400 The Commercial Apple Industry 



although not to such an extent as the Esopus Spitzenburg. 

 The fruit brings high prices but is inclined to develop the 

 Jonathan spot in storage. It is usually consumed before 

 February and is the first of the leading varieties to be 

 moved from the western irrigated regions. Normal har- 

 vest period is September 10th to 20th. 



York Imperial. 



York Imperial originated shortly after 1800 near York, 

 Pennsylvania. It was propagated before 1830 by Jon- 

 athan Jessop under the name of Johnson's Fine Winter 

 which it still retains in many remote parts of the South. 

 The commercial production of York Imperial is largely 

 confined to the valley of the Shenandoah, in Virginia, and 

 to the Cumberland Valley in Pennsylvania, centering in 

 Frederick County, Virginia; Berkeley County, West Vir- 

 ginia ; Washington County, Maryland ; Franklin and 

 Adams counties, Pennsylvania. Outside of these and 

 adjoining counties, the distribution of York Imperial is 

 scattering and relatively unimportant, being chiefly in the 

 Middle West. In the district defined, however, this var- 

 iety is preeminent and contributes large quantities of 

 commercial apples. 



Although tending to bear biennially, it yields heavy 

 crops and is the most reliable variety in the Shenandoah- 

 Cumberland region where it has long been one of the 

 leading export apples. It has a preference for heavy 

 clay and limestone soils. The fruit is oblique, or lop- 

 sided, and is inclined to scald in storage. The fruit is 

 also very susceptible to cedar-rust. The normal season 

 ends in February. 



