Augustine

Apple

Augustine

Origin/History

Of American origin (Elliott). The variety appears in pomological literature as early as 1848 (Horticulturist). By the time of Beach's writing (1905), it had been a pleasant-flavored dessert apple formerly grown to a very limited extent in some portions of New York State but had become practically unknown.

Tree

Not described in sources.

Fruit

Size: Downing and Elliott describe the fruit as large. Beach qualifies this as medium to rather large.

Form: Roundish conic (Downing, Beach), or slightly inclined to oblong (Beach). Elliott describes it simply as conical.

Stem: Not described in sources.

Cavity: Not described in sources.

Calyx: Not described in sources.

Basin: Not described in sources.

Skin: Yellow ground, splashed and striped with red (Beach). Downing describes it as yellow striped with red; Elliott as red striped on yellow.

Flesh/Flavor: Moderately juicy to rather dry, not crisp, tender, and sweet (Beach). Downing and Elliott concur on sweet and dry character. Beach's characterization as a "pleasant flavored" dessert apple is the only qualitative assessment of eating quality.

Core/Seeds: Not described in sources.

Season

August (all sources agree).

Uses

Dessert (Beach).

Subtypes/Variants

Not described in sources.

Other

Not described in sources.

Book Sources

Described in 3 period pomological works

View original book sources (3)

Augustine.

Large, roundish, conic, yellow, striped with red, sweet and dry. August.

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

AUGUSTINE.

References. 1. Horticulturist, 1848 (cited by 5). 2. Downing, 1857:207. 3. Warder, 1867:711. 4. Thomas, 1885:502. 5. Ragan, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 56:31. 1905.

Synonyms. None.

A pleasant flavored dessert apple formerly grown to a very limited extent in some portions of the state but now practically unknown. Fruit medium to rather large, roundish conic or slightly inclined to oblong, yellow splashed and striped with red; flesh moderately juicy to rather dry, not crisp, tender, sweet; season August.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)

Augustine.

American. Large, conical, red striped on yellow ; flesh, sweet, dry. August.

— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)