66 SYSTEMATIC POMOLOGY 



down in every instance. It is usual in the 

 descriptions given in books and in nursery- 

 men's catalogs to cover this point with rela- 

 tive terms, such as early, midseason, or late. 

 This is necessary in such cases ; but when a 

 given sample of fruit is under description, it 

 is better to specify the exact date at which it 

 is found to be ripe. The same description 

 will also show the locality from which the 

 specimens come, and all the data will be 

 given, therefore, for determining whether a 

 variety is really early or late. It is often de- 

 sirable to know what the season of a variety 

 is more exactly than can be expressed in these 

 loose relative terms. It is often desirable to 

 know the exact succession of varieties within 

 a day or two, and this information can be 

 gained only from the most complete records. 

 There is always a question, of course, as to 

 when a fruit is really ripe, and plums and 

 peaches are often commercially mature long 

 before they are ready to be taken direct to 

 the table for the dessert course at dinner. It 

 ought to be assumed, however, that season in 

 the description refers to the time when the 

 fruit is dead ripe and ready to eat, and not to 

 the time when it can be shipped to market. 



