CHAPTER XV.

CHARACTERS OF FRUITS AND THEIR VALUE. TERMS USED.

IMPORTANCE OF SEIZING THE STRONG MARKS. EXTERNAL; WEIGHT, SHAPE, SIZE, SURFACE. BASIN AND EYE. CAVITY AND STEM. INTERNAL; FLESH, CORE, AXIS, SEEDS, FLAVOR. THESE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY AND ILl.u.s.tRATED. EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED. SHAPE REFERRED TO RELATIONS OF THE DIAMETERS; AXIAL AND TRANSVERSE. LEADING FORMS DESCRIBED AND ILl.u.s.tRATED. SIZE, A COMPARATIVE TERM. SKIN CHARACTERS, COLOR; ITS USE IN CLa.s.sIFYING. PERMANENCE OF STRIPES. LINES. DOTS AND SPECKS. FUNGOUS SPOTS. FORMS OF BASIN AND EYE, OF CAVITY AND STEM, ARE VALUABLE; TERMS USED. THE INTERIOR, AXIS, CORE, SEEDS, FLESH. FLAVOR UNCERTAIN. SWEET AND SOUR GOOD CHARACTERS. QUALITY, TERMS EXPRESSIVE OF.

In the description of a fruit, it is very desirable for the writer to catch the strong characters, so that he, who reads, may the more readily identify the specimen he holds in his hand. Among these several characters there is considerable difference as to their permanence and value; some are evanescent, some variable, while others are found to be more reliable and constant. Let us consider some of these in the systematic order by which they will be taken in the descriptions that are to follow.

In describing a fruit, the firmness, weight, and external characters, first claim our attention, then the internal; these are taken up in the following order: externally, its shape, size, surface, color, and dots are examined. In the apple and pear the basin is next observed and its characters noted, with any peculiarities connected with the eye, by which term the triangular s.p.a.ce is designated that is embraced by the calyx, as shown in an axial section of the fruit; at the same time the length and breadth and shape of the calyx segments are noted.

The other end of the fruit is then explored as to the form and markings of the cavity, and the length, size, and peculiarities of the stem. Having thus disposed of the externals, we are now to investigate the nature of the internal structure; to do this, a section is made vertically through the middle of the fruit from the eye to the stem, which exposes the flesh, the axis with its core and the seeds, and which enables us to investigate some very important characters, such as the length of the axis, its form and that of its carpels, and the manner of their union, whether they form an open core or otherwise.

The number, color, and shape of the seeds are noted. The color of the flesh, its texture and juiciness are examined; the latter qualities are always tested by the teeth, and then the palate gives us an account of the degree of richness, acidity, or sweetness and flavor.

The investigator is now prepared to render judgment; having the testimony of his organs of touch, sight, taste and smell, he can p.r.o.nounce his decision as to quality, and is prepared to specify the particular uses to which the fruit is especially adapted; whether for the table as a dessert, for the kitchen, as in baking and stewing, or for drying, or whether it be valuable for cider-making. A good judge will now be able to decide whether the fruit be especially adapted for the market or for the amateur. The season of ripening should be noted in this place, with any remark as to qualities not already provided for.

FORM is one of our most permanent characters; though subject to modifications, the general shape of the specimens is always characteristic of the variety. Even a novice will soon learn the peculiar outline of a variety of fruit.

Before commencing the study of these varieties of form, it will be well to explain some of the leading terms introduced. By referring to the ill.u.s.trations, it will be observed that the outlines are inscribed in circles to which they are compared; these are drawn with dotted lines, and they are bisected with cross lines representing the two diameters referred to in the cla.s.sification by form: the vertical or axial diameter, _AA_, pa.s.sing through the axis of the fruit, and the transverse diameter, _BB_, at right angles to the vertical.

The FORM may be _round_ or _globular_ when it is nearly spherical; the two diameters, the axial and transverse, being nearly equal; fig. 30.

_Globose_ is another term of about the same meaning.

_Conic_, or _conical_, indicates a decided contraction toward the blossom end, fig. 31; _Ob-conic_ implies that the cone is very short or flattened.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 30.--ROUND.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 31.--CONICAL.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 32.--OBLONG OR TRUNCATE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 33.--OBLONG CONIC.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 34.--OVATE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 35.--OBLATE.]

_Oblong_ means that the axial diameter is the longer, or that it appears so, for an oblong apple may have equal diameters; fig. 32.

_Oblong-conic_, that the outline also tapers rapidly toward the eye; fig. 33.

_Oblong-ovate_, that it is fullest in the middle; and like

_Ovate_, which means egg-shaped, that it tapers to both ends; fig. 34.

_Oblate_, or flattened, when the axial diameter is decidedly the shorter; fig. 35.

_Obtuse_ is applied to any of these figures that is not very decided.

_Cylindrical_ and _truncate_ are dependent upon one another, thus a globular, or still more remarkably, an oblong fruit, which is abruptly truncated or flattened at the ends, appears cylindrical in its form.

_Depressed_ is an unusually flattened oblate form.

_Turbinate_ or top-shaped, and _pyriform_ or pear-shaped, are especially applicable to pears, and seldom to apples.

When these forms are described evenly about a vertical axis, as shown by a section of the fruit made transversely, or across the axis, the specimen may be called _regular_ or _uniform_, fig. 36; if otherwise, it is _irregular_, fig. 37, _unequal_, fig. 38, _oblique_ or _lop-sided_, fig. 39, in which last cases the axis is inclined to one side. If the development at the surface is irregular, as in the d.u.c.h.esse d'Angouleme and Bartlett pears, the fruit is termed _uneven_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 36.--REGULAR.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 37.--IRREGULAR.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 38.--UNEQUAL.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 39.--LOP-SIDED.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 40.--COMPRESSED.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 41.--QUADRANGULAR.]

