THE APPLES OF NEW YORK. 147 



and the Yellow Newtown differ markedly in size, color and quality 

 in different locations and their successful cultivation is probably 

 more limited by local conditions than is the case with any other 

 standard commercial variety grown in this state. They are success- 

 fully and extensively grown in certain localities in the Hudson valley 

 and along the north shore of Long Island, but usually neither of 

 them is regarded as desirable for commercial planting west of the 

 Hudson valley. 



Under favorable conditions the trees come into bearing young and 

 are reliable croppers yielding good crops biennially or sometimes 

 oftener. The fruit hangs well to the tree. It is quite susceptible to 

 the scab and requires thorough treatment to hold this disease in check 

 particularly when grown on heavy clay soils. Unless grown on fer- 

 tile soils and under good cultivation with insect pests and fungous 

 diseases kept well under control there is often a comparatively high 

 percentage of ill-shaped, uneven and low-grade fruit. Under favor- 

 able conditions the fruit grows large or sometimes very large and 

 is fairly uniform in size although somewhat variable in form and 

 coloring. It has a long established reputation in Europe and com- 

 mands the best prices paid there for American apples. It is firm, 

 keeps very late and ships well. The crop is largely exported. In 

 ordinary storage its commercial season is February to March ; in cold 

 storage March to May. The fruit is of the highest quality for des- 

 sert and excellent for culinary uses. Cider made from it is very 

 clear and of high quality, and in the early days large quantities of 

 the fruit were used for this purpose. 



Historical. The excellent historical account of the Yellow 

 Newtown and the Green Newtown given by Taylor (32) is 

 reproduced here : 



The " Newtown Pippin " was the first American apple which attracted atten- 

 tion in Europe. After the receipt of specimens by Franklin while in London 

 in 1/59, and the subsequent sending of grafts to Collinson by John Bartram, 

 numerous attempts were made to grow the variety in England. As- early as 

 1768 it was cultivated in the Brompton Park nursery under the name " New- 

 town Pippin of New York."* 



It is probable that the large apple exports of 1773 included considerable 

 quantities of the Newtown, for it was at that time quite generally distributed 

 through the apple-growing districts of the Atlantic slope. Thomas Jefferson 

 recorded in his " Garden Book " that in March, 1773, grafts of " Newtown 



'Hogg, The Apple and Its Varieties, 1869: 143- 



