100 HORTICULTURAL MAI^UAL. 



length of summer, varieties vary exceedingly in season of 

 ripening, coloring, and distinctive form and markings. 

 As to season, many varieties that keep through winter 

 east of the lakes become fall apples when grown on the 

 darker and richer soils and in the drier and hotter summer 

 air of the prairie States in the same latitude. The drier 

 and hotter air also gives richer coloring to all varieties, as 

 shown at the expositions in competition with the same 

 varieties grown in cooler, moister climates. 



Varieties that . prove good keepers on their northern 

 limits of growth also become late-summer or fall varieties 

 when grown in the Southern States. This is specially 

 true in the Mississippi valley. Many hardy varieties that 

 keep well, if picked at proper time (130) on the 45th 

 parallel, become late-summer varieties even in southern 

 Iowa. 



Many varieties of the apple also have proven local in 

 their adaptation to a given soil and climate. The Esopus 

 Spitzenburg, as an instance, was originated at Esopus on 

 the Hudson, where it has been grown commercially for 

 fifty years and the fruit exported to Europe on a large 

 scale. It is still the favorite variety at Esopus, but is only 

 double-starred by the American Pomological Society in 

 four of the pomological districts of the Union, three of 

 which are west of the Eocky Mountains. The Belmont 

 heads the list near Cleveland, Ohio, and fails at Cincin- 

 nati. The Baldwin is a leading commercial variety, yet it 

 is only double-starred in one pomological district east of 

 the Eocky Mountains, running from the Atlantic west to 

 Michigan. 



The Ben Davis reaches its highest development in the 

 dry, hot summer air of the southwest prairie States and in 

 some of the arid States. But at present, on account of 

 its hardiness, heavy bearing, and size and beauty, it is the 



