THE APPLE. 



71 



gible terras, but often the form of the growth of the tree, as well as the 

 color of its young wood, are essential to a clear knowledge for decision. 

 The form and general appearance of a fruit may be changed by soil or 

 climate, but the general habit of growth and color of the young wood is 

 always the same, and in the ensuing pages this latter point has been 

 kept in view and recorded, so far as knowledge could be obtained, 

 respecting valuable varieties. 



The terms used we have sought to make simple and uniform, and 

 within the comprehension of all, rather than scientific. In describing 

 trees, the character designed to be represented is that of the orchard, 

 or trees in a healthy bearing condition, and the growth is said to be 

 strong and vigorous, as the Rhode Island Greening, or Baldwin; vigor- 

 ous and slender, as the Jonathan or Winesap ; stout and short-jointed, as 

 Jersey Sweet or Primate ; medium and vigorous, as Fameuse, or Maiden's 

 Blush. And for the general form of the tree, the word upright spread- 

 ing is used to designate such as Baldwin ; spreading, as the Rhode 

 Island Greening ; round-headed, as in the Early Harvest ; upright, as 

 with Benoni. In describing fruits, the word base m6ans that part of the 

 fruit in which the stem is planted ; and apex, the blossom end, or crown, 

 as it is sometimes termed. Forms are so much interwoven, as it were, 

 one with another, that we have selected but four as the primary bases on 

 which all others are built, and are subsidiary. 



Oblate. Roundish. 



Conical. Oblong. 



These primary forms are roundish, oblate, conical, and oblong. The 

 terms round, roundish, or globular, are sometimes used in connection, 

 rather as qualifying expressions than as distinctive ; for while the word 

 roundish, which indicates the height and diameter as nearly equal, ap- 



