426 The Commercial Apple Industry 



Lady. 



The Lady apple is known to have been in cultivation for 

 well over three hundred years and is thought to have orig- 

 inated in France. It is often seen on fruit-stands more 

 for decoration than for eating purposes. It is a strikingly 

 beautiful little apple, especially adapted for decorative pur- 

 poses. It grows in profusion in many parts of the coun- 

 try, particularly in the Piedmont district of Virginia 

 where it is produced commercially in limited quantities. 

 Limited plantings are also found in New York state and 

 the Northwest. The Lady apple often, tops the market in 

 price, having sold on the New York markets for as high 

 as $25.00 a barrel when standard sorts were bringing 

 about one-fifth as much. 



The variety seems to do best in Virginia where it grows 

 to perfection. In size it is not much larger than a crab- 

 apple and it is very expensive to grow and harvest. On 

 the whole, it is not to be considered more profitable than 

 the more standard' varieties. Furthermore, it is not 

 recommended for general planting since a few acres would 

 practically flood the market for this type of fruit. Prop- 

 erly handled it may be held in cold storage far into the 

 summer, but there are few demands for it after the holiday 

 season. The tree is moderately vigorous. The fruit is 

 exceedingly small, somewhat lacking in uniformity; flesh 

 is white, tender, juicy, and of high dessert quality. 



EARLY AND TALL VARIETIES 



Oldenburg (commercial name, Duchess). 



Oldenburg is probably the leading early variety grown 

 in the United States. It is one of the most valuable of 



