ABOUT FRUITS, FLOWERS AND FARMING. 309 



young, and is very productive. Its fruit ripens in succes- 

 sion for six weeks from first of July to middle of 

 August, and is peculiarly valuable on that account ; color 

 m-ai-ly white; it is largest at base and tapers regularly to 

 the eye, and is ribbed ; flavor, mild, pleasant acid ; flesh 

 melting, and, if fully ripe breaks to pieces in falling to the 

 ground. 



4. PRINCE'S HARVEST. Manning pronounces this "the 

 earliest apple worthy of cultivation." It may be in Massa- 

 chusetts, but it is preceded by many at the West. Man- 

 ning's description is good. 



" The form is flat, of medium size ; the skin, when per- 

 fectly ripe, is of a beautifully bright straw color ; the flesh 

 tender and sprightly; if gathered before they are fully 

 ripe, it has too much acidity. The finest fruits are those 

 which drop ripe from the tree ; the branches make very 

 acute angles, by which it is readily distinguished from most 

 other trees in the orchard ; it bears young. Ripe early in 

 July." 



Our nurserymen regard it as a shy bearer. 



5. SUMMER QUEEN. Extensively cultivated in the West 

 under the name of Orange Apple. The tree is spreading ; 

 a rapid grower ; not subject to frost-blight ; wood moder- 

 ately strong; comes late into bearing; productive when the 

 tree is fully grown, according to the books, but in this 

 region with some exceptions has proved to be a poor bearer. 

 Fruit large, yellow, striped with red; flesh, breaking; 

 flavor strong, and not delicate. 



6. SWEET BOUGH. Two varieties of this name are cul- 

 tivated in the West Coxe's and Mount's. Coxe's sweet 

 bough, is that of the books and catalogues. Ripens at the 

 same time ; not quite so high in flavor. Coxe's trees are 

 large limbed and spreading ; bearing on the point of the 

 limbs, and are shy bearers ; Mount's variety is of upright 

 gro'vvth ; bears on spurs -along the branches ; is a good 

 bearer and ripens from middle of July to August. 



