Trader's Fancy
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Trader's Fancy
Origin/History
Originated in the nurseries of Solomon Phillips, Washington County, Pennsylvania (Downing). Warder adds that the variety became a favorite with shippers on the Ohio River on account of its dark skin, which does not show bruises, making it well suited to transport; the flat-boats that stopped from port to port to dispose of their cargoes were called trading boats and their masters traders, hence the name. Downing notes it was popular where known and valued as a late keeper and market fruit at the Southwest.
Tree
Vigorous, healthy, spreading, round-headed, very productive, and a good and regular bearer (Warder; Downing). Young wood dull reddish brown (Downing).
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium. Warder describes the form as regular oblate; Downing as roundish oblate.
Stem: Warder: medium, slender. Downing: short, slender.
Cavity: Wide, regular (Warder). Not described in Downing.
Calyx/Eye: Small, closed (Warder). Calyx closed (Downing).
Basin: Wide, sometimes folded or plaited (Warder). Broad and corrugated (Downing).
Skin: Very smooth (Warder). Ground color greenish yellow, almost completely obscured with deep purple red, mixed and striped (Warder); Downing describes the overcolor as dull red, striped and shaded. Both sources agree the fruit is covered with a white bloom.
Flesh and Flavor: Whitish, tender (both). Warder adds fine-grained. Downing adds crisp and juicy. Flavor mild, pleasant, subacid (both). Quality rated "only good" by Warder; "good to very good" by Downing.
Core and Seeds: Core medium, closed; seeds plump (Warder). Not described in Downing.
Season
January to May (both sources).
Uses
Market and kitchen (Warder). Valued as a late keeper and market fruit (Downing). Warder notes specifically that the dark skin's resistance to showing bruises made it a shipper's apple on the Ohio River trade.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 2 catalogs (1901–1913) from Illinois
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1913
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Trader's Fancy.
This peculiar looking apple originated in Washington County, Pennsylvania. Tree vigorous, healthy, spreading, round-headed, very productive, bears regularly. As a long keeper, with dark skin, that does not show bruises, it became a favorite with shippers on the Ohio river, hence its name, the flat-boats that stop from port to port to dispose of their cargoes being called trading boats, and their masters traders.
Fruit medium, regular, oblate; Surface very smooth, greenish yellow, almost completely obscured with deep purple red, mixed and striped, and covered with a white bloom.
Basin wide, sometimes folded or plaited; Eye small, closed.
Cavity wide, regular; Stem medium, slender.
Core medium, closed; Seeds plump; Flesh whitish, tender, fine-grained; Flavor mild sub-acid; Quality only good; Use market and kitchen; Season January to May.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Trader's Fancy.
Originated in the nurseries of Solomon Phillips, Washington Co., Pa. Tree a vigorous grower, a good and regular bearer, and popular where known ; valued as a late keeper and market fruit at the Southwest. Young wood dull reddish brown.
Fruit medium, roundish oblate, greenish yellow, striped and shaded with dull red, covered with a bloom. Stalk short, slender. Calyx closed. Basin broad and corrugated. Flesh whitish, crisp, tender, juicy, with a mild, pleasant, subacid flavor. Good to very good. January to May.