Powers
AppleOrigin / History
The Powers apple — originally known as the Miller's Apple — first came to public notice through Geo. Powers of Perrysburgh, Ohio. It originated as an accidental seedling that sprang up in the town of Perrysburgh, where it grew almost without care until it fruited a few years before 1864, at which point it attracted the attention of Mr. Powers. Specimens were exhibited at the Toledo meeting of the Ohio Pomological Society in January 1864, though that fruit was over-ripe; it was shown in perfection of beauty and excellence at the State Fair at Dayton, Ohio, on October 16th, where it was examined by the Society, who commended it highly. Being satisfied that it was an original seedling, the Society changed its local name of Miller's Apple to Powers, in honor of the pomologist who had brought it into notice. In its season of ripening, its beautifully white and tender flesh, and its perfumed flavor, this fruit resembles the Fameuse, from which it may have been produced.
Tree
An accidental seedling that sprang up in Perrysburgh and grew almost without care until it began to fruit. No further tree characteristics are described in the sources.
Fruit
Size
Large.
Form
Warder: round, somewhat flattened, and sometimes rather conic; generally regular, but large specimens are slightly angular. Downing: roundish oblate.
Stem
Warder: medium or short. Downing: short.
Cavity
Warder: deep, regular, sometimes brown-tinged. Downing: deep, acute.
Calyx
Warder: eye small, closed. Downing: calyx closed.
Basin
Warder: abrupt, regular, or folded. Downing: abrupt, somewhat corrugated.
Skin
Very smooth (Warder). Ground color a greenish waxen yellow (Warder) — Downing describes it simply as waxy yellow — more or less shaded with mixed light red, upon which are laid numerous stripes and broken splashes of rich, dark carmine (Warder); Downing describes the shading as red, splashed with carmine.
Dots
Minute, scattered, gray.
Flesh / Flavor
Flesh white, very tender (Warder) and fine-grained (Downing), juicy. Flavor mild sub-acid, quite aromatic, very agreeable (Warder); Downing similarly describes the flavor as mild, aromatic subacid.
Core / Seeds
Core medium or wide, regular, closed, meeting the eye. Seeds numerous, plump, sometimes imperfect.
Season
October–November (Downing). Warder's account of its exhibition in perfection at the State Fair on October 16th is consistent with an October ripening.
Uses
Especially suited for the table as a highly ornamental dessert fruit; its extreme delicacy adapts it for this purpose while the same quality unfits it for general market purposes. Quality rated very good by both sources.
Subtypes / Variants
Downing notes a second and distinct variety also called Powers, or Powers Seedling, which originated on the farm of C. W. Powers, Amenia, Dutchess Co., N.Y. Fruit medium, roundish, inclining to conic, whitish, shaded, splashed, and striped with red, with light dots. Flesh white, a little stained next the skin, crisp, juicy subacid. Quality: good. Season: November.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 1 catalog (1901) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Powers.
This beautiful table apple was first brought to public notice by Geo. Powers, of Perrysburgh, Ohio. He exhibited specimens at the Toledo meeting of the Ohio Pomological Society in January, 1864, but the fruit was over ripe; at the State Fair at Dayton, Ohio, October 16th, it was shown in perfection of beauty and excellence, and was then examined by the Society, who commended it highly, and being satisfied that it was an original seedling, its local name, Miller's Apple, was then changed to Powers, in honor of the pomologist who had brought it into notice.
The tree appears to have been an accidental seedling, which sprang up in the town of Perrysburgh, where it grew almost without care until it fruited a few years ago, and attracted the attention of Mr. Powers.
The fruit is large and fair, round, somewhat flattened, and sometimes rather conic, generally regular, but large specimens are slightly angular; the surface is very smooth, a greenish waxen yellow, more or less shaded with mixed light red, upon which are laid numerous stripes and broken splashes of rich, dark carmine; Dots minute, scattered, gray.
Basin abrupt, regular, or folded; Eye small, closed.
Cavity deep, regular, sometimes brown; Stem medium or short.
Core medium or wide, regular, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, plump, sometimes imperfect; Flesh white, very tender, juicy; Flavor mild sub-acid, quite aromatic, very agreeable; Use especially for the table, as a highly ornamental dessert fruit, for which its extreme delicacy adapts it, while the same quality unfits it for general market purposes; Quality very good; in its season of ripening, in its beautifully white and tender flesh, and in its perfumed flavor, this fruit resembles the Fameuse, from which it may have been produced.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Powers.
Miller's Apple.
Origin, Perrysburgh, Ohio.
Fruit large, roundish oblate, waxy yellow ground, shaded with red, and splashed with carmine. Stalk short. Cavity deep, acute. Calyx closed. Basin abrupt, somewhat corrugated. Flesh white, fine-grained, juicy, mild, aromatic subacid. Very good. October, November. (O. P. S. Trans.)
There is another Powers, or Powers Seedling, which originated on the farm of C. W. Powers, Amenia, Dutchess Co., N. Y.
Fruit medium, roundish, inclining to conic, whitish, shaded, splashed, and striped with red, light dots. Flesh white, a little stained next the skin, crisp, juicy subacid. Good. November.