THE APPLES OF NEW YORK. 47 



varieties grown under this name, none of them valuable ;" and of 

 The Detroit Black he says : " Unproductive, showy, valueless ; it is 

 probably the Detroit Red of Downing." 



D. D. Stone, of Oswego, writes r 1 ' It seems to me that the two 

 are not the same. Detroit Black seems to be more of a scrubby 

 grower, the shape, size, firmness and color seem to be more con- 

 stant and it does not crack so badly as the one we know as Detroit 

 Red, but the season appears to be 'the same/' 



Detroit Red, or as it is often called, Detroit Black, as usually 

 grown in Western New York, varies from medium to very 

 large, commonly averaging about medium size. It is flattened 

 at the ends, very dark crimson or purplish, becoming almost 

 black, with snow-white flesh occasionally streaked with rose- 

 pink. It is esteemed by many for dessert use because of its 

 mild, pleasant flavor. There is considerable loss from premature 

 dropping of the fruit and from fruit that is too small or too ill- 

 shapen for market. It is quite variable in keeping qualities, being 

 commonly in season about with Maiden Blush. The tree is a mod- 

 erate grower, comes into bearing rather young, and is not a very 

 reliable cropper. Some report that it is a shy bearer; others that it 

 yields moderate to full crops biennially. 



Historical. This is supposed to have been brought into the neighborhood 

 of Detroit by the early French settlers and thence disseminated (i, 2, 4, 8). 

 It was introduced into Ohio and Western New York before the middle of the 

 last century. The variety is still sometimes listed by nurserymen (14). Its 

 cultivation in New York state is declining and it is now seldom planted. 



TREE. 



Tree medium or eventually large, moderately vigorous to vigorous. Form 

 upright spreading or roundish. Twigs medium to long, moderately slender, 

 dark brown. 



FRUIT. 



Fruit very large to medium. Form oblate conic varying to roundish oblate, 

 often strongly ribbed, irregular. Stem short, usually rather slender. Cavity 

 often very large, acute to nearly acuminate, deep, moderately broad to very 

 broad, frequently compressed, usually thinly russeted. Calyx variable, usu- 

 ally large, closed or somewhat open ; lobes short, broad, rather obtuse. 

 Basin medium in width and depth, obtuse to somewhat abrupt, irregularly 

 furrowed and wrinkled and often with mammiform protuberances. 



1 Letter, 1904. 



