SUMMER AND FALL APPLES. 27 



difficult often to say where one class ends and the other begins, 

 with many varieties. 



STANDARD VARIETIES. In this list I shall only include a few 

 of those varieties that are especially desirable and profitable in a 

 large section of our country, and especially in New England and 

 the Northern Middle States. For a more extended description of 

 varieties I would refer the reader to that valuable and complete 

 work, 'Dowm'ng's Fruits and Fruit Trees of America," and the 

 descriptive catalogues of many leading and reliable nurserymen. 



STMMER APPLES. 



Early Harvest. This is a very early yellow Apple, of medium 

 size and fair quality. It reaches its greatest perfection upon a 

 deep, rich and moist soil, and to be profitable the fruit must be 

 freely thinned. It should be carefully picked as soon as fully 

 grown, and taken to the market before it begins to mellow, as in 

 that condition almost every touch will leave a brown mark upon 

 the skin, which injures its sale very much. It is valuable for 

 dessert or for cooking 1 , and is in season in July and August. 



Red Astrachan. A large, flattened, red Apple, of Russian origin. 

 The flesh is very white, crisp and tender, and cooks white; but is 

 rather acid for table use. Tree hardy and productive; August. 



Williams' Favorite. This Apple is, for the table, what the Red 

 Astrachan is for cooking and ripens a little later. It is a large, 

 oblong, conical Apple, of brilliant color, with a mild, sub-acid, 

 aromatic flavor, and veined, yellowish flesh. For the most profit, 

 the fruit must be thinned while small, and at ripening be picked 

 from the tree as it colors; for if picked while greeiij it fails to 

 color up well. The tree is vigorous, open in growth and pro- 

 ductive; August. 



Sweet Bough. A large, pale yellow Apple, sweet, juicy and 

 good; valuable for home consumption. Sweet Apples are not 

 generally in good demand in most markets, except in limited 

 quantities. 



FALL APPLES. 



Oldenburg (formerly called Duchess of Oldenburg). Of 

 Russian origin; fruit large, roundish, striped yellow and red; 

 valuable for table or cooking ; generally a profitable variety ; tree 

 productive and bears early. 



Gravenstein. Another valuable Russian Apple of large size, 

 somewhat flattened; yellow, nearly covered with stripes and 

 splashes of light red. The flesh is crisp, juicy and of the best 

 quality. The tree is remarkable for its vigor and productiveness. 

 It is one of the most desirable and profitable of fall Apples ; 

 September to November. 



Maiden's Blush. Perhaps the handsomest Apple in cultivation; 

 of medium size and nearly round ; skin of light lemon color, with 

 a shade of crimson often covering one-half the Apple on the ex- 



