16 BULLETIlsr 697, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. \ 



\ 



acid, flavor poor, quality very inferior; seeds very large, averaging \ 

 about 50 per fruit. The great number of seeds found in each, fruit 

 is distinctly detrimental to the commercial value of this strain. 



Table II shows the detailed performance record of a representa- 

 tive tree of the Rough Seedy strain for the year 1912 and also the 

 summarized record of the same tree for the 6-year period from 1910 

 to 1915, inclusive. These records, in comparison with those from 

 the tree of the Marsh strain presented in Table I, show the relatively 

 small crops of trees of the Rough Seedy strain and the very high 

 seed content of the fruits of that strain. The trees whose records 

 are shown in Tables I and II grew near each other in the same plat. 



SMOOTH SEEDY STRAIN. 



I 



The fruits of the Smooth Seedy strain, an illustration of which \ 

 is shown in Plate VII, have a flattened shape, smooth texture, and | 

 ivory-white color of rind. Entire trees of this strain have been \ 

 found, and individual fruits and Hmbs bearing several fruits of this i 

 strain are frequently found on trees of the Rough Seedy strain. 

 These fruits are very similar in outward appearance to those of the i 

 Marsh strain, but they usually have about the same number of seeds | 

 as typzcal fruits of the Rough Seedy strain, and their characteristics j 

 of flesh and juice are similar to those of that strain; Such fruits are | 

 so nearly hke those of the Marsh strain that it is frequently impossible j 

 to sort them out of the general crop, even by the most careful in- , 

 spection. For this reason, in orchards where trees of this Smooth j 

 Seedy strain are found it is especially important to top-work such i 

 trees, using select buds from the Marsh strain. i 



ROUGH STRAIN. 



The production of trees of the rough strain is lower than that ' 

 of trees of the Marsh strain, and the fruits are of inferior commercial ; 

 quahty. The habit of growth of the trees is usually erect, and the i 

 vigor of growth is greater than that of the trees of other strains 

 of the variety. An abnormal number of branches of unusually ] 

 vigorous growth, commonly called suckers, are produced by these ] 

 trees. These branches usually grow very erect and are irregular in j 

 their habits of fruiting. The leaves are very large and usually ; 

 somewhat sharply pointed and have large winged petioles. j 



The fruits, an illustration of which is shown in Plate VIII, are j 

 globular in shape; size large; skin rough, coarse; color duU yellowish; '■< 

 rind about half an inch thick; rag abundant, bitter; juice scant, i 

 lacking in flavor and of inferior quahty, and commercially seedless. ; 

 The fruits of this strain usually ripen later than those of the Marsh ! 

 strain, even when borne on different branches of the same tree. 



