356 



AMERICAN POMOLOGY. 



sulcate or furrowed, fig. 42, when marked by sulcatior^s ; 

 or ribbed^ fig. 43, when the intervening ridges are abrupt. 



Fig. 42. SULCATE. 



Fig. 43. RIBBED. 



Heart-shaped is a form that applies more especially to the 

 cherry, than any other kind of fruit. 



SIZE is a character of but second rate importance, since 

 it is dependent upon the varying conditions of soil, cli- 

 mate, overbearing, etc. It has its value, however, when 

 it is considered as comparative or relative. The expres- 

 sions employed in this work to indicate size, are : very 

 large, large, medium, small, very small, making five 

 grades. 



The characters of the SKIN and surface are generally 

 very reliable, though the smoothness of the skin as well 

 as the coloring depend upon both soil and climate. We 

 find, however, that a striped apple which has been shaded, 

 though pale, will always betray itself by a splash or 

 stripe, be it ever so small or rare, nor will any exposure 

 so deepen and exaggerate its stripes as to make it a self- 

 colored fruit ; and no circumstances will introduce a true 

 stripe upon a self-colored variety. Hence we may con- 



