Peach-Pond Sweet
Apple
Origin/History
Originated in Dutchess County, New York, near the small village of Peach Pond. Downing notes it "appears well worthy of a more general dissemination."
Tree
Vigorous (Downing) to moderate growth (Elliott), spreading habit. Young shoots dull grayish brown (Downing). Annual moderate bearer (Elliott).
Fruit
Size: Small to medium (Warder); medium (Downing, Elliott).
Form: Round-oblate, pentangular, slightly conical (Warder); rather flat (Downing); roundish (Elliott).
Skin: Smooth, pale yellow, lightly covered with mixed and striped red, and beautifully splashed crimson (Warder). Striped light red (Downing). Pale red, marbled and striped on yellow (Elliott).
Stem: Medium to long, green, sometimes knobby (Warder). Long and slender (Downing). Slender (Elliott).
Cavity: Deep, acute, regular, brown (Warder). Open, slightly russeted (Elliott).
Calyx: Eye small, closed (Warder). Calyx with segments in divisions (Elliott).
Basin: Narrow, regular or folded (Warder). Deep (Elliott).
Core: Regular, heart-shaped, closed, meeting the eye (Warder). Small (Elliott).
Seeds: Small, short (Warder). Ovate pyriform (Elliott).
Flesh: Yellow, tender, fine grained, juicy (Warder). Tender or very mellow, moderately juicy, very rich, sweet, and agreeable (Downing). Yellowish, tender, sweet (Elliott).
Flavor: Very sweet (Warder). Very rich, sweet, and agreeable (Downing). Sweet (Elliott).
Quality: Almost first rate, very good (Warder). Very good (Downing, Elliott).
Season
September (Warder). September to November (Downing). October (Elliott). Winter according to the Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture.
Uses
Table or baking (Warder). Baking (Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture lists this variety in abbreviated table format:
Peach Pond Sweet. Size: M. Form: fl. Color: yr. Quality: G. Use: b. Season: W. N. Div.: 1*.
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Peach Pond Sweet.
Origin Dutchess County, New York.
Fig. 125.—PEACH POND SWEET.
Fruit small to medium, round-oblate, pentangular, slightly conical; Surface smooth, pale yellow, lightly covered with mixed and striped red, and beautifully splashed crimson.
Basin narrow, regular or folded; Eye small, closed.
Cavity deep, acute, regular, brown; Stem medium to long, green, sometimes knobby.
Core regular, heart-shaped, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds small, short; Flesh yellow, tender, fine grained, juicy; Flavor very sweet; Quality almost first rate, very good; for table or baking; Season September.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Peach-Pond Sweet.
This is a most excellent autumn variety, from a small village of this name in Dutchess Co., N. Y. It appears well worthy of a more general dissemination. Tree vigorous, spreading. Young shoots dull grayish brown.
Fruit of medium size, rather flat, striped light red. Stalk long and slender. Flesh tender or very mellow, moderately juicy, very rich, sweet, and agreeable. Very good. September to November.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Peach Pond Sweet. Size: M. Form: fl. Color: yr. Quality: G. Use: b. Season: W. N. Div.: 1*.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Peach Pond Sweet.
From Dutchess County, N. Y. Tree, moderate growth, spreading; annual moderate bearer. Fruit, medium, roundish; pale red, marbled and striped on yellow; stem, slender; cavity, open, slightly russeted; calyx, with segments in divisions; basin, deep; core, small; seeds, ovate pyriform; flesh, yellowish, tender, sweet; "very good." October.