THE APPLES OF NEW YORK. 207 



TREE. 



Tree a moderate grower. Form upright. Twigs very short to below 

 medium in length, very slender to medium in thickness, sometimes somewhat 

 bowed and geniculate ; internodes long or in the more slender limbs very long. 

 Bark dull brownish-red with an undertone of olive-green in some specimens, 

 uniformly overlaid with a thick scarf-skin, slightly pubescent. Lenticels incon- 

 spicuous, only moderately numerous, medium, the larger ones roundish ellip- 

 tical, the smaller, narrow. Buds medium in size, moderately projecting, rather 

 fleshy, acute, not pubescent, slightly adhering to bark or free. 



FRUIT. 



Fruit large to very large. Form oblate to oblate conic, pretty regular or 

 somewhat ribbed; sides often unequal. Stem very short. Cavity acute, 

 shallow to rather deep, moderately broad and marked with outspreading 

 patches and flecks of russet. Calyx medium, closed or partly open ; lobes 

 long and reflexed. Basin somewhat abrupt, rather narrow, moderately deep, 

 often irregular. 



Skin pale yellow with faint blush on the exposed side. Dots scattering, 

 light brown. 



Calyx tube rather narrow, funnel-form, extending to the core. Stamens 

 basal." 



Core small, axile ; cells symmetrical, closed ; core lines clasping the funnel 

 cylinder. 



Flesh white, coarse-grained, moderately juicy, subacid, fair in flavor and 

 quality. 



Season October to January ; under favorable conditions some portion of 

 the fruit may be kept till spring. 



MERRILL. 



REFERENCE, i. Downing, 1869:273. 



SYNONYMS. MERRILL'S (i). Merrill's Apple (i). 



Originated in Smyrna, Chenango county, N. Y. A medium sized, yellow 

 apple with bright red cheek ; flesh subacid, spicy, good ; season December to 

 March (i). This appears to be unknown outside of the place of its origin. 



MIDDLE. 



REFERENCES, i. Downing, 1857:172. 2. Warder, 1867:507. fig. 



SYNONYM. Mittle (i). 



This fruit belongs in the same group as the Green Newtown 

 and White Pippin but is less attractive than either. It is at 

 first green and hard, but later in the season becomes crisp and 

 rather tender. It is valued locally because it is an excellent 

 dessert apple and a good keeper. The tree is an upright grower 

 and sometimes bears heavy crops. 



