140 



IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



slightly fibrous, quality poor, texture very firm, core small, 

 seed large, short and plump, season midwinter or later. 



This crab originated in Mercer county, 111., and was intro- 

 duced by N. K. Fluke, of Davenport, Iowa. 



W. H. Guilford, Dubuque, Iowa, in the Iowa State Horti- 

 cultural Report for 1898, page 231, says of the fruit: " I can 

 also speak favorably of the Mercer county crab. It will run 

 about as large as Pameuse. It is delightfully fragrant, with 

 quince flavor; keeps all winter; in bloom it has all the loveliness 

 and fragranee of the wild crab; it is a fine, erect growing tree. 

 When better known it will be largely planted, both for use and 

 ornament. ' ' 



KENTUCKY MAMMOTH CRAB. 



Mathew^s Crab. 



Leaves two and one-fourth inches by one and one-half inches; 

 three-fourths inches by three-fourths 

 inches. Orbicular or broadly oval in 

 shape, apex mucronate; base rounded, 

 margin varying from entire at the base to 

 finely serrate toward the apex. Upper 

 surface smooth, dark green or shiny, the 

 lower lighter and sparsely tomentose. The 

 pedicel one-fourth inch to one inch in 

 length, slender and tomentose. 



The flowers are produced in cymes, four 

 or five in a cluster, rose pink in color, one 

 inch in diameter; the petals inserted rather 

 remote from each other and slightly cren- 

 ulate. The calyx is densely tomentose, 

 the peduncle slender, tomentose, one inch 

 long. In fruit, however, the peduncle 

 elongates, varying from one to two inches. 

 The twigs are essentially smooth and gray- 

 ish-brown in color. 



Fruit. — Size, medium to small; form, 

 roundish, sometimes oblate; color, yellow- 

 ish-green; skin, thick dotted with russet 

 spots; cavity, narrow, regular; stem, three- 

 fourths inch to one inch; basin, moderately 

 deep, slightly wrinkled; calyx, prominent, 

 closed; flesh, firm, crisp, sharp acid; quality, 

 ^mot"h.^'' '°^°'* fair; season, later winter. 



Fig. 11 



