RED SIBERIAN 



YELLOW SIBERIAN 



75 



RED SIBERIAN. This variety is not to 

 be confused with Large Red Siberian, the 

 fruits and trees of which are larger and the 

 foliage coarser. Tree and fruit are ornamental, 

 but the fruits are too small to find favor for 

 any purpose. The variety is rapidly passing 

 from cultivation. Red Siberian originated in 

 France, but when and where does not appear; 

 nor is it known when it was brought to 

 America, although it must have been one of 

 the first to be imported, since it was described 

 as early as 1803. 



Tree rather small, vigorous, erect, very hardy, pro- 

 ductive, with rather long, slender twigs. Fruit small, 

 borne in clusters, % inch in diameter, round-oblate to 

 oblong, irregularly elliptical ; stem long and slender ; 

 cavity acute, medium in width and depth ; calyx small 

 to medium, often deciduous ; basin but slightly de- 

 pressed ; skin smooth, pale yellow striped and blushed 

 with lively red and overspread with blue bloom ; flesh 

 subacid, astringent, good for culinary uses ; September 

 and October. 



SEPTEMBER. This variety, also, comes 

 from Peter Gideon, but is not as desirable as 

 several other of his crab-apples, though the 

 fruits are handsome and of good quality for 

 either dessert or culinary uses. The trees, 

 though vigorous, have short, stout, crooked, 

 twisted branches serious defects which make 

 the variety much more difficult to manage 

 than several of its orchard associates. The 

 variety is said to be a seedling from the 

 Cherry crab. 



Tree vigorous, spreading, open, with short, stout, 

 crooked and twisted branches. Fruit medium to large, 

 uniform in size but not in shape, round-oblate to oblong, 

 sometimes conic, frequently ribbed, sides usually un- 

 equal ; stem long, slender ; cavity obtuse, shallow, broad, 

 occasionally furrowed, sometimes russeted ; calyx large, 

 closed or partly open ; basin mammillate, shallow, deep, 

 obtuse ; skin thin, tender, smooth, pale yellow, striped 

 with red, in well-colored specimens nearly covered with 

 dark red, overspread with bloom ; dots small, scattering, 

 gray or brown ; calyx-tube short, broadly funnel-form, 

 pistil point persistent ; stamens median ; core medium 

 size, axile or abaxile ; cells closed or wide open ; core- 

 lines clasping ; carpels round, elongated ; seeds 'variable 

 in shape, of medium size, wide, short, acute, light dull 

 brown ; flesh yellow, tender, juicy, subacid, with an 

 agreeable crab-apple flavor ; good to very good ; Sep- 

 tember. 



TRANSCEND- 

 ENT. Fig. 69. For 



many years Transcend- 

 ent was the most pop- 

 ular crab-apple in 

 America, its beautiful 

 color and high quality 

 commending it. The 

 trees, too, are vigorous, 

 hardy, and very pro- 

 ductive. It is, however, 

 a little top early in sea- 

 son for either home or 



69. Transcendent. 



(xy 2 ) 



market, and, with the advent of later and even 

 handsomer and better flavored varieties, its 

 popularity began to wane. It seems first to 

 have been mentioned in 1844, but it was grown 

 long before this. How long, or where it orig- 

 inated, no one knows. 



Tree large, very spreading, drooping, dense, with stout, 

 curved and drooping branches. Fruit large, round or 

 round-oblong, flattened at the ends, somewhat ribbed ; 

 stem medium to long, stout, bracted ; cavity narrow, 

 shallow, obtuse ; calyx large, closed ; lobes long, leafy, 

 reflexed ; basin shallow, wrinkled ; skin thin, yellow with 

 bright red cheek, overspread with bloom, highly-colored 

 specimens covered with bright red ; calyx-tube conical ; 

 stamens marginal ; core medium size ; cells closed ; 

 flesh yellow, crisp, juicy, fine, somewhat astringent, 

 subacid ; very good ; late August to the middle of 

 September. 



VAN WYCK. Van Wyck Sweet. Although 

 this sweet crab-apple originated in Duchess 

 County, New York, it is now seldom found in 

 eastern United States, but is advertised by 

 several western nurserymen. Its only value is 

 that it is one of a few sweet crab-apples. It 

 seems to have been first described by Downing 

 in 1872. 



Fruit large for a Siberian crab-apple, whitish shaded 

 with bright red, covered with bloom ; flesh white, tender, 

 juicy, sweet, rich ; core small, closed ; quality good ; 

 August and September. 



WHITNEY. Whitney No. 20. Whitney 

 has in full measure all the good qualities of 

 the best crab-apples in both fruit and tree 

 excepting one the season. It ripens in late 

 August, too early to meet the demand of 

 housewives who postpone caring for this fruit 

 until cooler weather. For those who want a 

 crab-apple for dessert early in the season, 

 Whitney is about as good as any. The variety 

 was grown from seed by A. E. Whitney, Frank- 

 lin Grove, Illinois, and was first described in 

 1869. It is more popular in the West than in 

 the East. 



row, deep, obtuse ; cayx meum o arge, cose or 

 open ; basin broad, shallow, wrinkled ; skin light yellow 

 shaded and striped with red ; flesh yellow, crisp, juicy, 

 mild subacid ; good to very good ; late August and early 

 September. 



YELLOW SIBERIAN. Golden Beauty. 

 Yellow Siberian is almost identical with Red 

 Siberian, except in color and size of fruit. The 

 fruits are larger than those of Red Siberian and 

 of clear golden-yellow color. The trees come 

 into bearing young and are reliable croppers, 

 yielding very heavy crops annually or almost 

 annually. The trees are very hardy but some- 

 times suffer from blight. The season is Sep- 

 tember. 



