52 



400 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



close similarity of this name to " Bentley Sweet," an old established 

 variety with which it was in danger of being confused by the public, 

 he consented to the adoption of the name "Bloomfield (Bentley}," 

 under which it was described in the Report of the Pomologist of the 

 Department of Agriculture for that year (p. 17). 



The variety bears a group resemblance to the " English Red Streak " 

 of the Middle Atlantic States, and is probably a seedling of that sort. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Form roundish or broadly cylindrical, truncate; size large; surface 

 smooth; color yellowish, washed with crimson, striped with darker red 

 and overspread with gray; dots conspicuous, sometimes triangular, 

 protruding, russet, some having dark centers; cavity angular, large, 

 deep, abrupt; stem short, rather stout, often knobbed; basin wide, 

 deep, abrupt, furrowed and slightly leather-cracked; calyx segments 

 short to medium, -sometimes reflexed; eye large, open; skin thin, 

 tough; core of medium size, conical, clasping; seeds few, plump, 

 brown; flesh yellow, with a darker core line, moderately fine, tender, 

 juicy; flavor subacid, rich; quality good to very good for both dessert 

 and culinary use. Season, September to November in Montgomery 

 County, Md. 



Tree a rather stocky and vigorous grower, requiring strong soil, 

 and an abundant annual bearer. This variety has for a number of 

 years proved to be one of the best apples of its season in the Wash- 

 ington markets, and is worthy of wider dissemination both for home 

 use and market. 



The specimen illustrated was grown by Mr. Thomas O. Duvall, 

 Spencerville, Montgomery County, Md. 



DOCTOR APPLE. 



(SYNONYMS: American Nonpareil of Mease and Thacher, but not of Coxe or Downing; 

 Dewitt, Doctor Dewitt, Red Doctor, Newby, ) 



[PLATE LI.] 



Though included in Mease's list of " Apples most commonly culti- 

 vated" in the United States a century ago, the real merit of this 

 variety appears to entitle it to a place among the promising sorts 

 throughout a wide range of climate. The fact that Mease, in the first 

 published description of the variety, above cited, appears to have con- 

 fused it with American Nonpareil, a summer apple, possibly accounts 

 in part for the long period of obscurity from which it now appears to 

 be emerging. Most of the early American writers mention it, but in 

 several instances it is doubtful whether they were familiar with the 



Willich's Domestic Encyclopedia, first American edition; with additions, by 

 James Mease, M. D., Philadelphia, 1804. Vol. Ill, p. 111. 



