President

Apple

President

Origin/History

Origin: the farm of Captain John White, Salem, New Hampshire. The original tree of President is said to have been in bearing at the inauguration of Washington as President, and to have been yet in a healthy condition at the time of reporting (Downing, 1900).

Tree

Tree vigorous and productive (Downing, 1900).

Fruit

Size and Form

Large, roundish oblate (Downing, 1900; Thomas, 1903; Lowther, 1914). Thomas (1903) describes the form as simply "roundish," while Downing (1900) and Lowther (1914) specify roundish oblate.

Stem

Not described in source.

Cavity

Not described in source.

Calyx

Not described in source.

Basin

Not described in source.

Skin

Pale yellow, with a tinge of red in the sun; few gray dots (Downing, 1900). Thomas (1903) describes the color as yellow, with red on the sunny side, slightly sprinkled with gray dots. Lowther (1914) records the color as yellow-red.

Flesh and Flavor

Flesh yellow, firm, juicy, subacid. Quality: good (Downing, 1900; quality rating confirmed by Lowther, 1914, and Thomas, 1903).

Core and Seeds

Not described in source.

Season

Downing (1900) gives the season as September–October. Lowther (1914) records the season as winter. These accounts conflict and may reflect differences in regional climate, selection, or classification practice.

Uses

Suitable for both kitchen and market use (Lowther, 1914).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Lowther (1914) records President with a rating of 6* in the Northern Division (also noted in another division) and 2* in the Central Division (also noted in another division), reflecting its variable regional performance in trial or classification systems of that encyclopedia.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

President.

Origin, farm of Capt. John White, Salem, N. H. Tree vigorous, productive.

Fruit large, roundish oblate, pale yellow, with a tinge of red in the sun, few gray dots. Flesh yellow, firm, juicy, subacid. Good. September, October.

The original tree of the President is said to have been in bearing at the inauguration of Washington as President, and to be yet in a healthy condition.

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

President: size large; form roundish (oblate); color yellow-red; quality good; use both kitchen and market; season winter; Northern Division 6* (also reported in another division); Central Division 2* (also reported in another division).

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

President. Large, roundish; yellow, with red on sunny side, slightly sprinkled with gray dots.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)