STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 125 



grafted into a tree already well grown. Had we other varieties 

 combining choice quality and late keeping with the hardiness and 

 half the productiveness of this, our northern counties would have 

 little left to ask for in regard to apple culture." 



The above description and high recommendation, although in 

 the main perhaps correct, cannot all be endorsed. In the ex- 

 treme north it cannot be too highly recommended. In Penobscot 

 county it is popular ; in Franklin it is but little grown — they can 

 grow better fruit. It can hardly be called a " tolerable dessert 

 apple " when put in comparison with some of the best autumn 

 apples grown in central and southern Maine. The flavor is a 

 harsh, rasping acid, and not rich. It is showy, and is a fair cook- 

 ing apple provided a plenty of sugar is used to give it richness. 



Dean. Fruit medium, shoulder sharp, tapering towards the 

 eye ; one side larger than the other ; skin smooth, greenish yel- 

 low, mostly splashed and striped with red. Flesh extremely 

 tender, juicy, lively yet mild sub-acid flavor. One of the best for 

 dessert, and for this reason, like the Jewett's Fine Red it always 

 is in demand in the markets where known. Originated with 

 Cyrus Dean of Temple, in Franklin county. It is extremely pop- 

 ular in that county, and is proving well in other sections of the 

 State. We have seen some fine samples grown at Orono in 

 Penobscot county, and also at Bath in Sagadahoc county, which 

 goes to prove that it can accommodate itself to a wide latitude. 

 It certainly is a valuable acquisition to our list of native apples. 

 Season, last of September and October. In the northern part of 

 the State it is frequently kept well into the winter. At the last 

 winter meeting of this Society there was a sample on exhibition 

 grown in the town of Dexter. 



Somerset. Fruit large, roundish, somewhat flattened, bright 

 yellow, mostly covered with splashes and stripes of bright red. 

 Flesh yellowish, tender, juicy agreeable sub-acid. Season, last of 

 September and first of October. Showy, resembling in appearance 

 the Gravenstein ; also a good dessert apple. Said by some to 

 drop badly from the tree before fully ripe, otherwise in all respects 

 desirable. This variety originated on the farm of George Thomp- 

 son, in the town of Mercer, Somerset county. Mr. Thompson 

 came to that town from Massachusetts some seventy years ago, 

 bringing a lot of seedling apple trees with him, which were set on 

 his farm. One of those trees bore the apple under description, 



