DISCUSSION OF VARIETIES. 33 



Gravenstein. 



This is a German introduction, but when it was first brought to this country is a 

 matter of doubt. It appears quite certain that two trees were imported and planted 

 in a garden in Boston in the spring of 1826. There is some evidence that scions were 

 imported at another time; this may or may not have been at an earlier date. The 

 variety is widely distributed throughout the country. In this region it is one of 

 the most common and important varieties of its season, except in the North Carolina 

 section, where it is rarely found. 



The tree is a strong, vigorous, spreading grower, producing a large bearing surface. 

 It comes into bearing fairly young, but not so early as some others. Under high 

 culture it produces nearly annual crops, but as ordinarily grown the "off-year" crop 

 is usually small. It is, however, a heavy bearer in full crop years. The fruit is 

 medium to large; roundish oblate, angular; yellow, striped and splashed with bright 

 red; subacid, aromatic; very good. 



It is primarily an August apple in New Jersey and the Chesapeake peninsula, 

 though the "drops" are frequently shipped the last of July. Most of the fruit is 

 usually shipped from points as far south as central Delaware by the middle or 20th 

 of August, while it is frequently held in some of the New Jersey orchards until some 

 days into September. 



The characteristics of the fruit make it an excellent general-purpose variety. It 

 is excellent for cooking, for dessert, and likewise a good shipping variety. Its long 

 season of ripening commends it for the home orchard where only a few trees can be 

 grown. It is said to be a satisfactory variety to put in cold storage. While there 

 has been very limited experience in handling it in this way, as is true of all early 

 varieties, the possibility of holding it when desirable to do so may be worthy of 

 consideration by growers in this region. 

 Hawthornden. 



This is a Scotch variety which was brought to this country many years ago and 

 which has been disseminated to a slight extent in some sections. So far as observed 

 it is confined in this region to a very small number of orchards in the New Jersey and 

 Chesapeake peninsula sections. It is unknown to most growers. 



The tree is said to be a slow grower in these sections and is improved by top-working 

 on some other vigorous sort. It bears annually and abundantly. The fruit resembles 

 that of Maiden Blush somewhat; there appears to have been some confusion between 

 these two varieties. Fruit medium to large; roundish oblate; pale yellow, with 

 blush on exposed side. It ripens early in August, the same season as Maiden Blush, 

 and is considered superior to that variety by the small number of growers who have 

 expressed an estimate of its value. The general reputation of the variety, however, 

 places it as inferior to Maiden Blush in flavor. 

 Horse. 



Much confusion exists in regard to the application of the name Horse, as several 

 sorts of doubtful identity are known more or less locally by it. In some sections the 

 name has nearly the significance of a type name, any large, yellow apple ripening 

 early in the season being called a Horse apple. The variety to which the name is 

 properly applied has been in cultivation many years. Its place of origin is obscure, 

 but it is commonly credited to North Carolina. It is found in many of the older 

 orchards throughout the South. At one time it was considerably planted in Indiana, 

 but it is rarely found in the North. In this region it is common in the North Carolina 

 section, occasionally in Virginia, but rarely elsewhere. 



As observed in the North Carolina section, the tree is considerably subject to twig- 

 blight* trunk or stem tumors are also common. However, the trees are given very 

 little attention here, so that in comparison with the standard varieties in other sections 

 of this region this fact should be considered, 

 56682°— Bui. 194—11 3 



