1910.] rUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 191 



This apple was found growing in two old orchards, namely the A. 

 Alkire orchard, some four miles west of Dennison, Tex., and the Alex. 

 Shirley orchard, some tive miles southeast of Dennison. The writer saw 

 these trees in said orchards about the year 1880, and made diligent 

 inquiry as to their origin, but neither Mr. Alkire nor Mr. Shirley (both 

 now deceased some years) knew from whence they came. I presume 

 they came from some local Texas or Louisiana nursery that passed out 

 of existence soon and left no history of the variety. The orchards were 

 planted before railroads were built into Texas. There was a small 

 nursery at Paris, Tex., and another at Clarksville, farther east, and one 

 at Shrevei^ort, La., the latter conducted by G. W. Storer, the others 

 by a Mr. Walker at Clarksville and his son, J. Q. A. Walker, at Paris, 

 Tex. These nurseries were the first in Texas and sold trees all through 

 north Texas. They handled only southern varieties. The elder Walker 

 came to Texas from Tennessee about the year 1838. 



In 1880 or 1881 I sent samples of the ajiples to Charles Downing, 

 wi(h whom I corresponded often for a number of years. Mr. Downing 

 could not identify it. As the ajDple was a sure and prolific bearer, a 

 large, handsome, salable fruit of fine keejjing qualities, I began propa- 

 gating and advertising it over twenty-five years ago. Mr. Shirley sold 

 the ai^ple in Dennison and Sherman markets, where it acquired the name 

 Shirley apple or sometimes Shirley Keeper. I described it in my cat- 

 alogue as Shirley, which name it has retained ever since. 



In tree and fruit it resembles York Imperial more than any other 

 variety. It was the first to point out before the i:)ublic this similarity; 

 but the two are distinct. The Shirley is better in tree and fruit, some- 

 what larger and brighter, and in quality a little better.* 



As grown in Texas this apj^le resembles the York Imperial, 

 but the specimens received from the New York Experiment 

 Station are clearly of the Ben Davis type. The trees were re- 

 ceived from Mr. Munson and the apples were identified by Mr. 

 Mnnson as the Shirley. 



Description of Fruit. —^ Size, small, i;niform ; form, roundish oblate, 

 nearly regular, often slightly compressed, nearly equal sides, base 

 rounded, apex rounded or slightly conic, quite uniform; color, clear 

 greenish yellow covered with bright medium red, 40 per cent, to 80 

 ]ier cent., mottled, splashed and striped, deepening almost to blush on 

 sunny side; bloom, scant, Avaxy; skin, medium thick, rather tough, 

 smooth and bright; dots, inconspicuous, medium in number, small, 

 roundish, light gray, generally slightly raised; cavity, medium in depth, 

 rather Avide, flaring, broad acute, nearly regular, generally Avithout 

 markings; stem, long, slender, straight or inclined, brownish red, smooth; 



1 Personal letter from Mr. T. V. Munson. 



