow, shaded with red, indistinctly striped and thickly sprinkled with large grayish dots; stalk, short, inserted in a large cavity; calyx, small, closed in a broad, shallow, corrugated basin; flesh, yellowish, not very juicy, but mild sub-acid. November to February. There is another Red Seek-no-further, grown near Lebanon, Pa., distinct, and a universal favorite there. December to April.
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Keiser.
Origin Jefferson County, Ohio; not widely distributed. Tree thrifty, upright. The following description was made from fruit obtained of my friend T. S. Humrickhouse, of Coshocton.
Fruit full medium to large, oblate, uneven; Surface smooth, greenish-yellow, mixed and striped red; Dots scattered, minute.
Basin wide, deep, folded; Eye small, closed.
Cavity acute, deep; Stem quite short.
Core very small, regular, closed, clasping; Seeds numerous, short, plump; Flesh yellow, tender, fine grained, juicy; Quality good to best; for table and kitchen; Season, December to January.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Keisek.
Red Seek-no-Further.
An old variety, much grown in Jefferson Co., Ohio, and highly prized ; growth of tree like Bambo.
Fruit medium, roundish oblate, slightly oblique, angular. Skin pale yellow, shaded with red, indistinctly striped and thickly sprinkled with large, grayish dots. Stalk short, inserted in a large cavity. Calyx small, closed, in a broad, shallow, corrugated basin. Flesh yellowish, not very juicy, but mild subacid. Good. November to February.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Red Seek-no-further. See Keiser.