No. 574] 



VARIATION IN THE APPLE 



('.25 



cient iron for the development of chlorophyll in the leaves 

 are also fully supplied for the formation of the red pig- 

 ment of the apple. 



Internal Structure.— The form and relative develop- 

 ment of the core and associated structures are subject to 

 numerous variations, which, however, are seldom so con- 

 spicuous as to attract attention unless closely studied, 

 and appear to be of little practical importance to either 

 the grower or consumer of the fruit. The number of 

 seeds may be mentioned as an indication of the thorough- 

 ness of cross pollination and in most varieties the pres- 

 ence of one or more well developed seeds is a requisite 

 to the proper development of the fruit. Small or poorly 

 developed fruit, the result of too short a season or too 

 low a temperature, is apt to have the core closed and axile, 

 or nearly so, while in the same varieties good develop- 

 ment is usually associated with a more open abaxile core. 

 The carpels of such poorly developed fruit are usually 

 entire and smooth, while those of the better-grown fruit 

 are more or less cleft and often tufted. 



Flesh Characters.— From the standpoint of the con- 

 sumer, these are by all odds the most important charac- 

 ters of the fruit, though lost sight of through the empha- 

 sis placed on external characters, and no grower who 

 has at heart the permanent prosperity, extension and 

 normal development of the industry can afford to look 

 upon quality as a secondary consideration. Neglect in 

 this matter is sure to result sooner or later in a bad repu- 

 tation for the fruit among a considerable proportion of 

 buyers, which appearance and advertising will not be 

 competent to overcome. The fact can not be denied that 

 the great majority of varieties fail to attain as high 

 quality in the northwest as when grown in the eastern or 

 middle states where nearly all of them originated, while 

 at the same time they may excel in other important char- 

 acters. This is especially true of most of the choice 

 dessert apples. Such unequal development can have no 

 other interpretation than that these varieties are in a 

 state of unbalanced adaptation to the environment. This 



