THE APPLE. 29 



thinkers in this line now recognize this fact as due to bud variation, 

 and take advantage of it by cutting scions for grafting from the 

 best and most productive trees only. Florists long ago learned the 

 necessity of care in taking cuttings from the best and most pro- 

 ductive individuals, or even parts of the plant. 



TERMS USED IN DESCRIBING APPLES. 



Tree. In closely related varieties it is sometimes essential to know 

 the characteristics of growth in the orchard and the color of the young 

 wood. The color and general appearance of an apple may be changed 

 to a considerable extent by soil and climate, but the general habit of 

 growth and color of young wood does not change materially. For 

 reasons already set forth, however, the pomologist should strive to 

 seek distinguishing characters in the fruit itself, and not be dependent 

 upon the tree in orchard or nursery save as confirmatory evidence. 



The growth of the healthy bearing tree may be strong and vigor- 

 ous; vigorous and slender; stout and short-jointed; medium and 

 vigorous. The form of top may be upright, upright spreading, spread- 

 ing, round-headed, or upright. 



Form. Some European writers have made elaborate systems based 

 on the form of the fruit. Downing gives only four classes as follows: 



"In describing fruits, the word base means that part of the fruit 

 in which the stem is planted; and apex, the blossom end, or crown, 

 as it is sometimes termed. Forms are so much interwoven, as it were, 

 one with another, that we have selected but four as the primary bases 

 on which all others are built, and are subsidiary. 



" These primary forms are roundish, oblate, conical, and oblong. The 

 terms round, roundish, or globular, are sometimes used in connection, 

 rather as qualifying expressions than as distinctive; for while the word 

 roundish, which indicates the height and diameter as nearly equal, 

 applies to many fruits, there is no perfectly round or globular apple 

 known. 



" Oblate indicates the height as much less than diameter. Conical, 

 is when the fruit is roundish, having the apex end contracted. Oblong, 

 is when the fruit is longer than broad, and having the apex and base of 

 nearly the same breadth. Connected and subsidiary terms, such as 

 roundish, conical, or conic, are when the apple unites the two primary 

 forms of roundish and conical ; or elongated conical, or conic, when the 

 length is considerably beyond the breadth. Truncate conic, is when 



