American Pomology Part 81

Origin unknown. Procured from Mr. C.C. Cary, near Louisville, Kentucky.

Fruit large, globular, flattened, somewhat one-sided; Surface uneven, green; Dots minute, russety and russet streaks.

Basin medium, uneven; Eye small, closed.

Cavity acute, wavy, russeted; Stem medium, green.

Core medium, heart-shaped, closed, clasping; Seeds numerous, plump and angular, some imperfect; Flesh yellow, firm, breaking, juicy; Flavor acid; Quality good; Use, kitchen; Season, December, January.

=Golden Pearmain.=--[Of Kentucky.]

This is another very promising Southern variety, received from J.S.

Downer, of Kentucky; Origin unknown; he procured it from Tennessee.

Tree vigorous, but tardy and shy in bearing; Shoots stout, dark; Foliage medium.

Fruit small to medium, globular, rather conical, truncated, lop-sided; Surface yellow, blushed and russeted.

Basin abrupt, wide, regular; Eye large, open.

Cavity acute, regular; Stem short to medium, slender.

Core somewhat open, meeting the eye; Seeds plump and imperfect; Flesh yellow, breaking, fine-grained; Flavor acid, aromatic, sprightly; Quality very good, almost best; Use, dessert; Season, December, February.--See _Columbian Russet_.

=Green Russet.=--[N.C.]

Specimens from Reuben Ragan.

Fruit quite large, globular, slightly oblate, regular; Surface yellow, blushed dull red; Dots green, indented, russet veined.

Basin medium, regular; Eye medium, open.

Cavity deep, acute, regular, brown; Stem medium, thick.

Core regular, wide, closed, clasping; Axis short; Seeds numerous, plump, dark; Flesh yellowish white, breaking, granular; Flavor sub-acid; Quality only good, for culinary use; Season, December, January.

=Hampton's Russet.=

Fruit small, globular-truncate, to flat; Surface yellow russet, bronzed, broken russet stripes; Dots scattered, large, yellow.

Basin wide, regular; Eye large, open, green.

Cavity medium, regular, brown; Stem long, inclined.

Core medium, round, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, pointed, brown; Flesh yellow, tender, breaking, fine-grained; Flavor sub-acid, rich; Quality good; Use, table; Season, December.

=Knox Russet.=

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 241.--KNOX RUSSET.]

A very nice little apple, found in the orchard of J. Knox, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; trees obtained from near Greensburgh, Pennsylvania. Tree spreading, very productive; Shoots slender.

Fruit small to medium, globular, somewhat conic, regular; Surface smooth, yellow green, blushed, covered with light russet.

Basin shallow, regular; Eye medium, open; Segments reflexed.

Cavity deep, acute, regular; Stem long, red.

Core round, regular, slightly open, clasping the eye; Seeds numerous, short, plump; Flesh yellow, very fine-grained; Flavor mild sub-acid, aromatic; Quality good to very good; Use, dessert; Season, December, January.

=Pryor's Red.=

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 242.--PRYOR'S RED.]

This southern apple, probably from Virginia, has been carried through all the Western States, where it is a great favorite, though there are some objectors, on account of its having shown signs of failure in certain situations. The fruit is singularly affected by change of soil and climate; thus, on the Ohio River, it is seen quite flat and regular, with a dull green russeted skin, becoming yellow and ruddy; in one part of the State of Indiana, on limestone, it is gibbous, round, often very large, and covered with a rich cinnamon russet, while on the coal measures, west of the center of the State, it is smaller, regular, and distinctly striped deep red on red, with very little russet. Specimens from Rochester, New York, have been shown with scarcely a trace of russet, and having the stripes as distinct and almost as beautiful as those of a _d.u.c.h.ess of Oldenburgh_, so that no southern or western man would have recognized it for his home favorite. The distinctive _leather-cracking_ about the eye was present, however, in all.

Tree thrifty, growth upright, twiggy, attaining large size, productive when old; Shoots slender, reddish olive, speckled; Foliage scattering, folded, grayish green; Subject to leaf-blight.

Fruit large, globular-oblate, often unequal; Surface greenish, or dull red, striped, russeted; Dots numerous, large, gray.

Basin shallow, regular or plaited, leather-cracked; Eye small, closed.

Cavity shallow, acute, often lipped; Stem medium.

Core round, regular, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, angular, pointed; Flesh yellow, tender, melting, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, rich; Quality best; Use, table, kitchen; Season, December, February.

=Red Russet.=

Origin Hampton Falls, New Hamps.h.i.+re.

Tree very vigorous and productive; resembling Baldwin in almost every particular.

"Fruit large, roundish, conic; Skin yellow, shaded with dull red and deep carmine in the sun, and thickly covered with gray dots, and an appearance of rough russet on most of the surface; Stalk rather short and thick, inserted in a medium cavity, surrounded with thin russet; Calyx nearly closed; Segments long, recurved, in a narrow, uneven basin; Flesh yellow, solid, crisp, tender, with an excellent, rich, sub-acid flavor, somewhat resembling _Baldwin_; Season, January to April."--Downing.

This fruit is rarely seen in the West. It has been thought by some to have originated as a sport from the Baldwin.

=Rolen's Keeper.=

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 243.--ROLEN'S KEEPER.]

Received from H.N. Gillett, Lawrence County, Ohio. Origin not given.