THE TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF APPLES. 



BY J. K. SHAW. 



Introduction. 



This paper aims to set forth certain methods and terms which the writer 

 has found useful in the description of apple trees and fruits. It contains 

 little that is new to the pomological world, but is, rather, a compilation of 

 methods and terms of description gathered from many pomologists of our 

 own and former times. This matter has been brought together and ar- 

 ranged in a definite and systematic manner. It is not intended to be com- 

 plete in itself, but should be used in connection with a good textbook or 

 reference work on systematic pomology. 



The best presentation of tree description may be found in Thomas' 

 ' ' American Fruit Culturist." For description of the fruit, Beach's "Apples 

 of New York" and Hansen, in the "American Horticultural Manual" 

 Vol. II., are the most complete and satisfactory. Other books giving help- 

 ful discussions, especially of fruit characters, are Waugh's "Systematic 

 Pomology," Warder's "American Pomology" and Robert Hogg's "British 

 Pomology." Among the German works, Lucas' "Einleitung in das 

 Studium der Pomologie" is most complete and useful. 



A written description of a variety of apples may be made from one or 

 more typical specimens before the writer, or it may be written from memory 

 or compiled from notes after one has become familiar with the variety. 

 Two kinds of variety description ought to be recognized, — first, a system- 

 atic description which takes account of all characters of the tree and 

 fruit which can have taxonomic value, and second, the commercial descrip- 

 tion; which is a presentation of all the characters and qualities of a variety 

 that are of interest and value to the man interested in the practice of fruit 

 growing. Most variety descriptions belong to the former class, though 

 some give considerable attention to the commercial phase. Commercial 

 descriptions are of much the greater interest and value to the practical 

 orchardist, and they ought to be more clearly recognized and we ought to 

 have more of them. The distinction between the two is an arbitrary one, 

 and is made for convenience and for the sake of emphasizing those qualities 

 that are of paramount interest to the commercial fruit grower. 



The Systematic Description. 

 The systematic description involves all the characters of the tree and 

 fruit having taxonomic value. In the description blank suggested here an 

 effort has been made to classify these characters, and as far as possible to 



