American Pomology Part 58

Tree vigorous, thrifty, spreading, productive.

Fruit medium, roundish-conic; Surface smooth dull red, mixed and striped on yellow, in the North clear bright red; Dots scattered, large, yellow; leather-cracked and russeted about the apex.

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

Cavity pointed, regular, brown; Stem long.

Core medium, regular, closed, meeting and clasping the eye; Seeds numerous, small, pointed; Flesh yellowish-white, tender, breaking; Flavor very mild sub-acid, aromatic, satisfying, not high flavored nor spicy; Quality only good in my estimation; Use, table and market; Season, December.

CLa.s.s II.--CONICAL APPLES.

+ORDER I.--REGULAR.+

SECTION 2.--SOUR.

SUB-SECTION 3.--RUSSET.

=American Golden Russet.=

BULLOCK'S PIPPIN, ETC.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 159.--AMERICAN GOLDEN RUSSET.]

This delicious table apple is a universal favorite with all who can appreciate delicacy of flavor and fineness of flesh in an apple, and yet it is not a profitable variety for orchard planting, because the fruit is very apt to be imperfect. The best I have seen were from the South, and sandstone soils.

Tree vigorous, upright, round-headed, small; Foliage large, healthy.

Fruit small to medium, round-conic, regular when perfect; Surface smooth, yellow, covered with thin russet, sometimes faintly blushed; Dots minute.

Basin shallow, regular; Eye small, closed.

Cavity acute, regular; Stem long, slender.

Core medium, closed, meeting the eye; Seeds numerous, pointed; Flesh yellowish, very fine grained, tender, when fully ripe almost melting, like a pear, juicy, becoming dry when over ripe; Flavor sub-acid, rich, aromatic; Quality very best; Use, dessert; Season, November and December.

=Cheesborough.=

This is one of the largest and one of the poorest of the Russet apples, and unworthy of cultivation; on that account put upon record to be avoided.

Fruit large and fair, conical, regular; Surface dull green, overspread with thin russet, or more southward.

Basin irregular, green; Eye large, closed.

Cavity pointed, regular; Stem short.

Core large, closed, clasping; Seeds long, pointed, angular; Flesh green, breaking, coa.r.s.e, often dry; Flavor acid or sub-acid, not rich; Quality poor; Use, kitchen only; Season, November and December.

=Egyptian Russet.=

BAGBY RUSSET.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 160.--EGYPTIAN RUSSET.]

This capital dessert fruit was found in Southern Illinois and introduced to his fellow pomologists of the State Society by Jno. M.

Hunter, nurseryman, of Ashley. Its origin is unknown, but supposed, like the pioneers of the region, to have come from Tennessee, or some other Southern State.

Tree symmetrical, moderately vigorous, productive; Twigs slender.

Fruit medium, regular, conical, truncated; Surface smooth, light yellow, covered with fine russet, obscurely striped gray.

Basin wide, wavy, plaited, green; Eye medium to large, open.

Cavity acute, wavy; Stem medium.

Core irregular, closed, scarcely meeting the eye; Seeds large, plump; Flesh very tender, fine grained, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic, rich, pear-like; Quality _very best_; Use, dessert; Season, December and January, until March. Like other russets disposed to wilt if too much exposed to the air.

=Poughkeepsie Russet.=

ENGLISH RUSSET.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 161.--POUGHKEEPSIE RUSSET.]

Origin New York; Tree tender, vigorous, upright, productive; Shoots brown, slender; Foliage healthy.

Fruit medium, conical or globular-conical, regular; Surface smooth, almost polished, dull yellowish-green, often bronzed near the base, more or less covered with fine russet.

Basin shallow, regular; Eye large, closed.

Cavity pointed, wavy; Stem long.

Core closed, not meeting the eye; Seeds imperfect; Flesh greenish, firm, inclined to be tough; Flavor acid, poor; Quality third rate; Use, market and cooking only, and valued because it keeps soundly for a long time; Season, December until June.

=Ross' Nonpareil.=

SPICE RUSSET? OF OHIO.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 162.--ROSS' NONPAREIL.]

The delicious fruit about to be described is believed to be the celebrated Irish apple mentioned by Thompson, Lindley, and others; if not, we have found another choice fruit, which deserves to be better known. It is frequently found at the exhibitions in Ohio and Indiana.

Often shown as _Spice Russet_, flatter and irregular: _Vide conspectus._