Mother Davis
AppleMother Davis
Origin/History
From Pennsylvania (Downing).
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium (both sources agree).
Form: Roundish conical (Downing); round oblong (Elliott). The two sources conflict on shape.
Stem: Short (Downing). Not described by Elliott.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Small, closed (Downing). Not described by Elliott.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Whitish yellow, shaded and obscurely splashed with light red, with many small and large light dots (Downing). Elliott describes the ground color as greenish yellow with little red, and does not mention dots. The two sources conflict on ground color.
Flesh/Flavor: Fine, yellowish, tender, juicy, sprightly, pleasant subacid; rated good to very good (Downing). Elliott describes the flesh as crisp and rates it "good."
Core/Seeds: Core rather small (Downing). Not described by Elliott.
Season
November–December (Downing); October–November (Elliott). The sources conflict, with Elliott placing ripening approximately one month earlier.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Mother Davis.
From Pennsylvania.
Fruit medium, roundish conical, whitish yellow, shaded and obscurely splashed with light red, many small and large light dots. Stalk short. Calyx small, closed. Flesh fine, yellowish, tender, juicy, sprightly, pleasant subacid. Good to very good. Core rather small. November, December.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Mother Davis. Medium, round oblong, greenish yellow, little red ; flesh, crisp ; "good." October, November.