34 ORCHARD FRUITS IN VIRGINIA AND OTHER STATES. 



Early Harvest. Synonyms: Yellow Harvest, Prince's Yellow Harvest, Yellow Juneating. 



Of the early varieties this is more widely grown throughout the Piedmont region 

 than any other sort. It is probably less frequently found in the Georgia portion of 

 this region than in the other sections of it. It is used locally, however, and seldom 

 shipped. No personal studies have been made; hence all data as to its behavior have 

 been obtained through interviews with the growers. Elevations and soil types have 

 been studied as for the later sorts. 



It has been reported from Virginia growing at altitudes ranging from 800 to 1,600 

 feet and on nearly every type of soil common to these elevations in that State. It is 

 being grown on many different types of soil at points south of Virginia, but it is con- 

 fined generally to the elevations of the Piedmont region. It gives a high degree of 

 satisfaction for its season from the middle of June at low elevations in the more southern 

 latitudes to the middle of August or early in September at some of the highest points 

 in North Carolina, where it occurs only rarely. In the middle Piedmont region its 

 usual season is about July 10 to July 20. 

 Early Ripe. 



Comparatively few growers in these regions are acquainted with this variety, but it 

 is in a few of the Virginia orchards; it may rarely be found in other sections of the 

 Piedmont region, but to a very limited extent. 



The conditions under which it has been reported are essentially the same as those 

 referred to under Early Harvest, and in the ideals of those who know the variety it 

 fills much the same place that that variety does. In time of ripening it is about the 

 same or a little earlier than Early Harvest. In certain important early apple-growing 

 sections the Early Ripe is being planted extensively for commercial purposes. 

 Esopus. Synonym: Esopus Spitzenburg. 



No important commercial plantings of this variety exist in these regions, but in very 

 limited numbers trees of it may be found in a few widely separated orchards. Its 

 value in most of these orchards is apparently very slight. 



At the lower levels it usually drops prematurely, and even on Porters black loam 

 at 2,000 feet elevation it often rots and drops seriously. At 3,000 to 3,500 feet altitude 

 in North Carolina, on a rather loose loamy soil with porous subsoil containing more or 

 less red clay, it develops more satisfactorily, keeps well into the winter, and does not 

 manifest in any marked degree the defects observed at the lower levels. An apparent 

 exception to the usual behavior of this variety is reported from Albemarle County, 

 Va. , at an elevation of about 1,000 feet and on what is probably Cecil clay soil. Under 

 these conditions it is said to be unusually promising, as indicated by the behavior of 

 a limited number of trees. The reported success of this variety in this location, how- 

 ever, is greater in the limited way in which it has been grown than experience elsewhere 

 would have suggested as probable. 

 Fall Cheese. 



This variety has been considerably confused in the Piedmont region, where it is 

 more or less grown, with one or two other varieties. In some of the southern markets 

 it is considerably sought after during its season, which in the middle Piedmont is 

 September and early October. While apparently quite widely disseminated, it is 

 not grown extensively and occurs rarely except in the old orchards. 



The dessert quality of Fall Cheese is excellent, and for home use or for supplying 

 certain trade demands it could doubtless be given more prominence than it has at the 

 present time. 

 Fall Orange. 



This variety is more often found in the older Piedmont orchards of the Virginia por- 

 tion of these regions than at more southern points, but in this section its distribution is 

 very limited. While not a heavy bearer, it is said to produce more or less fruit nearly 

 every year. The fruit develops to a large size when well grown, acquires a rich yel- 

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