THE APPLES OF NEW YORK. 317 



and in the spring when the contrasting yellow tints are fully devel- 

 oped it becomes quite attractive. The accompanying illustration 

 shows a highly colored Stark which was grown in Dutchess county. 

 At Geneva its season in ordinary storage extends from January to 

 June with May as the usual commercial limit. The fruit stands 

 handling well because it is very firm and has a thick, tough skin. 

 It has a mild flavor and ranks only medium in quality but is well 

 liked for baking and evaporating. It often sells in the general 

 market at remunerative prices and is regarded by some as a good 

 apple for export trade (20, 21). Stark not only does well through- 

 out the region where Baldwin succeeds but also has won recog- 

 nition as a desirable commercial variety in certain districts in the 

 North, South and West outside the range of profitable cultivation 

 of Baldwin. 



Historical. Stark was first brought to notice in Ohio (3) and is said to 

 have originated in that state (25). It is grown successfully over a wide range 

 of territory and has received favorable notice in various regions from the 

 Atlantic to the Pacific. In 1892 it was offered by nurserymen in all of the 

 apple-growing sections of the country with the exception of the northern 

 portion of the Mississippi valley and the Rocky Mountain region from 

 Montana to Arizona and Texas (n). Thus far it has not been largely planted 

 in New York but its cultivation in this state appears to be slowly increasing. 



TREE. 



Tree strong, straight, healthy in the nursery; vigorous and large or moder- 

 ately large in the orchard, with long, strong branches. Form upright spread- 

 ing to roundish, rather dense. Twigs above medium length, nearly straight, 

 slender to rather stout; internodes short to long. Bark reddish-brown tinged 

 with olive-green, lightly streaked with gray scarf-skin; pubescent near tips. 

 Lenticels quite numerous, conspicuous, small to large, roundish or oblong, 

 slightly raised. Buds medium to large, plump, obtuse to acute, free, slightly 

 pubescent. 



FRUIT. 



Fruit large to medium, sometimes very large, quite uniform in size and 

 shape. Form roundish inclined to conic varying to slightly oblate or to 

 roundish ovate ; sides sometimes unequal. Stem short to medium in length, 

 moderately stout. Cavity medium in size, acuminate or approaching acute, 

 moderately deep, rather wide to moderately narrow, sometimes gently fur- 

 rowed, occasionally lipped, sometimes russeted and with outspreading russet. 

 Calyx medium to rather large, closed or partly open. Basin shallow and 

 obtuse to medium in depth and somewhat abrupt, rather wide, slightly 

 wrinkled. 



Skin smooth or slightly roughened with russet dots, pale green becoming 

 yellow more or less blushed and mottled with red and rather indistinctly 



