112 



SYSTEMATIC POMOLOGY. 



Fruit quite small, regular, sometimes unequal, flattened; sur- 

 face smooth, polished, pale yellow with brilliant deep red, approaching 

 to crimson on sunny side; dots obscure, numerous, white, minute; 

 cavity wide, deep, regular, obtuse, with green rays and stellate russet; 

 stem medium to long; basin wide, shallow, slightly corrugated; calyx 



; Lady. 



closed; segments divergent. Core closed; cells obovate, axile, slit; 

 tube conical; stamens marginal; seeds plump, short, numerous; 

 flesh white, crisp, tender, very juicy, sweet, slightly perfumed, excel- 

 lent. December to May. 



Lady Sweet. Origin, New York. Downing considered this 

 variety, which originated in his neighborhood, Newburgh, N. Y., 

 one of the finest winter-sweet apples for the dessert, yet known or 

 cultivated in this country, and describes it fully as follows: 



" Fruit large, roundish ovate, narrowing pretty rapidly to the eye; 

 surface very smooth, nearly covered with red in the sun, but pale 

 yellowish green in the shade, with broken stripes of pale red; red 

 sprinkled with well-marked yellowish gray dots, and covered, when 

 first gathered, with a thin white bloom; on shaded side there is gener- 

 ally a faint marbling of cloudy white over the red, and rays of same 

 around the stalk; cavity shallow; stem half an inch long; basin 

 shallow, plaited, narrow; calyx quite small; flesh greenish white, 

 exceedingly tender, juicy, and crisp, with a delicious, sprightly, 

 agreeable perfumed flavor, very good to best; keep without shrivel- 

 ling or losing its flavor till May." 



