238 THE APPLES OF NEW YORK. 



more than any other apple of its season. Trees that have become 

 old enough to develop the tendency to produce rather small fruit 

 are in some places being grafted over to other sorts. In other 

 places fruit growers, by adopting such treatment as thinning the 

 fruit and keeping the soil fertile, continue to produce apples of 

 good marketable size when the trees are mature. 



Historical. Originated by Peter M. Gideon, Excelsior, Minn., from seed 

 of the Cherry Crab, which he obtained about 1860 from Albert Emerson, 

 Bangor, Me. (n, 28). Ragan (42) states that the fruit was first described 

 in the Western Farmer in 1869. It has been extensively disseminated, par- 

 ticularly in those apple-growing districts where a tree of superior hardiness 

 is especially desired. It is generally listed by nurserymen and its cultivation 

 is gradually increasing. 



TREE. 



Tree somewhat dwarfish to medium size, moderately vigorous with short, 

 moderately stout, curved branches. Form upright spreading or roundish, 

 open and somewhat drooping. Twigs long, curved, slender; internodes long. 

 Bark dark brown, lightly streaked with scarf-skin ; pubescent. Lenticels 

 quite numerous, medium to small, oblong, not raised, rather conspicuous. 

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



FRUIT. 



Fruit above medium to large when well grown but often small on old 

 trees ; pretty uniform in shape and quality but more or less uneven in size. 

 Form roundish conic, slightly flattened at base, regular, symmetrical. Stem 

 usually short to medium, but rather long on small fruit and rather slender. 

 Cavity decidedly acuminate, rather deep, moderately narrow to rather broad, 

 russeted. Calyx medium size, closed or partly open; lobes broad, obtuse to 

 acute. Basin medium in depth to rather shallow, rather narrow, abrupt, 

 smooth, symmetrical. 



Skin thin, tough, pale yellow or greenish, blushed and marked with narrow 

 stripes and splashes of red, deepening in highly colored specimens to brilliant 

 red, very attractive. Dots numerous, small, inconspicuous, pale or russet. 

 Prevailing effect bright red. 



Calyx tube conical approaching funnel-form. Stamens median. 



Core medium to very small, axile or sometimes slightly abaxile ; cells 

 symmetrical, slightly open ; core lines clasping. Carpels medium to rather 

 small, roundish, narrowing toward base and apex, smooth, flat. Seeds mod- 

 erately dark brown, above medium, rather acute. 



Flesh whitish sometimes stained with red, moderately fine, crisp, tender, 

 very juicy, agreeable subacid, sprightly, somewhat aromatic, good to very 

 good. 



Season October to January. 



