TERMS USED. 103 



to increase rapidly in size at all periods, as the Northern 

 Spy ; while others of feeble growth wl en small, never 

 attain much magnitude, as the Early Joe and Sme Qua 

 Non. 



2. The color of the shoots varies greatly in the same 

 variety at different periods of the year, as well as with dif- 

 ferent degrees of exposure to the sun, and with a change 

 of soil, climate, and season. When fresh or very young, 

 all have a greenish color, but gradually assume various 

 shades of yellow, olive, brown, red, purple, and nearly 

 black, as the season advances, and as they become bare 

 and are exposed to the sun and weather. For this reason, 

 in describing the color, the terms must be relative, and can 

 only be correctly applied by a comparison at the time \vith 

 the color of other sorts. During winter, and early in the 

 spring, the shoots of most trees become so much darker 

 than at other times, that it is only practice and by placing 

 the different sorts side by side, that accuracy may be 

 attained. Skilful culturists will readily distinguish, by a 

 glance at the color of the shoots, many of the kinds they 

 cultivate ; but the peculiar cast is hard to describe in words,* 

 in the same way that it is impossible to describe the hand- 

 writing of an individual, so as to be known from fifty 

 others, although many can, at a glance, know the pen- 

 manship of hundreds of different persons. A few of the 

 most strongly marked cases, however, present peculiarities 

 of color, which form useful points of distinction. No one, 

 for instance, could easily mistake the yellow shoots of the 

 Bartlett and Dix pears, for the dark brown or purple of the 

 Tyson and Forelle ; or the light greenish cast of the Bough 

 and Sine Qua Non apples, for the dark color of the Northern 

 Sp)', or dark brown of the Baldwin ; nor the downy or 

 greyish appearance of the Ladies' Sw^eeting and Esopus 

 Spitzenburgh, for the clear shining brown of the Gravenstein 

 and Red Astrachan.* 



3. The Buds sometimes afford distinct characteristics. As 

 examples, the large, compact, and projecting buds of the 

 summer Bonchretien, always contrast strongly with the 

 smaller, more rounded, and softer buds of the Madeleine. 



* Nearly all shoots are more or less downy at first, but the down disappears as 

 liey giow older. Hence the term must be used relatively. In plums, the smooth, oi 

 lowiiy shoots, afford in most cases good distinctive points. 



