DESCRIPTION. 27 



season, and degree of maturity that it.is of comparatively small 

 value as a distinguishing character except in the very pro- 

 nounced characters of sweetness and acidity. These are of 

 prime importance and furnish characters upon which groups 

 of several of the fruits are founded. 



The flavor may be sweet, sugary, neutral, sub-acid, acid, very 

 acid, austere, aromatic or spicy or perfumed j it may be insipid 

 or flat, rich, or thin, highly flavored, mild or astringent. Astrinr 

 gency or bitterness in peaches, as in the Elberta, is a well 

 marked characteristic. Vinous is a valuable term indicating 

 richness and high flavor with some acidity. Smell and taste 

 are so intimately associated that the two are difficult to separate. 

 The fragrance frequenty calls to mind other odors as musk, 

 balsam, or spice but the usual terms are, perfumed or aromatic, 

 not taking into consideration the nature of the fragrance. 



Qttaxitt. — Quality is an arbitrary matter depending upon 

 the likes and dislikes of the individual and is therefore of small 

 value in classification. Usually but three grades of quality are 

 mentioned; flrst, second and third, but several other expressive 

 terms are used, as: good, very good, best, fine, excellent and 

 inferior. The student should distinguish well between flavors 

 and quality. Any two persons ought to agree as to the flavor 

 ■of a fruit but scarcely any two agree as to the quality. 



The Coee. — The core in the pomes has some characters that 

 are permanent and reliable. Thus it is always either opened 

 or closed; it may be small, medium ot large; its outline as 

 formed by the group of carpels is long, short, wide, compressed, 

 or cordate, etc. ; it may reach to and clasp the calyx tube or it 

 may meet it. In the apple the core often attains the condition 

 known as watercore in which the surrounding flesh is very firm 



