THE APPLES OF NEW YORK. 243 



thin, tender and easily bruised, therefore best handled in small 

 packages. It is in season during late August and early September. 

 Under favorable conditions the fruit becomes rather large, but with 

 very heavy crops it is apt to be rather small unless properly thinned. 

 The crop ripens unevenly, and more than one picking is required 

 to secure the fruit in prime condition. The tree being only mod- 

 erately vigorous, it is an advantage to topwork it upon some 

 thrifty hardy stock, such as Northern Spy, Rhode Island Greening, 

 or Tolman Sweet. When topworked in this way the Williams 

 becomes a rather vigorous grower, makes a tree of pretty good 

 size, comes into bearing early and in favorable locations, under 

 good treatment, is a reliable cropper, yielding good crops annually 

 or nearly anually. It can be recommended for commercial planting 

 where fruit of this type and season is desired. 



Historical. Williams originated in Roxbury, Mass., more than 150 years 

 ago. It was brought to the notice of the Massachusetts Horticultural So- 

 ciety in 1830 and then named Williams. It had previously been known in 

 market under the name Queen and Lady's Apple (5). It was entered in 

 the catalogue of the American Pomological Society in 1854 and is still 

 retained on that list (13). It has become widely disseminated and is still 

 often listed by nurserymen (21) but is nowhere being planted to any con- 

 siderable extent. 



TREE. 



Tree rather small and a slow grower but when topworked on vigorous 

 stock and properly tilled and fertilized it becomes rather large and vigorous. 

 Form upright spreading or roundish, somewhat dense. Twigs short, curved, 

 moderately stout, with large terminal buds; internodes short. Bark dark 

 brown tinged with green, lightly streaked with scarf-skin ; slightly pubes- 

 cent. Lenticels quite numerous, small to medium size, oblong, raised. Buds 

 medium size, broad, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent. 



FRUIT. 



Fruit medium or under favorable circumstances rather large, pretty 

 form in size and shape. Form oblong conic to roundish conic, broadly 

 ribbed ; sides often unequal. Stem medium to long, moderately thick. 

 Cavity obtuse, shallow, rather broad, furrowed, sometimes russeted. Calyx 

 above medium size, usually closed ; lobes long. Basin medium to rather 

 shallow, rather narrow to moderately broad, a little abrupt, somewhat 

 furrowed. 



Skin moderately thick, rather tender, nearly smooth, pale yellow overlaid 

 with bright deep red, indistinctly striped with dark red or crimson. Dots 

 numerous, inconspicuous, small, grayish or russet. 



