THE SECKETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 319 



middle of December, it was a family favorite. Its great beauty first gratifies 

 the eye. It is medium in size, nearly round, with a deep, rich crimson hue, 

 covered with a slight bloom, on the sunny side, and a bright red on the shady 

 side. When you cut into it, you found it almost as handsome on the inside; 

 a flesh fine-grained and almost as Avhite as snow. And when you tasted it yon 

 were not disappointed ; a soft, brittle, juicy pulp, slightly acid, and of a delicate, 

 delicious flavor. You could eat more of them without any unpleasant sensation 

 iu the stomach than of any other apple with which we arc acquainted, so light 

 and easy of digestion is its pulp. If carefully assorted and barreled tight, they 

 would keep in good condition until the holidays, but if put in open bins would 

 become tough and spongy before the first of December, and when they reached 

 that condition their excellence was gone. 



But with all these excellencies he regrets that the variety has one serious fault ; 

 the fruit is subject to an attack from black fungus, which oftentimes is fatal 

 to the entire crop. We have an ajiple in Michigan that certainly would be 

 perfection in his eye (and mouth), for it has every good quality of the Snow, 

 and is not troubled with fungoid attacks, and is a better keeper than the Snow. 

 This is the Shiawassee Beauty, and Michigan may well bo proud of originating 

 the variety. 



THE MELON APPLE. 



Mr. W. C. Barry is an enthusiastic admirer of the Melon apple, and from a 

 report upon new and choice fruits made by him wc condense some items 

 concerning this fruit: 



It originated in the orchard of Mr. Chapin of East Bloomfield, and for some 

 time its cultivation was confined to the orchards in that vicinity. Mr. Keuben 

 Norton of East Bloomfield, first brought it to the notice of Ellwanger & Barry, 

 and recommended it by saying, of all the apples he grew (and he had a fine 

 collection), this was always the first to be consumed by his family and friends. 

 The attention of the public was first drawn to it by Ellwanger & Barry, through 

 the Albany Cultivator. As the tree is rather a delicate grower, nurserymen 

 cannot propagate it advantageously, and on this account the stock has always 

 been very limited. The only way to obtain good, standard trees is to top-graft 

 it on some strong-growing sorts, which of course render the trees more 

 expensive ; but the apple is so valuable that no one should object to pay an 

 extra price for the tree. 



The fruit may be described briefly, as follows : Size, medium to large ; form 

 round, slightly flattened at the ends; skin, pale whitish-yellow in the shade 

 nearly covered with light red, and frequently striped with carmine; flesh white, 

 exceedingly tender, juicy, melting, agreeably perfumed, and having a mild 

 sub-acid flavor. As a dessert apple it has no superior, if any equal. The fruit 

 however, is so tender that it will not bear much handling or long carriage, and 

 the tree is not vigorous enough to render it a jorofitable variety for orchard 

 culture. But it is such a desirable fruit for family use that it ought to be 

 included in every garden collection. 



The public are beginning to appreciate choice fruits, and orchardists will 

 find it profitable to top-graft this kind upon a vigorous growing variety. I am 

 certain it will sell readily at a good price as soon as its merits are known. Is it 

 not surprising that a fruit possessing so many good qualiites should be so rarely 



