Eustis
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin & History
Origin, South Reading, Essex County, Massachusetts. Downing gives the locality as South Reading; Thomas as Essex County, Mass.; Elliott as simply Massachusetts — all consistent, as South Reading (now Wakefield) is in Essex County.
Tree
Moderate grower, a good bearer (Downing). Not described in other sources.
Fruit
Size: Rather large (Downing, Thomas). Medium to large (Elliott).
Form: Roundish oblate, slightly conic (Downing). Roundish, slightly flattened (Elliott). Roundish, very slightly ovate (Thomas).
Stem: Downing describes the stalk as medium, inserted in a deep cavity surrounded by russet. Elliott describes the stem as slender, inclined to one side, with a deep, open cavity. Thomas describes the stalk as very short, with no cavity detail beyond the basin.
Cavity: Deep, surrounded by russet (Downing). Deep, open (Elliott).
Calyx: Partially open (Downing). Closed (Elliott).
Basin: Narrow, rather deep (Downing, Thomas). Open (Elliott).
Skin: Yellow, striped and shaded with fine red, and sprinkled with greenish dots (Downing). Red and yellow striped or splashed (Elliott). Striped and dotted with light rich red on rich yellow (Thomas).
Flesh & Flavor: Yellowish, firm, crisp, mild subacid; rated Very Good (Downing). Yellowish, crisp, tender, aromatic, sub-acid (Elliott). Yellowish, rich, sub-acid, fine (Thomas).
Core: Small (Elliott). Not described in other sources.
Seeds: Ovate, angular (Elliott). Not described in other sources.
Season
November to January (Downing). December to January (Elliott).
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes & Variants
Not described in source.
Other
The Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (Lowther, 1914) lists Eustis in a variety-characteristic table only:
Description absent; variety present in variety-characteristic table.
Eustis. M | rob | rs | VG | f | W
Book Sources
Described in 4 period pomological works
View original book sources (4)
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Eustis.
Ben Apple.
Origin, South Reading, Mass. Moderate grower, a good bearer. Fruit rather large, roundish oblate, slightly conic, yellow, striped and shaded with fine red, and sprinkled with greenish dots. Stalk medium, inserted in a deep cavity, surrounded by russet. Calyx partially open. Basin narrow, rather deep. Flesh yellowish, firm, crisp, mild subacid. Very good. November to January.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Eustis. M | rob | rs | VG | f | W
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)EUSTIS. Ben. Native, Mass. Fruit, medium to large, roundish, slightly flattened; red and yellow striped or splashed; stem, slender, inclined to one side; cavity, deep, open; calyx, closed; basin, open; core small; seeds, ovate angular; flesh, yellowish, crisp, tender, aromatic, sub-acid. December to January.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Eustis. (Ben.) Rather large, roundish, very slightly ovate; striped and dotted with light rich red on rich yellow; stalk very short; basin narrow, rather deep; flesh yellowish, rich, sub-acid, fine. Origin, Essex County, Mass.