with a description of their qualities. 139 



in describing this Darling Russet, because I think it equal, 

 taking all its qualities together, to the best winter apple that 

 has fallen under my notice, I prefer it to the Greening, 

 the Boston or Roxbury Russet, or the Newtown pippin. For 

 keeping late, and preserving its freshness and flavor, it will 

 take rank with any rival that I know. I know no apple 

 having so racy a flavor. 



Spafford Russet. — A medium sized apple. The eye in a 

 small and rather deep cavity; the stem about three-fourths 

 of an inch long. Of a smooth, russety, golden yellow color. 

 Flesh tender, firm, juicy, sub-acid, and possessing a flavor 

 of a summer pear. It ripens from October to December. 

 This apple is a seedling on the farm of Judge Spaflbrd, of 

 Perrysburg. 



Darling Russet. — A medium sized apple, of somewhat 

 conical form ; the eye and stem in moderate sized cavities ; 

 the stem from three-fourths of an inch to an inch in length. 

 Of a dark russet color, with greenish yellow blotches on 

 one side, and yellowish red on the other, and of a smooth, 

 russety yellow around the stem. The flesh white, tender, 

 firm, and high flavored. It excels the Roxbury Russet in 

 high flavor, but is of a coarser texture. This apple is also 

 a seedling on the farm of .Judge Spaflbrd. In a dark, cool 

 cellar, they would hardly ripen before the middle of April, 

 and would keep good till July. 



Asa fall and early winter apple, we like the Sp?.tFord 

 Russet as well as any; I might say better than any, except 

 the F'all Pippin and the Belleflower. It is said to be a 

 stronger and better tree than the Darling Russet. 



Scions of these apples may be had of Hon. Aurora Spaf- 

 ford, Perrysburg, who owns the orchard, and who, I doubt 

 not, will take pleasure in aiding your design to collect the 

 best native apples of the west. My acquaintance with Ohio 

 seedling apples leads me to entertain very favorable antici- 

 pations of your success in obtaining all the new varieties 

 that may be desired, and of a quality not inferior to the 

 best that fill the books of our pomological writers. 



I had a kind last winter, obtained from an orchard five 

 miles above JVIaumee, on the river bottom, bearing a few 

 feet below the surface, — a shelly lime rock, — that kept well 

 and were excellent, but 1 have lost the description, and 

 could not now find the tree. They were selected by my- 

 self from a large orchard, where I was obtaining my graft- 



