Press Ewing

Origin/History

Press Ewing originated in Christian County, Kentucky, and was introduced to notice by J. S. Downer (Downing). Warder notes that this Kentucky apple was sent to him by J. S. Downer, from whom trees were also procured which had already borne fruit by the time of his writing.

Tree

The tree is hardy, vigorous, and productive (Elliott, Warder, Downing), and early productive (Warder). Downing describes the growth habit as irregular and spreading, with young shoots dark brown. Warder describes it as healthy.

Fruit

Size

Medium (all sources).

Form

Sources agree the fruit is roundish. Elliott describes it as roundish, flattened at base and crown, angular, and slightly oblique. Warder describes it as roundish-oblate and regular. Downing describes it as oblate. Warder notes the fruit resembles Smokehouse.

Stem / Stalk / Cavity

• Elliott: stalk medium, inserted in a very deep, narrow cavity.
• Warder: stem long, slender; cavity wide, wavy, brown.
• Downing: stalk medium, inserted in a broad, deep cavity.

Sources disagree on cavity width — Elliott describes it as narrow, while Warder and Downing describe it as wide/broad.

Calyx / Eye / Basin

• Elliott: calyx closed, set in an uneven, abrupt, peculiar basin.
• Warder: eye medium, open; calyx reflexed; basin wide, wavy, regular, rather deep.
• Downing: calyx closed, set in an uneven, deep, abrupt basin.

Sources disagree on the calyx — Elliott and Downing describe it as closed, while Warder describes the eye as open with calyx reflexed.

Skin

• Elliott: yellow, shaded and striped with crimson, and thickly covered with dots, having a dark centre.
• Warder: surface smooth, bright red, mixed, striped, and splashed, on greenish yellow; dots numerous, brown and yellow.
• Downing: yellow, shaded and obscurely splashed with crimson, and thickly covered with dots, having a dark centre.
• Thomas: striped.

Flesh / Flavor

• Elliott: flesh yellowish, firm, juicy, crisp, tender, with a very agreeable sub-acid flavor, aromatic.
• Warder: flesh yellow, fine-grained, tender, melting, juicy; flavor rich sub-acid; quality nearly first rate.
• Downing: flesh yellowish, firm, juicy, crisp, tender, mild, agreeable subacid. Good to very good.
• Thomas: firm, agreeable, sub-acid.

Core / Seeds

Warder: core medium, closed, meeting the eye; axis short; seeds numerous, angular, pointed. (Not described by other sources.)

Season

Elliott and Downing: February till April. Warder: use for table in December and January. Thomas: winter.

Uses

For table use (Warder).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in source.

Other

Not described in source.