APPLE. Pyres males. This is the most im portant of the fruits of the temperate zone. The time when it was first brought into cultivation is lost in the obscurity of the past. It is, without doubt, one of the most ancient of fruits culti vated, since it is found in the remains of the lake dwellings of the Neolithic period, having then been apparently cultivated. Again, its name, as found in most Indo-European lan guages, is derived from a common root, Ab., Ap , Al , Av., Af , implying its transmission successively from its original place of cultiva tion, or home, through numerous tribes. It has one of the widest ranges of any fruit, being found in nearly the whole of Europe, Northern Africa, Northern Asia, China, Japan, in North America and in South America, being abundant in Southern Chili. It is also found in Australia. In fact, wherever civilization. extends, and the climate is temperate, there this king of fruits may be found. In the United States, apple orchards are cultivated from Florida to Alaska Even at Sitka it blossoms the first of June, hut does not usually perfect its fruit. It is held to be descended from the wild crab of Europe, but the Siberian crab, and most probably the Russian apples, are descendants of the Pyrus prunifolia. The wild crab-apples of the United States are as follows. Pyrus augustifolia (Ait.), or American crab-apple, is found growing wild in Pennsylvania, south ward and westward, supposed by some to be only a variety of P. coronaria (Linn.) is the common crab-apple of the United States, found growing in glades, in the forests, and in thickets in the edges of groves. The fruit is variable, intensely sour, but it makes excellent preserves and jellies, and rich cider, with the addition of sugar and water. (See Gallizing.) Some Western varieties are as large as a Pyrus Americana (S. C.) is the American Mountain Ash. (See Ash.) Pyrus rivularia (Doug.) or Oregon crab-apple, is found in Oregon and the Rocky mountains. It is a small tree, ranging from California on the Pacific coast, northwards, even into Alaska. The fruit is the size of a cherry, is used by the Indians as food, and is not unpalatable. The cultivation of the apple in the United States is almost as universal as husbandry itself. Nearly every farm, however small, has its orchard, and many extensive plantations are devoted princi pally to this fruit. More than this, almost every person who owns or cultivates a garden, or vil lage lot, has one or more trees. As an article of commerce it has assumed large proportions, being shipped extensively to England and the Continent of Europe, even from so far west as Michigan. It is also shipped to the North from the South early in the season, and again it is shipped to the South from the North later, since apples grown north keep through the winter much better and later than those grown south. It is only within the last 200 years that syste matic attempts have been made in improving the quality of fruit by raising new and superior seedlings, and propagating them by grafting. And it is only within the last 100 years that varieties have multiplied, adapted to very early and very late ripening. It is probable that with in the last forty years, more superior varieties have been given to the world than in all previous time heretofore. The apple may be propagated in a variety of ways—from seed, from cuttings, and by any of the many systems of budding and grafting. That they may come true to their
kind, however, it is necessary that they be pro pagated by some one of the three last-mentioned ways, since if the seed is planted, the chances, are against more than one in five hundred or a thousand plants proving superior fruit. The most usual and successful manner of propa gation is by grafting, which see. Much diffi culty has been experienced in the West in the cultivation of apple orchards, from the propaga tion of varieties unsuited to the soil and climate, and much loss and discouragement ensued in con sequence. The horticultural societies of the several States, have narrowed down the list of profitable sorts out of the many thousands of varieties on the catalogues, to comparatively a few, with as to soils, situations, etc., adapted to special va rieties. The reader is. referred to the transac tions of the horticult ural societies of his for such list, since those doing well in one locality or State, might. not do so in another. As an indication of va rieties, we append the list adopted by the American Pomological Society, for the several sections of country and latitudes named. The plan is shown on the following pages. We give illustrations, on pages 49, 51, 64, of four apples noted for quality or hardiness: Canada Reinette, Early Joe and Grimes' Golden, are fine in quality, and 'I etofski, hardy even far north, and a good cooking apple. It may be interesting to some of our readers to know that the Mountain Ash belongs to the same class as apples and pears.
The arrangement of the name., of varieties in the cata logue is alphabetical and according to the nomenclature adopted by the society. Synonyms are given in a few instances where it seemed necessary, and these are placed under the adopted names in italics. The columns are arranged thus: In the first, the names of varieties, in the next seven columns the description, and in the remain ing columns the States or districts. The State or district columns are not placed in alphabetical order, but are grouped in divisions somewhat similar in climate, and other characters affecting fruit culture. Thus : 1, Northern division, hetween 42° and 49° ; 2, Central division be tween 35° and 42°; 3, Southern division, between 28° and 35°. The State or district in which a fruit is recommended for cultivation is designated by a star (*) and if the variety is of great superiority and value. two state (**), if new and recently introduced and promising, by a dagger (t). Explanation of abbreviations: The size is nner stood by I. for large; m. for medium, and s. for small.. The c. for roundish conical; ob. for oblong; r. ob. for roundish oblate; II. for fiat or oblate; it. for roundish. The color—y. r. for yellow and red; r. s. for red striped; g. y. for creenish yellow: rue. for russetted; y. rue. for yellow russet. The quality—g. for good; v. g. fur very good; b. for best. The use—F. fruit valuable for all family purposes; K. M. valuable for kitchen or market purposes; F. M. family and market. The season—S. for summer; E. A. for early autumn; L. A. for late autumn, and W. for winter. Rue. is for Russian; Eng., English; Am., American; Ger., German; F., Foreign.