STATE rOMOLOGICAL S0CIE:TY. JJ 



sands of varieties are separated from one another by infinitesimal 

 shades of difference. vSome of them can hardly be told apart by 

 the most expert pomologists and after years of acquaintance. 

 The cultivated apples are rem.arkably homogeneous. They are 

 (with very minor exceptions for certain crabs) derived from one 

 original species. Compare this with the cherries, — two or three 

 hundred varieties derived from two species, — or with the plum's, 

 wdiere a thousand varieties are derived from ten or fifteen orig- 

 inal species. In no class of fruits, unless it be possibly the 

 strawberries, are varietal distinctions so thin and vexatious as in 

 apples. 



But while the characteristics of varieties of apples, taken all 

 together, are so confusing, ihere are a few pronounced types 

 which the horticulturist may fix in his mind, and round which 

 cluster certain groups of varieties. The Fameuse presents such 

 a type. There are several different apples of the Fameuse 

 group, all differing measureably from Fameuse, but all conform- 

 ing closely enough to the Fameuse type so that their close rela- 

 tionship with one another and with Fameuse may be readily 

 recognized by the pomologist. 



If the reader \\\\\ consider the foregoing paragraph closely he 

 will see what is meant by the important terms "type" and 

 "group." They present the essentials of pomological classifica- 

 tion. If our multitudinous variety are ever to be classified it 

 must be by putting them into groups ; and these groups must 

 cluster about the more conspicuous, permanent and recognizable 

 types. 



In comnxon language these groups are sometimes called ''fam- 

 ilies," and some men speak of the "Fameuse family," the ''Ben 

 Davis family," etc. The idea is the same ; but the terms "type" 

 and "group" are more precise and convenient, aside from the fact 

 that the word "family" has been pre-empted in plant study with 

 another technical meaning. 



II. THE FAMEUSE TYPE. 



Of all the types to be discovered among our cultivated Ameri- 

 can apples, the Fameuse is one of the most prominent, persistent 

 and important. Fameuse itself is known over a large part of 

 the country, is a favorite dessert apple almost everywhere, and 



