Oel Austin
Apple
Oel Austin
Group: Blue Pearmain
Quality: Fairly good
Origin and History
Received at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station from A. F. Clark of Raymondville, St. Lawrence County, in 1896. The original tree, 16 to 18 inches in diameter, was standing neglected in an old pasture at that time. Mr. Clark began propagating the variety around 1891 and believed it to be a seedling of Stone, a variety highly esteemed locally in St. Lawrence County. It is known locally as Austin.
Note: The variety Stone was initially misidentified by a leading pomologist as Bethel. Both Stone and Bethel belong to the Blue Pearmain group but are distinct varieties. The misidentification led to an erroneous early account stating Oel Austin was a seedling of Bethel.
Tree
Tree rather vigorous. Form upright, somewhat spreading, rather dense. Twigs medium to long, rather slender to moderately stout, nearly straight, somewhat pubescent; internodes short. Bark clear olive-green tinged with reddish-brown and mottled with gray scarf-skin. Lenticels rather numerous, small, scattering, round, raised but slightly if at all. Buds small, obtuse, appressed, pubescent.
The variety is noted for very good hardiness in St. Lawrence County and is described as a good, thrifty grower with potential for home orchards in sections of the state where superior hardiness is required.
Fruit
Size: Small to above medium.
Form: Broadly ovate to roundish conic, faintly ribbed, nearly regular, symmetrical, uniform.
Stem: Pubescent, medium to long, moderately slender.
Cavity: Small, acuminate, moderately shallow, narrow, sometimes russeted, symmetrical.
Calyx: Medium to small, open to nearly closed; lobes short, narrow, pubescent, converging and somewhat reflexed.
Basin: Moderately abrupt, shallow, narrow, slightly furrowed or wrinkled.
Skin: Thin, yellow nearly overspread with dull purplish-red and striped with purplish-carmine. Dots numerous, russet, sunken.
Core: Abaxile, medium to large; cells open; core lines meeting or, when the calyx tube is funnel-form, clasping the funnel cylinder. Calyx tube rather narrow, conical or approaching funnel-form. Stamens median.
Flesh and Flavor: Yellowish-white, sometimes tinged with red next the skin. Firm, fine-grained, crisp, juicy, mild subacid. Quality fair to good.
Season
In season from November to March or April.
Uses
Not described in source.
Subtypes and Variants
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 1 period pomological work
View original book sources (1)
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)OEL AUSTIN.
REFERENCES. 1. Heiges, U. S. Pom. Rpt., 1894:21. 2. N. Y. Sta. An. Rpt., 15:688. 1896.
SYNONYMS. OEL (1). Austin.
An attractive apple of the Blue Pearmain group, of fairly good quality. It varies in size from small to above medium. It is in season from November to March or April. It is said to be very hardy in St. Lawrence county and a good thrifty grower, and it may prove desirable for the home orchard in those sections of the state where superior hardiness is a prime requisite.
Historical. Received here from A. F. Clark, Raymondville, St. Lawrence county, in 1896. The original tree, 16 to 18 inches in diameter, was then standing neglected in an old pasture. Mr. Clark began to propagate the variety about 1891. He believes that it is a seedling of Stone,¹ a variety which is highly esteemed locally in St. Lawrence county. It is known locally as Austin.
TREE.
Tree rather vigorous. Form upright, somewhat spreading, rather dense. Twigs medium to long, rather slender to moderately stout, nearly straight, somewhat pubescent; internodes short. Bark clear olive-green tinged with reddish-brown and mottled with gray scarf-skin. Lenticels rather numerous, small, scattering, round, raised but slightly if at all. Buds small, obtuse, appressed, pubescent.
FRUIT.
Fruit small to above medium. Form broadly ovate to roundish conic, faintly ribbed, nearly regular, symmetrical, uniform. Stem pubescent, medium to long, moderately slender. Cavity small, acuminate, moderately shallow, narrow, sometimes russeted, symmetrical. Calyx medium to small, open to nearly closed; lobes short, narrow, pubescent, converging and somewhat reflexed. Basin moderately abrupt, shallow, narrow, slightly furrowed or wrinkled. Skin thin, yellow nearly overspread with dull, purplish-red and striped with purplish-carmine. Dots numerous, russet, sunken. Calyx tube rather narrow, conical or approaching funnel-form. Stamens median. Core abaxile, medium to large; cells open; core lines meeting or, when the calyx tube is funnel-form, clasping the funnel cylinder. Flesh yellowish-white sometimes tinged with red next the skin, firm, fine-grained, crisp, juicy, mild subacid, fair to good.
¹Stone was erroneously identified by a leading pomologist for Mr. Clark as Bethel, and for this reason in the account given by Heiges (1) it is erroneously stated that Oel Austin is a seedling of Bethel. Both Stone and Bethel belong in the Blue Pearmain group, but they are quite distinct varieties. For a comparison of the two the reader is referred to Stone.