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 shipping 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 shipping 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.
H. L. Ferris: In my experience it bears only every other year. Is that the experience of others?
President Wellhouse: The Maiden"s Blush is the only summer apple that we have made pay.
J. W. Robison: We have not grown Maiden"s Blush very largely here. It is one of our old apples in Illinois, and it is the earliest, most regular and profuse bearer, and the best keeper of its season to ship in hot weather. It was named for its beauty, and is the most attractive apple grown. They last well if kept moderately cool. They are shipped largely in barrels, the earlier ones in boxes, from central Illinois north. The tree is tender in unusually cold seasons. Farther south there is no danger. I find it is a good apple to sell in a small way to grocerymen.
GRIMES"S GOLDEN PIPPIN.
_Synonym_: Grimes"s Golden.
This valuable apple originated many years since on the farm of Thomas Grimes, Brooke county, Virginia. In its native locality it is highly prized for the peculiar hardihood of the tree, withstanding uninjured the most severe winters, and never breaking in its limbs; also, for its uniform regular annual productiveness. Tree vigorous, hardy, upright, spreading, very productive; branches with peculiar k.n.o.bs at the base of each, connecting it with the main limbs. Young wood dark, dull red brown, grayish. Fruit medium, roundish oblate, slightly conical. Skin uneven. Color rich golden yellow, sprinkled moderately with small gray and light dots. Stalk rather short and slender. Cavity rather deep, sometimes slightly russeted. Calyx closed, or partially open. Basin abrupt, uneven. Flesh yellow, compact, crisp, tender, juicy, rich, sprightly, spicy subacid; peculiar aroma. Core rather small. Very good to best. December to March.
Remarks on the Grimes"s Golden Pippen by members of the State Horticultural Society:
C. C. Cook: I have not tried to ship any Grimes"s Golden. I would place it about second on the list of summer [?] apples. With me it is a good, thrifty, hardy tree, but my orchard is young.
J. W. Robison: I have grown it extensively. It is one of the best fall apples and one of the beauties. It does not keep well. It rots badly after it is gathered and goes to market in rather bad shape. It is not planted as much now as in the past.
E. J. Holman: It stands in quality beside the Jonathan, and is a first-cla.s.s dessert apple. It is a good bearer and ought to be in every family orchard, but I would not recommend it for the commercial orchard.
H. L. Ferris: Mine bore very heavily and were large and fine. Sold well locally; never shipped any; think they should come next to the Maiden"s Blush in the commercial orchard.
W. G. Gano: The Grimes"s Golden is the very best apple of its season.
Should be in all family orchards, and have a small place in commercial orchards.
J. B. McAfee: Like Mr. Gano, I consider it the very best apple that grows, and one of the most profitable in my orchard. I find it short-lived. I take best care of them for use of my family until about the 1st of November.
F. W. Dixon: It is the best apple for family use, but drops badly. The tree is a good bearer but not long-lived.
G. P. Whiteker: I plant Grimes"s Golden and Maiden"s Blush for profit.
The Grimes"s Golden is handsome and brings a good price, especially at this time of the year--December.
Phillip Lux: I have had experience with it for years. In the family orchard we cannot do without it. We aim to keep it for our family as long as it lasts, say until February. In my opinion it is better than any pear that grows in our state. We should handle them with care, as we do pears. Put away carefully, in a cold, dry cellar, they retain their flavor and keep well. I think them worthy of a place in the commercial orchard.
J. F. Maxey: I like to eat them; most of us do. There is a place for them as a fancy apple.
William Cutter: I consider it the best-flavored apple grown for family use. Missouri and Arkansas have brought the big red apple into history, but now the big yellow apple is preferred by many consumers. I consider them extra fine.
B. F. Smith: I pack mine in boxes as well as barrels. I consider them fine.
G. Y. Johnson (Douglas county): I find the tree is not as hardy as I would like to have it. As far as the apple is concerned, it sells as well as any.
HUNTSMAN"S FAVORITE.
A seedling on the farm of John Huntsman, of Fayette, Mo. Tree vigorous, not a very early bearer, but is very productive annually when the tree has attained sufficient age; it is said to be a valuable and profitable fruit in the locality where it originated. Young shoots smooth, reddish brown; fruit large, oblate, slightly conic, often a little oblate; skin smooth, pale yellow, sometimes a shade of pale red or deep yellow in the sun, and a few scattering grayish dots; stalk short, small; cavity broad, deep, sometimes slight russet; calyx closed, or nearly so; basin large, deep, slightly corrugated; flesh pale yellow, a little coa.r.s.e, crisp, tender, juicy, mild, rich subacid, slightly aromatic; very good; core rather small. December to March.