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The Soulard Crab is an interesting small 

 tree resembling the common Apple-tree in habit 

 of growth, with broad rounded top 18 to 25 ft. 

 in height anil trunk 10-15 in. in diameter. The 

 bark of trunk is of a grayish brown color cov- 

 ered witli small closely appnessed scales, also 

 resembling the bark of the common Apple-tree. 

 It is of local distribution, being found in locali- 

 ties in the Mississippi River valley from Min- 

 iii'Mita to Texas, and is considered by some 

 writers to be a natural hybrid between the 

 I'rairie Cral) i /■. locnsis) and the C'ur.imon 

 Apple ( /'. M(iliis), as it is found only in 

 regions where both those trees abound and it 

 presents characters intermediate between them, 

 [ts fruit is fairly edible, to one fond of tart 

 apples, and is useful for culinary purposes. 



Its great hardiness commends it for culti- 

 vation in the upper Mississippi valley where 

 the climate is too rigorous for the more ten 

 der varieties of apples, and there a few named 

 varieties are grown. It is said to have been 

 first introduced into cultivation by James S. 

 Soulard of Galena, 111., after whom it has 

 been named. 



f.rjrrs large elliptical-ovate to oval. ^>-rt in. 

 lone:, mostly rounded or obtuse at both ends, 

 irregularly crenate-serrate or sliecbtly lobed. tliick. 

 ruffosp, glabrous above. tomentose beneath : 

 petioles stout, pubescent. FUnrers in close wooly 

 cyraes- rniit from l-2i/i in. across, flattisii 

 lengthwise with shallow basin, yellow or pink- 

 cheeked and flesh sour but edible. 



1. Syn. Mains Soulardi (Bailey) Britt. 



