DESCRIPTIONS OF APPLE VARIETIES 



By J. K. Shaw, Research Professor of Pomology 



This paper presents some of the results of twenty-five years' observation of the 

 vegetative characteristics of apple varieties. It includes most varieties in com- 

 mon cultiv^ation during the first third of the twentieth century, also a few new 

 varieties which may or may not come into common cultivation. Doubtless 

 there may be additional varieties which have just as good or better claims for 

 consideration but various difficulties have prevented their inclusion. 



The illustrations are from varieties known to be true to name and include 

 pictures of leaves, one-year whips, and two-year trees. The leaves were taken 

 from the current season's growth and are well developed and typical of the variety. 

 Some attempt is made to show variations that may occur, but the main effort 

 has been to use only typical leaves. Leaves originating from spurs or from weak, 

 slow-growing wood are not typical and are nearly or quite valueless for variety 

 identification. 



The trees were photographed in August before they had completed the season's 

 growth, but at about the time of our nursery identification work. Owing to 

 inferior soil or dry weather, the two-year trees do not show as vigorous growth 

 as may be usual with the variety. 



Cuts of the flowers of most of the varieties are included, but no descriptions 

 are given. Flower descriptions have little practical value, for when a tree blos- 

 soms, it will soon bear fruit from which identification can be made. 



While the paper was prepared to present the characteristics of the varieties 

 as they grow in the nursery; the characteristics of the trees in the orchard, as 

 they appear up to the time of heavy production, have also been kept in mind. 

 When trees begin to produce heavily, the form of the tree is considerably modified. 

 Leaves on vigorous shoots of the current season on older trees maintain their 

 varietal characteristics. 



No one can learn to identify varieties from the printed page, even when sup- 

 plemented by good illustrations; the trees must be studied as they grow in the 

 nursery and orchard. However, b>' first comparing descriptions and illustrations 

 with trees known to be true to name, one may gradually learn to identify varieties 

 — or at least to determine whether trees in question are true to nanre — by the 

 use of such descriptions and pictures as are presented here. 



Descriptive Terms 



The descriptive terms have been kept non-technical, since this paper is ad- 

 dressed to the nurseryman and fruit grower rather than to the technical worker 

 with fruit plants. The characters are described in the following order: 



Tree: 

 Vigor 

 Form 



Shoots: 

 Length 

 Size 



Direction (straight or z'gzag) 

 Curvature 

 Length of internodes 



