6() MASS. KXI'KIil.MKN'l' SIAIIOX lUT.I.l-yriX 271- 



tlie scrrjitioiis of Ijotli cjin he seen and earefully compared, the ohserver with 

 some experience can \ery often tell tpiite ])nsitively whether the leaves repre- 

 sent one variety or t\\( \arieties. 



Texture — The \eins of tlie leaf di\ide and siihdivide until they form a net- 

 work all over the surface of the leaf. This network is coarser in some vari- 

 eties than in others. There are other peculiarities in the veining hard to 

 describe in words, but evident and distinct in the leaves. These peculiarities 

 taken toaether are spoken of as texture. The texture of Rhode Island Green- 

 inir (Fig'- 18) is very ditl'erent from that of Mcintosh (Fig. 2). Comparisons 

 of other varieties will show differences in texture difficult to picture in words, 

 but of much value in recognizing varieties. 



Pubescence — All varieties have more or less growth of short hairs over the 

 under surface. Those having an abundant growth of these hairs are said to 

 be pubescent or "woolly." This is not shown very clearly in the figures, but 

 may be seen by obser\ing the leaves themselves. Ben Davis and Jonathan 

 are examples of "woolly" leaves, while Rhode Island Greening shows very 

 little of this growth. This hairy growth is sparse on Baldwin and more 

 abundant on Hubbardston and Mcintosh. 



Surface — In some varieties, as Grimes (Fig. 17), the surface of the leaves 

 is smooth and shining, while at the other extreme are some varieties such as 

 Wealthy (Fig. 21) that appear rough and dull. The peculiarities in surface, 

 like so nianj' other characters, are hard to describe but are very distinct and 

 significant to one familiar with varieties. 



Thickness — Varieties differ also in the thickness of the leaves. ^Iclntosh 

 and "Wealthy have relatively thick, stiff, rigid leaves, while those of Rhode 

 Island Greening, Grimes, and Fall Pippin seem thinner and less rigid to the 

 touch. Oldenburg leaves are thick and crisp, while those of Yellow Transpar- 

 ent are soft and flexible. 



Color — All apple leaves are, of course, some shade of green in color. The 

 color depends a good deal on the vigor of the trees, being deeper in vigorous 

 trees, and a paler, more yellowish green in trees making little growth. There 

 are distinct varietal differences in color. In Rhode Island Greening and in 

 all green-fruited varieties the color is a rich, clear green. This is not true of 

 yellow varieties such as Sweet Bough and Yellow Transparent, which have 

 leaves of a yellowish-green cast. In varieties that have much red in the color 

 of the fruit, as Mcintosh, the leaves are a deeper green, sometimes with a 

 slight bluish or purpli.sh cast. These differences in leaf color are not pro- 

 nounced, and as stated above vary with the condition of the trees, but they 

 are very helpful in recognizing varieties. An abundance of pubescences gives 

 a grayish cast to leaf color. 



There are many other ciiaracteristics of both tree and leaves that are useful 

 in identifying varieties, l)ut those mentioned are the most important and most 

 often relied upon. Others will be found by the careful observer in studjing 

 trees of different known varieties. AVhen one has come to know thoroughly 

 the peculiarities of a variety, he will be able to tell whether or not a tree, 

 the variety name of which is unknown, is like another tree the name of which 

 is known. AVhen one has their variety characteristics committed to memory 

 and carries a picture of any variety in his mind, he will be able to recognize 

 that varietv whenever and wherever it may be met with. 



