Chapter 54
Basin regular, narrow, not deep, leather-cracked; Eye medium, long, open; Segments short.
Cavity acute, not deep, brown; Stem short to medium.
Core oval, regular, not meeting the eye, somewhat open; Seeds numerous, large and imperfect, brown; Flesh yellow, tender, fine-grained, juicy; Flavor very sweet, rich, slightly perfumed; Quality very good to best; Use, baking, market and stock; Season November to January. Keeps well.
=Milam.=
BLAIR.--(Rarely.)
[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 146.--MILAM.]
This is another little southern favorite, to be found by almost every cabin in parts of the West. Whole orchards have been planted with sprouts from the mother trees, among the people to whom the art of grafting was an unheard of mystery. Now distributed by nurserymen all over the country.
Tree moderately vigorous, round-headed, twiggy; shoots reddish; foliage rather dark. Annually productive and an early bearer.
Fruit small to medium, conical, regular; Surface smooth, yellow, covered with marbled red, indistinct stripes; Dots small, gray, scattered, prominent.
Basin narrow, wavy, leather-cracked; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity regular, acute, brown; Stem long.
Core ovate, covering the eye, closed; Seeds numerous, some imperfect; Flesh white, tender, crisp, juicy; Flavor mild sub-acid or sweet, agreeable and refres.h.i.+ng, but without any decided character; Quality good; Use, dessert, in cooking it lacks flavor; Season, December, January.
CLa.s.s II.--CONICAL APPLES.
+ORDER I.--REGULAR.+
SECTION 1.--SWEET.
SUB-SECTION 3.--RUSSET.
=Pumpkin Sweet.=
SWEET RUSSET, of Ohio.
Fruit was exhibited at the Ohio
Fruit large, regular, roundish, conical; Surface dull green, covered with a rough coat of russet.
Basin medium, regular; Eye medium, closed.
Cavity deep, narrow, regular; Stem long, slender.
Core medium, regular; Seeds numerous, small, plump; Flesh spongy, light; Flavor sweet; Quality scarcely good; Use, baking, stock; Season, autumn.
This apple has never commended itself very highly to my notice in the limited opportunities I have had for its examination, but it is esteemed in some parts of the country for baking and for stock-feeding.
CLa.s.s II.--CONICAL APPLES.
+ORDER I.--REGULAR.+
SECTION 2.--SOUR.
SUB-SECTION 1.--SELF-COLORED.
=August Tart.=
[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 147.--AUGUST TART.]
Origin unknown. Specimens procured from Marietta, Ohio.
Fruit medium to large, regular, conical, truncated; Surface smooth, yellow-green; Dots numerous, large, yellow.
Basin medium, wavy or folded; Eye medium or small, closed.
Cavity wide, regular, brown; Stem long, slender.
Core medium, regular, closed, clasping; Seeds numerous, pointed; Flesh greenish-yellow, breaking; Flavor acid; Quality poor, except for cooking; Season August.
=Democrat.=
Origin unknown. Specimens obtained from George Powers, of Perrysburgh, Ohio.
Fruit medium, handsome, roundish-conic, regular; Surface yellow, blushed scarlet; Dots minute, indented.
Basin shallow, regular; Eye small, closed.
Cavity rather deep, very acute; Stem medium to short, slender.
Core heart-shaped, rather open, meeting the eye; Seeds large; Flesh yellow, breaking, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic, rich; Quality good to very good; Use dessert; Season October to December.
=Holland Pippin.=
[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 148.--HOLLAND PIPPIN.]
There is a strange confusion existing in some of the books, by which this fruit has been a.s.sociated with the Fall Pippin. The Holland, as grown in Western New York, and through the West, as derived from the former State, is entirely different; and as that is extensively known, its description is here given, that it may be compared with the other, which belongs to a different cla.s.s.