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Parry's White

Apple

Parry's White

Origin / History

Origin unknown; supposed to be a Pennsylvania apple (Downing; Beach). Hedrick says it is supposed to have originated in Pennsylvania about the close of the Civil War, and that its culture is confined to that state, New Jersey, and Delaware. First described by Downing in 1872 (Hedrick). Listed occasionally by nurserymen (Bailey, 1892, cited by Beach); Beach says it has not yet become known to any considerable extent in New York, and that it is "worthy of trial where an apple of its type is desired." Beach calls the fruit quite attractive in appearance for an apple of its class. Hedrick says the fruit is unique in the coloring of both skin and flesh, the former pale yellow or waxen and the latter pure white, but that the variety "does not come up to the mark now set for apples, and will probably never be largely grown."

Tree

Tree of medium size and moderately vigorous (Beach); Downing calls it vigorous, with an upright, compact head. Form at first upright spreading, becoming roundish and somewhat drooping after full crops; dense. Twigs short, curved, stout, with large terminal buds; internodes short. Bark brown tinged with olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin, slightly pubescent near the tips. Lenticels quite numerous, rather conspicuous, medium size, round, not raised. Buds medium to large, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.

Comes into bearing young and is an annual cropper, yielding good to very heavy crops; Downing calls it a regular bearer and very productive. In spite of its remarkable productiveness it makes a pretty good growth (Beach).

Fruit

Size: Medium or below (Downing). Beach: usually medium, but varying with the abundance of the crop from below medium to rather large; quite uniform in size.

Form: Roundish oblate, slightly conic (Downing). Beach: nearly globular, varying to somewhat oblate or slightly inclined to ovate; quite regular and uniform in shape.

Stem: Short, small (Downing); above medium to rather short, slender (Beach).

Cavity: Large, deep (Downing). Beach: slightly acuminate, medium to shallow, medium in width, smooth, symmetrical.

Calyx: Small, closed; lobes medium in length, narrow, acute. Calyx tube short, narrow, funnel-shape. Stamens marginal to median.

Basin: Very shallow (Beach) to rather shallow (Downing), moderately narrow to rather broad, obtuse, smooth or slightly wrinkled, symmetrical; a little uneven (Downing).

Skin: Moderately thick, rather tough, waxen yellowish-white or greenish, pale yellow or whitish, occasionally blushed. Smooth, whitish, sometimes a slight tinge of red in the sun (Downing).

Dots: Medium size to very small, pale or brown, numerous, depressed.

Flesh and flavor: White, pure white (Hedrick), quite firm, rather fine, tender, juicy, subacid; Downing adds crisp, very tender. Quality "good" (Downing; Beach).

Core and seeds: Core medium to small, abaxile; cells open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels round, emarginate. Seeds medium or above in size, acute or inclined to obtuse, light brown.

Season

Early; the crop ripens early (Hedrick). Follows Yellow Transparent closely. Begins to ripen late in August or early in September and continues in use into or through October (Beach). Downing gives August.

Uses

Table, cooking, and market (Downing). Good in quality for either dessert or culinary use (Beach).

Subtypes / Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois

View original book sources (3)

Parry's White.

Imperial White. Superior White. White Apple.

Of unknown origin, supposed to be Pennsylvania. Tree vigorous, upright, compact head, a regular bearer, and very productive; use, table, cooking, and market.

Fruit medium or below, roundish oblate, slightly conic; skin smooth, whitish, sometimes a slight tinge of red in the sun; stalk short, small; cavity large, deep; calyx closed; basin rather shallow, a little uneven; flesh fine, white, crisp, very tender, juicy, subacid; good. August.

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

PARRY WHITE.

REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1872:25 app. 2. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:246. 3. Beach, N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:263. 1895. 4. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:137. 1904.

SYNONYMS. Imperial White (1). PARRY WHITE (1, 2, 3, 4). Superior White (1). White Apple (1).

Fruit pale yellow or whitish, waxen, of medium size; quite attractive in appearance for an apple of its class. The flesh is white, juicy, subacid, good in quality for either dessert or culinary use. It follows Yellow Transparent in season, beginning to ripen late in August or early in September and continuing in use into or through October (4). The tree comes into bearing young and is an annual cropper, yielding good to very heavy crops. In spite of its remarkable productiveness it makes a pretty good growth. It is worthy of trial where an apple of its type is desired.

Historical. Origin unknown. It is supposed to be a Pennsylvania apple. It is occasionally listed by nurserymen (2). It has not yet become known to any considerable extent in New York.

TREE.

Tree of medium size and moderately vigorous. Form at first upright spreading but after bearing full crops it becomes roundish and somewhat drooping; dense. Twigs short, curved, stout with large terminal buds; internodes short. Bark brown tinged with olive-green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin; slightly pubescent near tips. Lenticels quite numerous, rather conspicuous, medium size, round, not raised. Buds medium to large, plump, obtuse, free, pubescent.

FRUIT.

Fruit usually medium but varies according to the abundance of the crop from below medium to rather large; quite uniform in size and shape. Form nearly globular varying to somewhat oblate or slightly inclined to ovate, quite regular. Stem above medium to rather short, slender. Cavity slightly acuminate, medium to shallow, medium in width, smooth, symmetrical. Calyx small, closed; lobes medium in length, narrow, acute. Basin very shallow, moderately narrow to rather broad, obtuse, smooth or slightly wrinkled, symmetrical. Skin moderately thick, rather tough, waxen yellowish-white or greenish, occasionally blushed. Dots medium size to very small, pale or brown, numerous, depressed. Calyx tube short, narrow, funnel-shape. Stamens marginal to median. Core medium to small, abaxile; cells open; core lines meeting or slightly clasping. Carpels round, emarginate. Seeds medium or above, acute or inclined to obtuse, light brown. Flesh white, quite firm, rather fine, tender, juicy, subacid, good. Season very late August into or through October.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

PARRY WHITE. Imperial White. Superior White. White Apple.

The fruit of Parry White is unique in the coloring of both skin and flesh, the former being pale yellow or waxen and the latter pure white. The crop ripens early, following Yellow Transparent closely. The variety does not come up to the mark now set for apples, and will probably never be largely grown. It is supposed to have originated in Pennsylvania about the close of the Civil War, and its culture is confined to that state, New Jersey, and Delaware. It was first described by Downing in 1872.

Tree of medium size and vigor, upright-spreading, somewhat drooping, dense. Fruit medium to large, uniform in size and shape, globular, oblate or ovate, regular; stem short, slender; cavity acuminate, medium in depth and width, smooth, symmetrical; calyx small, closed; lobes narrow, acute; basin very shallow, narrow to broad, obtuse, smooth or wrinkled, symmetrical; skin thick, tough, pale waxen-yellow, occasionally blushed; dots small, pale, numerous, depressed; calyx-tube short, narrow, funnel-shape; stamens marginal; core small, abaxile; cells open; core-lines meeting or clasping; carpels round, emarginate; seeds acute, light brown; flesh white, firm, fine, tender, juicy, subacid; good; late August through October.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)
Imperial White Parry White Superior White White Apple