KEY TO APPLES DESCRIBED 

 IN THIS WORK. 



IT is extremely difficult if not impossible to formulate; 

 a key or classification to apples. The differences of 

 colour, size, flavour, which result from varying external 

 conditions are perhaps greater in fruits than any other 

 garden plants. 



I have, however, attempted to make a key to the 

 varieties described in the following pages in the hope 

 that it will be of some service to the pomological student. 

 Even a faulty classification is better than none and 

 this attempt must be regarded only as a ladder which 

 can be discarded when it has served its purpose. The 

 arrangement of the key is purposely made as simple 

 as possible and is based first on the external appearance 

 and secondly on season and form. 



Each variety is placed as nearly as possible in the 

 middle of its season, thus a winter apple in season from 

 November to February will be found in December. 

 In shape the following rules have guided the grouping. 

 Flat apples are those which are wider than high, round 

 are those which are apparently equal in both dimen- 

 sions. Conical are those which are higher than wide 

 and which taper more or less to the eye ; oblong those 

 which are higher than broad but with an inclination 

 to flatness at eye and stem. Oval fruits are those 

 which taper equally to eye and stem, but are higher 

 than broad. Intermediate forms are placed as far as 

 possible in an intermediate position. In using the 

 key the greatest reliance must be placed upon season 

 next upon form. 



Apples which are round and even in shape in 

 transverse section, such as Stirling Castle, are marked 

 with an asterisk. 



II 



