DISCUSSION OF VARIETIES. 



417 



of the Spy. It ought to be planted very largely, and no orchard 

 should be without it. 



Mr. Gir.BERT. I have only one tree which has borne passably 

 well. I have some very handsome trees, a dozen years planted or 

 more, that came into my possession by having bought the land 

 they grow on. They are what are called New York trees, that is, 

 "root-grafted trees," and I am Waiting with what patience I can 

 for them to produce fruit. 



Black Oxford. Col. Swett. This apple originated in Oxford 

 county, and has been grown there considerably. It- needs high 

 culture to come to good size. The fruit lacks character. The 

 leaves fall early. The limbs are slender and liable to break. It is 

 less cultivated than it was some years ago. » 



Sec. Goodale. I could never understand how that apple attained 

 so high esteem as it had at one time, for although very productive 

 and good looking, and remarkable for keeping very late, it' never 

 became mellow, but began to rot upon the outside while all the 

 rest was hard. This was the case even in June and July. 



Mr. Gilbert. It was grafted extensively in Androscoggin 

 county for a number of years, but is becoming unpopular. It is a 

 great bearer, and very liable to - overbear. I have some trees 

 which present a splendid appearance, fully laden with handsome 

 fruit. It is not good for cooking, and a late keeping apple should 

 cook well, besides eating well. The fault spoken of by Mr. 

 Goodale always attaches to it 



Jonathan. Sec Goodale. This I consider one of the finest 

 winter apples we have for home use. It is not large enough to 

 be very popular as a market fruit, but few orchardists who know 

 it would be without it for home consumption, and it would be 

 easy to sell it as soon as its quality was known. The specimens 

 shown by me are under the size they would attain in a good apple 

 soil. Those shown by Mr Copp are about as large as you can ex- 

 pect, being nearly of medium size. In a note he says, " This is a 

 late keeper, of very fine quality, a great bearer and retains its 

 freshness of flavor until late in spring; rather small for market." 

 I will add that young trees grow rather slowly, and the growth at 

 first is slender but makes a good tree in time. Does best grafted 

 in limbs. Its flavor resembles that of the Esopus Spitzenburg — 

 which is praise enough. It originated at Kingston, N. Y., prob- 

 ably from a # seed of Spitzenburg; was introduced to notice bv 

 Judge Buel of Albany. 

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