Yellow Foster
Apple
Yellow Foster
Origin/History
Origin unknown; received from Ohio (Downing). Associated with H. N. Gillett, a pioneer pomologist of Southern Ohio, Lawrence County, who supplied the variety to Warder along with many others. Illustrated in Warder as Fig. 81.
Tree
Very vigorous, spreading (Downing). Not further described in Warder.
Fruit
Size and Form: The sources conflict on size: Warder describes the fruit as medium to large and regular in form; Downing describes it as below medium. Both agree the form is oblate; Warder adds that it is regular.
Stem: The sources conflict: Warder describes the stem as medium in both size and length; Downing describes the stalk as short.
Cavity: Acute and regular (Warder).
Calyx: Small, closed (Warder); closed (Downing). Both sources agree the calyx is closed.
Basin: Medium depth and size, regular (Warder).
Skin: The sources partially conflict. Warder describes the surface as smooth, greenish-yellow, with scattered, minute green dots. Downing describes the fruit as yellow, thinly sprinkled with brown and green dots — adding brown to the dot coloration and omitting mention of surface texture or the greenish cast.
Flesh and Flavor: The sources conflict on texture and quality. Warder describes the flesh as yellow, fine grained, tender, and juicy, with a sub-acid and aromatic flavor, rating it of first quality for the table. Downing describes the flesh as yellowish, rather coarse, moderately juicy, and of mild subacid flavor, rating it Good.
Core and Seeds: Core medium, wide, closed, not meeting the eye; seeds not numerous, medium (Warder).
Season
October (Warder); October and November (Downing).
Uses
First quality for table (Warder). Rated Good (Downing).
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 2 period pomological works
View original book sources (2)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)Yellow Foster.
This apple is a favorite with that worthy pioneer Pomologist of Southern Ohio, H. N. Gillett, of Lawrence County, to whom I am under obligations for this and many other varieties.
Fruit medium to large, regular, oblate; Surface smooth, greenish-yellow; Dots scattered, minute green.
Basin of medium depth and size, regular; Eye small, closed.
Cavity acute, regular; Stem of medium size and length.
Core medium, wide, closed, not meeting the eye; Seeds not numerous, medium; Flesh yellow, fine grained, tender, juicy; Flavor sub-acid and aromatic; Of first quality for table; During October.
Fig. 81.— YELLOW FOSTER.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Yellow Foster.
Origin unknown. Received from Ohio. Tree very vigorous, spreading. Fruit below medium, oblate, yellow, thinly sprinkled with brown and green dots. Stalk short. Calyx closed. Flesh yellowish, rather coarse, moderately juicy, mild subacid. Good. October, November.