8 



The Apples of New York. 



The fruit from tlie seedling trees would now be called " natural " 

 or " seedling " fruit in distinction from grafted fruit ; in the early 

 days, however, and even within the last half century, the fruit of 

 these seedling apples was also called " common " fruit, a designation 

 which might have arisen because of the abundance of such trees at 

 that time. Such apples were then used chiefly for feeding to stock 

 and for cider-making, being on that account often called cider apples. 

 The surplus, if there were any, was usually allowed to rot because 

 there was no profitable way of disposing of it. 



i'li;. 2a. '1 HE Old Tree Stands as a RE>tTXDEK of the Days of the Stage- 



COACH AND THE ParING-BeE. 



In many parts of Xew York, especially in the eastern two-thirds 

 of the state, there are still seen portions of the primitive seedling- 

 orchards varying in age from fifty to one hundred vears, or possibly 

 more. The old trees, having outlived their companions, stand as 

 silent reminders of the days of the stage-coach, the hand-loom, the 

 spinning-wheel, and the paring-bee, and of the time when the farmer 

 generally considered his winter supplies incomplete unless there 

 were several barrels of cider stored in the cellar. 



