Egg Top
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Egg Top
Origin/History
An old variety of uncertain origin. Elliott (1865) notes it as "Foreign," suggesting possible European provenance. A few trees were occasionally found in the oldest American orchards but by Beach's time (1905) it was nearly obsolete.
Tree
Large, moderately vigorous, a regular and abundant bearer (Beach). Not further described in sources.
Fruit
Size and Form: Medium. Elongated, oblong, conic oval (Downing); oblong ovate (Elliott). Beach compares the shape to Black Gilliflower, noting Egg Top is not so large.
Stem, Cavity, Calyx, Basin, Core, Seeds: Not described in sources.
Skin: Sources conflict on ground color. Downing describes the fruit as mostly overspread, and splashed and striped with shades of red, suggesting a predominantly red surface. Elliott describes it as pale yellow, striped with red, indicating a yellow ground with red striping. Beach describes it as somewhat streaked and shaded with red, consistent with either account.
Flesh and Flavor: White (Downing); yellowish white (Elliott); tender in both accounts. Moderately juicy, subacid (Downing). Quality assessed as scarcely good (Downing), inferior (Elliott), and pleasant flavored but not high in quality (Beach).
Season
November–December (Downing); November to February (Elliott); late fall to midwinter (Beach).
Uses
Good for dessert but not for cooking (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)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Egg Top.
Eve. Sheep Nose. Round Top. Wine of some.
Fruit medium, elongated, oblong, conic oval, mostly overspread, and splashed and striped with shades of red. Flesh white, tender, moderately juicy, subacid. Scarcely good. November, December.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 2 (1905)EGG TOP.
REFERENCES. 1. Mag. Hort., 10:210. 1844. 2. Elliott, 1854:169. 3. Hooper, 1857:34. 4. Warder, 1867:717. 5. Downing, 1869:159. 6. Thomas, 1875:498.
SYNONYMS. Early June (3). EGG TOP (1, 2, 4, 5, 6). Eggtop (3). EVE APPLE (3). Eve (2, 5). Round Top (2, 5). Sheepnose (2, 5). Wine of some (2, 5).
Fruit similar in shape to Black Gilliflower but not so large, somewhat streaked and shaded with red, pleasant flavored but not high in quality; good for dessert but not for cooking. Tree large, moderately vigorous and a regular and abundant bearer. In season from late fall to midwinter.
Historical. An old variety of uncertain origin. A few trees of it are occasionally found in the oldest orchards but it is now nearly obsolete.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Egg Top. Eve, | Pound Top, Sheep Nose, of some, | Wine, of some, West. Foreign. Medium, oblong ovate, pale yellow, striped with red ; flesh, yellowish white, tender, inferior. November to February.