42 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



February, 1910 



What Is a Crab Apple ? 



In the November issue of The Canadian 

 Horticulturist editorial reforence wag 

 made to the need for definitions to dis- 

 tinguish between apples and crab apples. 

 Our pomologists are asked to contribute 

 their views. Expressions of opinion on this 

 subject will be interesting and may aid in 

 determining the real distinction, if there 

 is any, between these types. Mr. E. D. 

 Smith, Winona, Ont., proprietor of Helder- 

 leigh Nurseries, and president of the On- 

 tario Fruit Growers' Association, gives his 

 opinion in a letter recently received by Tub 

 Canadian HoRxicuLTuniST, as follows : 



"My idea of a crab apple is simply an 

 apple that is of an extremely acid character, 

 of too acid a character to be edible out of 

 hand for the average person ; that is, too 

 acid to be eaten by the average man with 

 pleasure. I do not know what other dis- 

 tinction there is between a crab apple and 

 an apple." 



R. Brodie, Notre Dame de Grace, Que., 

 writes: "A crab apple is understood to be 

 the hardiest species' of the apple family. 

 Most of the improved varieties have sprung 

 from the old Siberian crab, a small, highly 

 colored apple with a long stem, very astrin- 

 gent, the eating of which uncooked, .makes 

 people very "crabbed." Large varieties 

 like Whitney, Gibb and Isham Sweet should 

 be claimed as apples. In the old over- 

 loaded trees of the Wealthy, a hybrid be- 

 tween the crab and the Duchess, one would 

 think that the fruit had reverted back to 

 the crab. It shows the crab parentage with 

 small sized, long stem. It is only by severe 

 pruning, cutting back, manuring and thin- 

 ning that you can get any size on old 

 Wealthy apple trees." 



Mr. W. J. L. Hamilton, South Salt 

 Spring, B.C. : "The term 'crab apple' is 

 the old English name for the wild apple 



of that country, Pyrus Malu$, the parent 

 of our garden apples. Hence it has, in 

 a wider sense, been applied to all wild vari- 

 eties of apple, such as Varus haccain, and 

 Pyrus prunifoUa of Siberia. Pyrus c.oron- 

 aria of our continent, and the allied Pyrus 

 aufiustifolia of the west. The crabs of our 

 orchards are cultivated and improve 1 vari- 

 eties of the Siberian class, P. baccata and 

 P. prunifolia. 



"I well remember when the original 'Si- 

 berian crab' was grown in our orchards in 

 England as the sole representative of its 

 class, where it was much valued for the 

 excellent jelly made from it, superior, I 

 believe to that made from the Hyslop or 

 improved Siberian crab of the present day. 



"Strictly speaking, I should imagine that 

 the direct descendants of these two Si- 

 berian varieties would be the true crabs, 

 but as Professor Bally hints, and as your 

 article clearly points out, the many crosses 

 with P. Malus and with possibly other 

 varieties, has made it almost impossible 

 to draw a strict line of demarcation be- 

 tween "crab" and "apple." 



"Crabs are useful only in cooked form ; 

 so, it is perhaps logical to look to the cook 

 for the modern definition. From her de- 

 finition I understand a crab should be of 

 conveniently small size, of a bright, at- 

 tractive color, and of pronounced crab 

 flavor. Crab flavor means that it should 

 be aromatic, tart, and astringent to a cer- 

 tain degree, but the flavor is hard to de- 

 fine and is best understood by tasting the 

 fruit. It is distinct from that of the ap- 

 ple and is directly inherited from its wild 

 parent." 



I appreciate The Canadian Horticultur- 

 ist very much and do not think I could get 

 along without it. It improves with every 

 issue. — Thos. Bradley, M.D., Bruce Co. 



Book Review 



"Popular Fruit Growing," by Samuel B. 

 Green, Professor of Horticulture in the 

 University of Minnesota. — A thoroughly 

 practical work treating on the factors of 

 successful fruit growing, orchard protection, 

 insects injurious to fruits, diseases injur- 

 ious to fruits, spraying and spraying appar- 

 atus, harvesting and marketing principles 

 of plant growth, propagation of fruit 

 plants, pome fruits, stone fruits, grapes, 

 small fruits, nuts, etc. Profusely illustrated. 

 Revised Sept., 1009, contains' 300 pages, 

 5^ X 7 inches. Webb Publishing Co., St. 

 Paul, Minn. 



This book is the result of the develop- 

 ment of the teaching of fruit growing in 

 the University of Minnesota and compris- 

 es a careful complication of lectures on 

 fruit growing given to the students, which 

 have been revised and considerably extend- 

 ed. It should be in the hands of every 

 person interested in fruit growing, is an 

 indispensable guide for the class room and 

 no library is complete without a copy on 

 its shelves. The subjects are well arranged 

 and minutely described, making it easy, 

 therefore, for anybody to understand the 

 matter portrayed, identify diJBculties, find 

 the remedies and apply them. It is so care- 

 fully indexed that the reader can immedi- 

 ately locate the requisite knowledge by a 

 glance at the list of chapter headings. This 

 volume is handsomely printed on fine paper 

 from large, clear type and is profusely illus- 

 trated, containing many special drawings, 

 to more clearly define the author's de- 

 scriptions. 



Copies of this book will be sent to any 

 adrress in Canada, postpaid, on receipt 

 of the price, $1.00. Order at once. Ad- 

 dress The Canadian Horticulturist, Peter- 

 boro, Ont. 



Arc You in a fiut? 



Read these Magazine*— they'll help you out 



CANADIAN HORTICULTUKIST 



Practical, common-sense advice on the culture 

 of fruit and vegetables, lawns, flowers, shrubs, 

 trees and all ornamental plants. It is inspira- 

 tion "for the amateur and money-earning for the 

 professional. 



FARM AND DAIRY- Weekly 



A paper for farmers and dairymen. It is pub- 

 lished every week in the year, and is an all- 

 round, strong, agricultural and dairy paper. It 

 has departments for all lines of farm work, in- 

 cluding the cultivation of the soil, live stock and 

 a strong household department. Its market re- 

 ports and letters from farmers are two of Its 

 best features. 



THE CANADIAN POULTRY REVIEW 



Is the acknowledged peer of all American and 

 Canadian Poultry Journals. It is published 

 punctually on the first of each month. Contains 

 from 48 to 72 pages. It is full of live poultry 

 lore. Full reports of all shows, engravings from 

 life photos, etc. Practical, newsy, down-to-date. 

 32nd year of publication. 



THE HOME JOURNAL 



Looking over The Home Journal, you can 

 scarcely believe it is the same magazine that 

 you knew a year ago. It has doubled in size— in 

 qualit.y— in attractiveness. The Home Journal 

 of to-day is a forty page monthly— a magazine 

 of which Canadian women can justly be proud. 



THE 



Canadian Horticulturist 



PETERBORO, ONT. 



Enclosed find $ 



L_ 



THE Home Journal 



Arc You Progressive? 



Then you probably have these. If not, 

 read them — they'll help along 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST .60 

 The Home .lournal 1.00 



$l760 

 Our Price $1.20 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST .60 



Canadian Poultry Review 50 



-•■""•fl The Home Journal or "I 

 ''"' Farm and Dairy / 



1.00 



$2.10 



Our Price $1.50 



._J 



SEND 



' Canadian Horticulturist to 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST .60 



( aiiadian Poultry Review 50 



I isnn and Dairy 1.00 



The Home Journal 1.00 



$3.10 

 Our Price $2.00 



Magazines sent to one or different 

 Addresses 



Farm and Dairy to 



Canadian Poultry Review to 

 ^ Home Journal to 



