26 SYSTEMATIC POMOLOGY. 



AN ARTIFICIAL KEY. 



After reviewing the many systems of classifying apples, many 

 of them very elaborate and the product of much painstaking labor 

 and research, the writer offers the following conclusions: 



I. The arranging of apples into families based on natural affinities 

 is a great aid to the memory. This is true of all systems of natural 

 classifications. 



II. If all varieties of apples were sharply defined in their charac- 

 teristics the natural systems, as those of Diel and Lucas, would be 

 of easy application, if properly combined with an artificial classifica- 

 tion based on form, season, etc., as outlined by Lucas. But many 

 varieties present characteristics which are a mingling of two or more 

 classes, and these defy all attempts at close classification. 



III. It would be of considerable help to arrange apples as far as 

 possible by groups named after the most typical representative of 

 that group. American pomologists now often speak of the Ben 

 Davis type or group, being that well-known variety and what are 

 probably its numerous seedlings; the Fameuse type, comprising a 

 number of sorts with close affinities to the mother variety; the Olden- 

 burg type, which is a very large one in the Northwest owing to the 

 wide popularity of that variety; the Hibernal type, including a 

 number\)f extra hardy Russians. In Minnesota the numerous seedlings 

 of Wealthy now appearing show close affinities to its parent. This 

 modern development of the natural classification idea merits further 

 study. 



IV. The marvellous development of commercial orcharding in 

 recent years has not been favorable to increase in number of varieties. 

 Commercial fruit-growers prefer the few of best sorts rather than 

 a large assortment with few trees of a kind. Hence the need for 

 classification of varieties is not yet as apparent as in Europe where a 

 greater variety u demanded in the small specimen orchards. 



V. The belief of Downing that the classification of the apples 

 of the United States is impracticable, if not impossible, is probably 

 nearer to the truth than any belief to the contrary. It could be 

 done with the apples for any particular region with not too large an 

 area. On the other hand, the alphabetical or dictionary style of arrang- 

 ing descriptions is not serviceable when the name of the fruit in hand 

 is not known. 



