Peffer
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Peffer
Origin / History
Originated by Mr. George P. Peffer of Pewaukee, Wis., from seeds of the Pewaukee apple, and named in his honor. The variety was described by H. E. Van Deman, U.S. Pomologist, in 1889. Van Deman wrote that it "is thought to be better than the parent variety in some respects, and I bespeak for it a trial in the colder States."
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Medium to large.
Form: Shape, diameters nearly equal, angular, irregular, slightly lopsided.
Stem: Short, thick, fleshy.
Cavity: Medium, sloping, nearly regular, very slightly russeted.
Calyx: Eye open, large, with reflexed sepals.
Basin: Deep, abrupt, irregular or ribbed.
Skin: Surface polished, yellow, with abundant splashes and specks of bright red and scarlet, handsome.
Dots: Numerous, brown or gray.
Flesh and flavor: White, tender, fine-grained, juicy. Flavor subacid. Quality fair to good.
Core and seeds: Core open, small, meeting the deep eye cavity. Seeds many, large, plump.
Season
Early winter in Wisconsin.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
A seedling of Pewaukee.
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 3 catalogs (1900–1913) from Illinois
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (1)
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Peffer.— "A variety originated by Mr. George P. Peffer, of Pewaukee, Wis., from seeds of Pewaukee apple, and named in his honor. It is thought to be better than the parent variety in some respects, and I bespeak for it a trial in the colder States. Size medium to large; shape, diameters nearly equal, angular, irregular, slightly lop-sided; surface polished, yellow, with abundant splashes and specks of bright red and scarlet, handsome; dots numerous, brown or gray; basin deep, abrupt, irregular or ribbed; eye open, large, with reflexed sepals; cavity medium, sloping, nearly regular, very slightly russeted; stem short, thick, fleshy; core open, small, meeting the deep eye cavity; seeds many, large, plump; flesh white, tender, fine-grained, juicy; flavor subacid; quality fair to good. Season, early winter in Wisconsin." (H. E. Van Deman, U. S. Pomologist, 1889.)