1834 
"The Calvilles of course are not peculiar to 
the Crimea, tout are rather widely grown throughout 
southwestern Europe, especially in espalier and 
cordon methods of training. This Beedling impresses 
me as of tetter texture and quality than any of them 
and certainly is well worth keeping an eye on." 
Malus sylvestris (Malaceae), 9471. Apple. Nearly twenty years 
ago, when the Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction was still 
young, David Fairchild, now in charge of the office, and Mr. Barbour 
Lathrop were engaged in extensive agricultural explorations in various 
parts of the world. This work was conducted largely at Mr. Lathrop 's 
expense. In the course of their travels, Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild 
visited Italy and while in Naples they discovered the "Melo gelato" 
apple. This variety was toeing sold on the streets and its unusual 
aroma attracted the attention of the two explorers. Through Prof. L. 
Savastano arrangements were made to send some scions of the apple to 
the Department at the proper season. The scions arrived March 14, 
1903, with the following note: 
"Apple - 'Melo gelato.' Grows well in warm 
regions atoout Naples. In cold countries the yield 
is poor. It does toest in calcareous soil. "(Fair- 
child.) 
Nearly a hundred scions were received and the records show that 
they were widely distributed, going to California, Texas, Arkansas, 
Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, and several other states. Thirty- 
three of the scions were placed at the disposal of the Office of Horti- 
cultural and Pomological Investigations in the Bureau of Plant Industry 
and distritouted toy that office. A few were propagated at the Arling- 
ton Experimental Farm near Washington, and the young trees planted in 
the experimental orchard. In 1904 a numtoer of reports came in to the 
effect that the scions had been received and were growing, and then 
the apple dropped out of sight until this year (1922) when it fruited 
at the Arlington Farm. What happened to the remaining widely distrib- 
uted material is not known. Following is a description of the fruit 
as produced at Arlington: 
Melo gelato. No. 9471. Naples, Italy. Introduced 
in March, 1903. 
Fruit medium to rather small; generally uni- 
form in size and shape; form roundish; flattened 
at the 8 tern end; stem slender, short; cavity acute, 
