THE FRUIT 61 



the proper stage of maturity, and as immaturity passes imper- 

 ceptibly into maturity to be followed more or less quickly by 

 decay, each condition affecting- the flesh, it is not surprising that 

 differences in opinion arise in judging the flesh characters of 

 fruits. Flavor, texture, aroma, and color of flesh should be 

 described when the fruit is at best for eating or cooking, as the 

 case may be. 



The color is first noted in studying the flesh. It may be 

 white, as in Mcintosh and Fameuse ; tinged ivith yellow, as in 

 Baldwin; greenish-white, as in Stark; or streaked or tinged with 

 red, as in Wealthy. Pears have the same colors of flesh as the 

 apple with the addition of a light salmon never found in the 

 latter. In both the apple and pear an occasional variety occurs 

 with red flesh, although in neither fruit are there standard varie- 

 ties with flesh so colored. The flesh of the quince is yellow or 

 orange, often turning to light red when cooked. The texture is 

 determined as one cuts the fruit, by pressing wdth the fingers 

 and by eating. The texture may be coarse or fine; tender or 

 tough; crisp, breaking, melting, or in the pear buttery. The 

 flesh in some pomes is jwicy, in others comparatively dry, and 

 in some mealy, an undesirable character. In many pears the 

 flesh is granular, or gritty about the core and just under the 

 skin; sometimes granular nodules are found in the flesh but 

 usually as abnormalities. The flesh of some pears is stringy. 

 Flavor stands out so prominently as a character of the flesh 

 that it is given a separate topic. 



95. Flavor, aroma, and quality. — Apples and pears are at 

 once divided into two classes as to flavor; they are either siveet 

 or sowr. These divisions are so marked and so important that 

 they are usually the starting point in schemes of classification for 

 the apple ; they are less significant in the pear and still less 

 so in the quince. The description of flavor centers about sweet- 

 ness and sourness, the degrees between being indicated by sepa- 

 rate w^ords or by modifying terms: thus a fruit may be sowr, 

 subacid, mild subacid, sweetish or sweet. Mildly, sprightly, 

 pleasantly and very are the most frequent modifiers of these 

 flavors. Pears and quinces are often more or less astringent. 

 When a fruit is sour with more or less astringency, it is said to 

 be austere. Rich and refreshing are often expressive words in 