When a transverse section of the fruit, made at right angles to the axis, gives the figure of a circle, the fruit is _regular_; if otherwise, it may be _compressed_ or flattened at the sides, fig. 40; _angular_, _quadrangular_, fig. 41; sulcate or _furrowed_, fig. 42, when marked by sulcations; or _ribbed_, fig. 43, when the intervening ridges are abrupt. _Heart-shaped_ is a form that applies more especially to the cherry, than any other kind of fruit.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 42.--SULCATE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 43.--RIBBED.]

SIZE is a character of but second rate importance, since it is dependent upon the varying conditions of soil, climate, overbearing, etc. It has its value, however, when it is considered as comparative or relative. The expressions employed in this work to indicate size, are: _very large_, _large_, _medium_, _small_, _very small_, making five grades.

The characters of the SKIN and surface are generally very reliable, though the smoothness of the skin as well as the coloring depend upon both soil and climate. We find, however, that a striped apple which has been shaded, though pale, will always betray itself by a splash or stripe, be it ever so small or rare, nor will any exposure so deepen and exaggerate its stripes as to make it a self-colored fruit; and no circ.u.mstances will introduce a true stripe upon a self-colored variety. Hence we may consider this kind of marking a reliable character, and apply it as an element of our cla.s.sification. We sometimes find _lines_ on self-colored fruits that are as distinctive as the stripes, but entirely distinct from them.

The skin itself may be either _thick_ or _thin_, _smooth_, _rough_, or _polished_, and it is sometimes _uneven_; it may be covered with a _bloom_, it may be _russeted_ in whole or in part, and this may be thickly or thinly spread over the surface, or only net-veined. A sort of russeting occurs about the stem only in some varieties, and is never seen in others, making a pretty good character, but in the same variety it is often much increased or diminished.

This character, russet on the skin, has been very puzzling to young pomologists in the study of pears, owing to its liability to exaggeration in some varieties, under the influence of certain climatic conditions that have even produced it in varieties in which it had not been previously suspected. Some pears are characterized by this russeting of the skin, either generally spread over the surface or confined to a limited area at either end of the fruit, particularly about the insertion of the stem; others have never shown any disposition to put on this character, but, under certain circ.u.mstances some varieties, which should have been smooth and fair, become thickly spread with this russeting, that seems even to thicken the skin and which deteriorates the qualities of the fruit. In some cases this appearance is local, occupying one end of the fruit, or making a band around the middle and contracting it like a cincture, as though its presence prevented the proper growth and development of the sarcocarp or fleshy ma.s.s of the fruit.

The colors themselves being as various almost as the hues of the rainbow, will be designated by their appropriate or customary names; the manner of their laying on will require the use of certain definite terms, which should be understood to comprehend the cla.s.sification, which, in part, depends upon this circ.u.mstance. Thus a fruit is called _self-colored_ when it is not striped, though it may be _blushed_ or _bronzed_, and the coloring may be so broken, without stripes, as to be _mixed_ or curdled, _blotched_, marbled, _mottled_, _clouded_, _spotted_, _stained_, _shaded_ or _dappled_; but some of these characters are often found a.s.sociated with striping also, or they are observed in those kinds of fruit that are always devoid of stripes.

Striped fruits are often so deeply colored that the separate stripes do not appear so distinctly, as when there are fewer of them on a lighter ground and they can scarcely be perceived. When the stripes are long and distinct, they are called _streaks_; when short and broken abruptly at their ends, the surface is said to be _splashed_.

Certain pears are striped by a paleness or faintness of color, these are called _panache_, and are considered sports of their namesake varieties which they resemble in other respects. A few peaches are distinctly striped; some plums and cherries obscurely so.

Another cla.s.s of surface or skin characters consists in the DOTS and SPECKS, which appear to be very valuable distinctive markings, on account of their uniformity in different varieties. These may be _large_ or _small_, _numerous_ or _scattered_, _darker_ or _lighter_ colored, _prominent_ or _indented_. In shape they are _round_ or _elongated_, and this last is a valuable character because quite rare.

Sometimes the dots are characterized by having a green base or areola around them, which is very noticeable, and in some varieties these marks, which are perhaps the stomata of the skin, are surrounded by distinct rings of a gray color, that resemble _ocellations_ or eyes.

No reliance can be placed upon the delicate coloring that is often to be seen upon the surface of certain light colored fruits, making rose, red, or purplish tints about these dots, as they are accidental only and not distinctive markings.

No one should confound these pores, that are designated as the _dots_, with the superficial and extraneous marks that appear to be the accidental growth of some fungus or lichen, and which are very commonly found upon the surface of many fruits, often giving them a quite pretty appearance that would be seized upon by the fruit painter as a special beauty, unless when so abundant as to produce an unpleasant s.m.u.tchiness or cloudiness, such as is often found in the product of apple orchards that are situated in low bottom lands, and which peculiarity is attributed to the influence of fogs.

The BASIN or APEX of a fruit consists of that portion most distant from the stem. In the apple and pear it is commonly called the blossom end, and is often more or less depressed; hence the term _basin_. In other fruits it is called the point or _apex_. Both are characterized by peculiarities of form that serve as distinctive marks in the description of fruits, and these are characters of considerable value on account of their permanence. In respect to its form, the basin, according to its depth, is called _deep_, fig. 44; _shallow_, fig. 45; _very shallow_, or _medium_. It is _abrupt_, fig. 44, when the edges are steep; it is _narrow_ and _pointed_, fig. 46, or _wide_; it is _regular_, or _wavy_, _wrinkled_, _plaited_, _folded_, _ribbed_ or angular, fig. 46--when these peculiarities exist.