THE CLASSIFICATION OF APPLES. 



BOTANICAL VERSUS POMOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. 



THE characteristics of the tree, especially the habit of growth and 

 color of young shoots, are often of great service in distinguishing be- 

 tween varieties that are much alike in fruit. Usually, however, in 

 identifying varieties such characteristics are not obtainable, and all 

 systems of classification dependent upon characteristics of the blos- 

 soms, leaves, young shoots, or habit of tree have proven impracticable 

 in case of the apple and pear. Whenever known such points should 

 be recorded. In case of cherries, peaches, plums, and grapes such 

 systems are of service, because the fruit ripens while the plant is in 

 full leaf. Advocates of these so-called botanical systems regard the 

 fruit only as part of the tree, the same as the egg Ks a product of a 

 bird; hence any variety should be described by the tree as well as by 

 the fruit, all other methods appearing to them as superficial and 

 unscientific. 



The advocates of the pure pomological systems consider the fruit 

 itself as something independent, and confine themselves to exact and 

 minute descriptions of the fruit only, much as an oologist would at- 

 tempt a description of, or key to, all sorts of bird eggs, without know- 

 ing beforehand the name of the mother bird. And in most cases the 

 pomologist must determine the name of a variety of apple without 

 any information as to character of tree. 



In the following pages a brief sketch of the leading pomological 

 systems of classifying apples is presented, without attempting to 

 include every system known to pomological history. 



THE TWO EARLIEST SYSTEMS. 



1668. The earliest attempt at classifying apples is probably 

 that of Johann Jonston, in Wiirtemberg, Germany, in 1668. The sys- 

 tem is of value only in showing that a large number of varieties was 

 then in cultivation. 



3 



