American Pomology Part 25

2. The breadth rarely exceeds the hight by a quarter of an inch.

3. The fruit, cut transversely, exhibits almost or quite two equal halves.

DOCHNAHL'S CLa.s.sIFICATION.

=SECTION I.--PLEUROIDEA.=--ANGULAR OR RIBBED.

Having sharp or flat ribs, which extend over the length of the fruit and are most prominent around the eye, where they are most generally situated.

CLa.s.s I.--MALA CYDONARIA--QUINCE-SHAPED.

+ORDER I.--CALVILLES.+

1. They have large heart-shaped cells, open towards the axis, or often entirely torn; the cells extend very often from the stalk even to the tube of the calyx.

2. They diminish from about the middle of the fruit, or a little above it, towards the eye.

3. They are regular, and provided generally with fine ribs, which do not disfigure the fruit.

4. On the tree, the fruit is covered with bloom.

5. They are never distinctly striped.

6. Their flesh is soft, loose, fine and light, of a balsamic flavor, similar to that of strawberries or raspberries.

7. The eye is frequently closed.

8. Many of them acquire by keeping an oily or unctuous skin.

GROUP I.--Fruit red, almost entirely covered with red.

GROUP II.--Fruit parti-colored; yellow; very much striped or washed with red.

GROUP III.--Fruit yellow; of a whitish, greenish, or golden yellow.

+ORDER II.--PSEUDO-CALVILLES.+

1. The cells are almost the same as the true Calvilles--very large and open.

2. The calycinal tube is wide and generally very short.

3. They are slightly narrowed toward the eye, and flattened toward the stalk.

4. Their ribs are very prominent, especially around the eye.

5. They are aromatic, and have not the balsamic flavor of the true Calvilles.

6. Their flesh is fine, opaque, a little succulent, and almost equal to the Reinettes.

GROUPS I., II., III., as above.

CLa.s.s II.--MALA PYRARIA--PEAR-SHAPED.

Their flavor is neither balsamic nor aromatic; they are purely sweet or acid; their flesh is granulous and loose.

+ORDER I.--TREMARIA--SEEDS LOOSE.+

1. They are almost always large apples, the skin of which is neither unctuous nor covered with bloom.

2. They are also furnished with ribs; but they are not so regular as in the Calvilles.

3. The cells are very large, irregular, widened, and generally open.

4. The calycinal tube is most generally widely conical, and does not extend to the cells.

5. They are of a flattened, conical, cylindrical or pointed shape.

6. Their flesh is loose, more often a little coa.r.s.e, and of a slightly balsamic flavor.

7. The leaves of these trees are very large, rather deeply dentated, and less downy than those of the Calvilles.

GROUP I.--_Unicolores_--Green, greenish, yellow, or golden yellow, and slightly tinged with red.

GROUP II.--_Bicolores_--Yellow or green, and distinctly striped or washed with red.

+ORDER II.--RAMBURES.+

1. They are all very large.

2. They have almost always the two halves unequal.

3. They are constantly broader than high, and appear sometimes higher than they are.

4. They are not furnished with ribs, except around the eye; these are often irregular in numbers, and frequently form broad projections on the fruit.

5. They do not decay, but shrivel when they have pa.s.sed maturity.

6. The flesh is coa.r.s.ely granulous, rarely aromatic, nevertheless often very agreeable.

GROUP I.--_Capsulis amplis_--Wide cells.

GROUP II.--_Capsulis angustis_--Narrow cells.