Meister

Apple

Meister

Origin/History

From Berks County, Pennsylvania. Elliott's account cites the source as "(Int. Rep.)," suggesting the description was drawn from an Indiana (or similar regional) horticultural report.

Tree

Not described in source.

Fruit

Size: Below medium.

Form: Roundish conical.

Stem: Nearly half an inch long. (Elliott)

Cavity: Wide, moderately deep. (Elliott)

Calyx: Small, closed. (Elliott)

Basin: Narrow, shallow. (Elliott)

Skin: Greenish yellow, striped with red, with numerous white spots and russet dots.

Flesh/Flavor: Flesh tender. Flavor described as sprightly and pleasant (Elliott); pleasant subacid (Downing). The two sources agree on tenderness and pleasantness but differ slightly in characterization — Elliott's "sprightly" suggests a livelier acidity, while Downing notes subacid explicitly.

Quality: Downing rates it Good; Elliott rates it "very good."

Season

October.

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)

Meister. From Berks Co., Pa. Size below medium, roundish conical, greenish yellow, striped with red, with numerous white spots, and russet dots. Flesh tender, pleasant subacid. Good. October.

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

Meister.

From Berks Co., Pa. Size, below medium ; roundish conical : skin, greenish yellow, striped with red, with numerous white spots, and russet dots : stem, nearly half an inch long, inserted in a wide, moderately deep cavity : calyx, small, closed, set in a narrow, shallow basin ; flesh, tender ; flavor sprightly and pleasant : quality, "very good." October. (Int. Rep.)

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