Part 6 (1/2)

Origin, Bucks county, Pennsylvania. This apple is widely grown and much esteemed as a profitable market sort. The tree is a very vigorous, straggling, spreading grower, and productive. Young wood a rich, dark brown. Fruit medium to large, roundish oblate conic, yellow, shaded and striped with red, spa.r.s.ely covered with gray dots. Stalk slender, of medium length, inserted in a deep, rather narrow cavity. Calyx closed, set in a broad, rather shallow basin. Flesh whitish, tender, juicy, crisp, pleasant, mild subacid. Good December to March.

Remarks on the Smith's Cider by members of the State Horticultural Society:

C. C. Cook: I planted Smith's Cider pretty heavily, and now regret it.

It blights badly, and the apples fall off. I intend to replace it with York Imperial.

E. J. Holman: It deserves a place in the family orchard, and a small place in the commercial orchard. They are as large as Ben Davis, and as great bearers, but they fall from the tree sooner.

James Sharp: We had 500 Smith's Cider. Nearly all blighted and died; have never paid me.

G. Whiteker: It is a splendid apple, but blights; I think it will not be profitable.

B. F. Smith: We should not drop it from the list; it is a fairly good apple.

MAIDEN'S BLUSH.

A remarkably beautiful apple, a native of New Jersey, and first described by c.o.xe. It begins to ripen about the 20th of August, and continues until the last of October. It has all the beauty of color of the pretty little Lady Apple, and is much cultivated and admired, both for the table and for cooking. It is also very highly esteemed for drying. This variety forms a handsome, rapid-growing tree, with a fine spreading head, and bears large crops. It is very valuable as a profitable market sort. Fruit of medium size, very regularly shaped, and a little narrow towards the eye. Skin smooth, with a delicate waxen appearance, pale lemon yellow in the shade, with a brilliant crimson cheek next the sun, the two colors often joining in brilliant red. Stalk short, planted in a rather wide, deep hollow. Basin moderately depressed. Calyx closed. Flesh white, tender, sprightly, pleasant subacid. Good.

Remarks on the Maiden's Blush by the members of the State Horticultural Society:

C. C. Cook: It is all right to raise for a local market and for family use. Hardy tree. I planted probably 100. I cannot determine where to place it on the list. Probably others have had more experience with it than I have.

E. J. Holman: The Maiden's Blush deserves a place in both the family and the commercial orchard. In its season it is unexcelled for market purposes, and is especially attractive. I should recommend it as a commercial apple.

H. L. Ferris: I would place it first as a summer apple for local market.

W. G. Gano: You certainly will not discard it.

W. J. Griffing: It is about the earliest apple that will bear s.h.i.+pping in summer, and very profitable.

F. W. Dixon: I find it rather a shy bearer, but the tree is long-lived and very hardy, and it deserves a place in the family orchard. I think there is no profit in them for a commercial orchard.

President Wellhouse: They are long-lived and very hardy; I would recommend them for family, but not for commercial orchard.

G. P. Whiteker: It comes at a time when there is much other fruit. I do not think it pays very well. Mine turn brown from some cause.

Phillip Lux: It is our very best apple in its season; while talking of the commercial orchard, there is a demand for apples at all seasons of the year, and if we discard this, we will have nothing at its season. I would say, place it in the commercial orchard for export.

W. J. Griffing: Do not know that it is profitable, but for quality the Maiden's Blush is worthy of a place among fruits.

G. W. Bailey: As a summer apple for family and commercial orchards, I would place it at the head of the list.

William Cutter: It is the best apple of its season for all purposes.

B. F. Smith: It is the best commercial apple for summer trade we have.

Secretary Barnes: At the late meeting of the Missouri Horticultural Society, the secretary stated that he thought there was good money in the Maiden's Blush. He said the trouble was, they were raised in too limited quant.i.ties. He said they should be raised in car lots for s.h.i.+pping to Northern cities; that they were quick growers and brought ready money, and at their season had little compet.i.tion in the market.

They come in when there are few apples obtainable, and he considers them profitable.