496 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



"Zach Red," but as neither of these appears to have been published 

 they are not admitted as synonyms. About 1850 Mr. Stoneman named 

 the variety ''Virginia Beauty," under which name it appears to have 

 been first catalogued and offered for sale soon after 1871 by the 

 Franklin Davis Nursery Company, then of Richmond, Va., which 

 began its propagation in nursery in that year. a So far as known, it 

 has no published synonyms. The earliest published description appears 

 to be that contained in the Report of the Pomologist of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture for 1895, page 36. 



Though apparently never extensively advertised or illustrated, the 

 Virginia Beauty is now quite widely distributed throughout the 

 mountain region of Virginia and North Carolina, and is recognized as 

 a promising variety for like latitudes, at least as far west as eastern 

 Nebraska. Its mild flavor, which closely approximates sweetness, is 

 highly appreciated in southern markets, where the variety commands 

 a premium on this account, and accordingly it is being considerably 

 planted as a commercial variety in the mountain region referred to. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Form quite variable, ranging from oblate to roundish oblong; size 

 medium to large; surface smooth, glossy; color dark yellow, almost 

 entirely covered with purplish red, showing occasional dim stripes of 

 darker red; dots variable, numerous, russet, some indented; cavity 

 irregular, of medium size and gradual slope, sometimes lipped and 

 usually russeted; stem short, rather stout, frequently bearing bracts; 

 basin regular, small, shallow, slightly furrowed and lumpy; calyx 

 segments thin, converging; eye medium, closed; skin moderate!} 7 

 thick and tenacious; flesh greenish yellow, fine grained, tender, juicy; 

 core medium to large, conical, clasping; seeds numerous, of medium 

 size, short, plump, brown; flavor mild subacid, almost sweet; quality 

 good to very good for dessert use in the fresh state and for baking. 

 Season, October to February in the mountain region of North Carolina 

 and Virginia. 



The tree is reported to be a moderately strong, rather upright 

 grower, becoming somewhat pendulous after reaching bearing age. 



The specimen illustrated on Plate LVIII was grown near Taylors- 

 ville, Alexander County, N. C. 



CARSON APPLE. 



[PLATE LIX.] 



The original tree of this variety was obtained about 1835 by a 

 relative of Mr. Nathan Moore, of Toledo, Ohio, from a small apple 

 seedling nursery in Wood County, Ohio, owned by a family named 

 Carson. When it came into bearing, about 1850, it was so attractive 



Letter of W. T. Hood, Richmond, Va., March 28, 1906. 



