American Pomology Part 26

SECTION II.--SPHaeROIDae--SPHERICAL.

They have sometimes prominences on the fruit and around the eye, but never true ribs.

CLa.s.s III.--MALA MESPILARIA--MEDLAR SHAPED.

Their flavor is sweet, aromatic, similar to that of the Rose, fennel or anise.

+ORDER I.--APIANA, OR ROSE APPLES.+

Their flesh is soft, loose, marrowy, very fine grain, and of a snow white color.

2. The cells are almost always regular and closed.

3. They are regularly ribbed around the eye, and often also over the fruit, but sometimes not at all ribbed.

4. They have a balsamic flavor, accompanied with a very agreeable odor.

5. They emit a pleasant odor when briskly rubbed.

6. When on the tree they are frequently covered with a blue bloom, and striped like a Tulip.

7. The fruit is mostly small, or middle sized.

8. They are mostly of short duration, and lose their good flavor the same year.

GROUP I.--_Oblongi_--Oblong fruit.

GROUP II.--_Sphaerici_--Round or flattened.

+ORDER II.--REINETTA--REINETTES.+

1. These are apples which generally have the most regular and handsome shape, having the bulge in the middle, at the same distance from the eye as from the stalk.

2. All are dotted, clouded, or entirely covered with russet.

3. They are very rarely inclined to be unctuous, but generally rough when handled.

4. They all decay very readily; (they must therefore be left as long as possible on the tree.)

5. Their flesh is fine grained, crisp, firm, or fine and delicate.

6. They are all charged with only a balsamic, sugary acid, which is called Reinette-flavored.

GROUP I.--_Unicolores._--1. Having uniform green ground color, which changes to the most beautiful golden yellow.

2. Having no lively colors or marks of russet on the side next the sun, except those that are very much exposed, and are slightly tinged with red.

3. Having no covering of russet, but only slight traces of russety stripes.

GROUP II.--_Rubri_--Fruit red; having all the properties of the self-colored Reinettes; but on the side next the sun they are of a red color, with a mixture of russet.

GROUP III.--_Ravi_--Russeted.

1. Their ground color is green, changing to dingy, dull yellow.

2. The coatings of russet are very conspicuous.

3. The side next the sun is often dingy, brownish, or ochreous red.

4. They all decay very readily.

GROUP IV.--_Aurei_--Yellow or golden fruit, Golden Reinettes.

1. On the side next the sun they are washed or striped with beautiful crimson.

2. The ground color changes, by keeping, to beautiful deep yellow.

3. Over the crimson there is a light thin trace, or a complete covering of russet.

CLa.s.s IV.--MALA MALARIA--PERFECT OR PURE APPLE-SHAPED.

They are of a perfectly sweet or vinous flavor, approaching to pure acid.

+ORDER I.--STRIOLA, OR STRIPED.+

1. They are almost always marked with broken stripes of red.

2. These are either over the whole fruit, or only indistinctly on the side exposed to the sun.

3. The stripes may all be distinct--that is, clearly and finely striped; or between these stripes, on the side next the sun, the fruit is dotted, shaded or washed with red; but on the shaded side the stripes are well defined.

4. The cells are regular.

5. The fruit does not decay, except when gathered before maturity, or after the period when it has been properly ripened.

GROUP I.--_Depressa_--Flat.

1. They have the bulge at the same distance from the eye as from the stalk, and are broadly flattened.

2. They are always half an inch broader than high.

GROUP II.--_Ac.u.minati_--Pointed.

1. They are broader than high.

2. They diminish from the middle of the apple toward the eye, so that the superior half is conical, and is not at all similar to the inferior half.