140 TIIK CxVXADlAN" HOKTrCULTUKXST. 



THE EARLY HAEVEST AND EJED ASTEACAN APPLES. 



There is a strange fascination about new tilings, and wlien a new 

 fruit or new flower is heralded^ witli considerable flourish of trumpets^ 

 great is the desire to see and to possess the stranger.. This is quite 

 natural ; we all love variety, and the advent of a new fruit produces a " 

 flutter of pleasurable excitement among pomologists, quite akin t© 

 that produced by some new discovery in the scientific world. But 

 while it is well to be interested in the dissemination and testing of 

 new fruits, it is not well to forget those that have been long and 

 thoroughly tried, and have stood the test. Designing and unscru- 

 pulous persons have often availed themselves, and still do and will 

 avail themselves of this love of novelty to sell at high prices fruit 

 trees of some new sort that is not as valuable or profitable as many 

 that might be purchased at a much more moderate cost. To-day it 

 shall be our pleasure to call attention to two of our best summer 

 apples — varieties that have been long tried and have pro\^d them- 

 selves to be well worthy of a place in every fruit garden or orchard. 



The Early Harvest is of American origin, according to the authori- 

 ties, but the writer has never seen any account setting forth either 

 the time or place of its nativity. It has been very widely dissemi- 

 nated, and in the last report of the American Pomological Society is 

 recommended for cultivation in thirty-three of the States and Pro- 

 vinces represented in that Association, extending from ISTova Scotia to 

 Texas, and from Maine to California. 



According to our observation, this variety produces the finest 

 fruit when planted in soils that abound in lime and are thoroughly 

 drained. In rich alluvial soils, and especially if imperfectly drained, 

 the fruit is frequently spotted and cracked, and deficient in flavor. 

 But on the other hand, when the soil is suitable, the fruit is perfectly 

 developed, fair, smooth, and of high flavor. The tree is a moderate 

 grower, comes into bearing early, and yields abundantly. The fruit is 

 of medium size, light yellow with white flesh, juicy, and of a sprightly 

 sub-acid flavor, ripening in the end of July and beginning of August. 

 It is very valuable both for cooking and dessert, and worthy of a place 

 in the smallest collection. 



The Eed Astracan was introduced into England from Sweden in 

 1816, and thence it has been brought to this continent, in no part of 



