Terms used in Describing Fruits. 



THE FLAVOR may be sweet, neutral, slightly sub-acid, or mild 

 sub-acid, sub-acid, acid, very acid, or austere; aromatic or spicy ; 

 perfumed, or possessing odor, and with more or less of a shade of 

 musk ; astringent, usually a defect, but sometimes an excellent 

 quality, if in a very minute proportion ; rough, astringent and 

 austere ; vinous, rich, high-flavored, and rather acid ; sugary or 

 saccharine, sometimes nearly sweet, possessing the qualities of 

 sugar, which may be mixed with acid. 



THE QUALITY is designated by first, second, and third rates ; and 

 fruits perfectly worthless by still lower grades. A second rate fruit, 

 to be worthy of cultivation, must possess other good qualities in a 

 high degree, as hardiness, productiveness, fair appearance, etc. 

 Very few fruits, as low as third rate, can ever be worth retaining, 

 and only for extreme earliness or other uncommon quality. Fruits 

 that possess desirable qualities, are usually designated by three 

 degrees of flavor ; the lowest, including the best of second rate 

 fruits, or " good second rate," are termed good; the lower grade of 

 first rate fruits are termed very good, or fine; and the highest quality 

 of all, are best, very fine, or excellent. Examples Maiden's Blush 

 apple, Napoleon pear, Lombard plum, and Crawford's Early peach, 

 are good; Rhode Island Greening, Bartlett pear, Graffion or Bigar- 

 reau cherry, and Red Gage plum, are very good or fine; and Swaar 

 apple, Seckel pear, Downton cherry, and Green Gage plum, are 

 excellent or best. 



