CHAPTER III 

 VARIETIES OF APPLES 



Probably not less than 2500 apples have been 

 named or described in America. Possibly twice 

 as many more names have appeared in the 

 horticultural literature of the world. Com- 

 mercial fruit-growing demands few varieties, 

 and with the change from the growing of fruit 

 for personal use and pleasure to the commer- 

 cial orcharding which is taking place in 

 America, the number of apples under culti- 

 vation annually grows less, until it is doubtful 

 whether as many as 300 names appear in 

 current literature; in fact, a count of varieties 

 offered by nurserymen in 1920 shows only 

 about 200, not a few of which are recent intro- 

 ductions that ought not to be considered es- 

 tablished sorts. In this text, only standard 

 varieties are described those grown exten- 

 sively for home or market at the present time ; 

 those that are generally on probation among 

 fruit-growers or experiment stations; and a 

 few old sorts that have historical value or are 

 still to be found in old orchards. All full 

 descriptions were made at the Experiment 

 Station, Geneva, New York, while the ab- 

 breviated ones have been compiled. 



5. Akin. (Xy 2 ) 



AKIN. Fig. 5. Akin Red. Akin is a hand- 

 some dark red, late winter-apple of medium size 

 and very good quality. It is adapted to south- 

 ern regions, though the fruits usually mature as 

 far north as central New York. It succeeds 

 best in the Middle West and on rich warm 

 soils. Akin is especially adapted to the needs 

 of the fancy fruit trade. The variety origi- 

 nated from seed planted near Lawrenceville, 

 Illinois, in 1831 by W. J. Akin. 



Tree upright-spreading, dense, vigorous ; branches long, 

 stout. Leaves large, broad. Fruit medium, round-ob- 

 late, often irregular, slightly ribbed, sides sometimes 

 unequal ; stem long, slender ; cavity obtuse, broad, shal- 

 low, often distinctly furrowed and corrugated ; skin 

 tough, smooth, yellow, blushed and striped with bright 

 deep red, in well-colored specimens almost completely 

 red ; dots small, white ; calyx-tube conical ; stamens 



median ; core abaxile, open or partly closed ; core-lines 

 meeting ; carpela elliptical, emarginate ; seeds dark 

 brown, long, narrow, acute, numerous ; flesh yellow, crisp, 

 coarse, tender, very juicy, subacid, aromatic ; good to 

 very good ; January to June. 



ALBEMARLE. See Green Newtown. 



6. Alexander. (Xy 2 ) 



ALEXANDER. Fig. 6. Aporta. Alexan- 

 der has many merits but some faults. Merits of 

 the trees are vigor, hardiness, productiveness, 

 earliness and regularity of bearing ; of the fruits, 

 large size and handsome appearance. The chief 

 fault of the tree is susceptibility to blight. 

 The apples fail in being coarse in texture and 

 so poor in quality as to be suitable only for 

 culinary purposes; in ripening unevenly and 

 so requiring several pickings; in dropping 

 prematurely; and in not keeping well in either 

 common or cold storage. The variety is much 

 used as a filler in some apple regions, and as a 

 permanent tree where hardiness is a determi- 

 nant. Its cultivation is everywhere common 

 in northern apple regions. Alexander was in- 

 troduced into England in 1817; when into 

 America is not known. 



Tree large, vigorous, with long stout branches, upright- 

 spreading, open, somewhat drooping. Fruit large, uni- 

 form in size and shape, round-conic to oblate-conic, reg- 

 ular or approaching broadly angular, symmetrical ; stem 

 short, thick ; cavity acute, deep, broad, symmetrical, oc- 

 casionally lipped, russeted, often with broad, conspicu- 

 ous outspreading russet rays ; calyx large, open ; lobes 

 short, narrow, acute ; basin small, deep, narrow, abrupt, 

 smooth, symmetrical ; skin thick, tough, smooth, glossy, 

 waxen, pale yellow deepening to orange-yellow in the 

 sun, overspread with lively red or striped and splashed 

 with carmine ; dots inconspicuous, scattering ; prevailing 

 effect red or striped ; calyx-tube variable, long, wide, 

 conical ; stamens median ; core small, usually axire ; 

 cells closed or slightly open ; core-lines clasping ; carpels 

 elliptical, emarginate ; seeds wide, short, plump, obtuse ; 

 flesh faint yellow, firm, coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, mild 

 subacid ; fair to good ; September to November. 



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