Yacht
AppleYacht
Origin/History
Originated in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. No further history described in sources.
Tree
Of moderate growth; a regular bearer.
Fruit
Size and Form: The sources conflict on size. Downing describes the fruit as medium; Elliott's first description calls it large; Elliott's second description (attributed to W.D.B.) returns to medium. Both Elliott descriptions agree on form: roundish. Downing describes it as oblate.
Skin: Yellowish ground, shaded, splashed, and striped with red. Elliott specifies the red appears in various hues; Downing specifies two shades of red. Downing notes large light dots on the surface.
Stem/Stalk: Downing gives the stalk as medium in length. Elliott's first description calls it short, inserted in a small cavity. Elliott's second description gives the stem as half an inch long.
Cavity: Elliott's first description places the stalk in a small cavity. Elliott's second description characterizes the cavity as open and obtuse.
Calyx: Downing describes the calyx as partially closed. Elliott's first description gives it as open. Elliott's second description does not characterize the calyx separately but describes the basin as very shallow and plaited. Elliott's first description gives the basin as large and shallow.
Basin: Elliott's first description: large, shallow. Elliott's second description: very shallow, plaited.
Flesh/Flavor: Downing describes the flesh as white, tender, pleasant, and mildly subacid. Elliott's first description gives the flesh as yellowish (conflicting with Downing's white), tender, with a pleasant subacid flavor. Elliott's second description notes fine texture, tender, with a pleasant flavor.
Core/Seeds: Downing notes the core is small. Not described further in sources.
Quality: Downing rates the fruit Good. Elliott's second description (W.D.B.) rates it "very good."
Season
Downing gives November to January. Elliott gives November to March.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Yacht. Origin, Montgomery Co., Pa. Tree of moderate growth, a regular bearer. Fruit medium, oblate, yellowish, shaded, splashed, and striped with two shades of red, large light dots. Stalk medium. Calyx partially closed. Flesh white, tender, pleasant, mild subacid. Good. Core small. November, January.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Yacht.
Origin, Montgomery County, Pa. Tree of moderate growth, a regular bearer. Fruit, large, roundish, striped with red, with various hues on yellowish ground; stalk, short, inserted in a small cavity; calyx, open, set in a large, shallow basin; flesh, yellowish, tender, with a pleasant, sub-acid flavor. November to March.
Yacht.
Medium, roundish, striped with red of various hues on yellowish ground; stem, half an inch long; cavity, open, obtuse; basin, very shallow, plaited; flesh, fine texture, tender, pleasant flavor; "very good." (W. D. B.)