Not particularly desirable.

=Early Harvest.=

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 69.--EARLY HARVEST.]

This American apple has long been a prime favorite in the orchard, especially when planted for family use, since it is of excellent quality for table as well as in the kitchen. For the commercial orchard, however, it is falling into disfavor with the market men, because of its uncertainty, and its p.r.o.neness to be defective on some soils.

Tree spreading, healthy and vigorous; the limbs are very strongly attached to the trunk by a woody enlargement at their base, and the pale olive twigs are remarkable for their peculiar mode of production in twos and threes from a common origin.

Fruit medium, regular, oblate, sometimes almost round, as described by Downing, but this is rare in the West, where the oblate form prevails.

Surface smooth, clear, waxy yellow, very rarely blushed; Dots numerous, minute, green.

Basin regular, narrow, abrupt; Eye small, closed.

Cavity wide, regular; Stem short.

Core round, closed, not meeting the eye; Seeds large, pointed; Flesh tender, breaking, juicy, acid to sub-acid, agreeable; Of first quality for table or kitchen during the month of July.

=Faust.=

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 70.--FAUST.]

This very nice apple, received from S.W. Westbrooke, of Greensboro, N.C., deserves the commendation of its southern admirers.

Fruit regular, globular-oblate, of medium size; Surface smooth, yellow, with a white bloom and sunken white dots.

Basin shallow, folded; Eye small, closed.

Cavity wide, green; Stem medium, to long.

Core wide, closed, scarcely meeting the eye; Seeds angular; Flesh yellow, fine grained; Flavor sub-acid, aromatic, and first quality for table or dessert use, in November or later.

=Finley.=

ABBOTT?

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 71.--FINLEY.]

This fine fruit originated in Kentucky and is cultivated to some extent in Southern Indiana, where it is considered ent.i.tled to the meed of excellence, and preferred to the Early Harvest on the one hand, and to the Maiden's Blush on the other; and in its season, it competes with both, being useful in July for the kitchen, and ripening gradually until September.

Tree large, spreading, vigorous and productive.

Fruit large to very large, regular, globular-oblate, slightly conical; Surface smooth, greenish-yellow, becoming a clear lemon yellow at maturity; Dots minute, gray, scattering.

Basin rather wide, wavy; Eye small, closed; Segments reflexed.

Cavity acute, medium to deep, regular, brown; Stem long, yellow.

Core heart-shaped, regular, closed, clasping the eye; Seeds few, large, plump, and some imperfect; Flesh yellow, breaking, fine grained, juicy, acid, almost first quality; Valuable for kitchen and market; Season August and September.

=Fink.=

FINK'S SEEDLING.

This long keeper was brought before the notice of the Ohio Pomological Society many years ago by Mr. Clarke, of Somerset, Ohio. Mr. Elliott considered it the same as Tewksbury Winter Blush, and introduces Fink's Seedling as a synonym of that variety. Others think it a different fruit, among whom is that practical Pomologist, the Secretary of that a.s.sociation, M.B. Bateham, Esq., who has propagated and planted the trees extensively. It was described as Fink's Seedling in the Ohio Cultivator, May, 1847. At the meeting of 1854, the merits and claims of this variety were freely discussed, and the Society named it the _Fink_, after admitting that it was an original seedling, as stated by Mr. Fink, in whose seedling orchard it had originated.

Tree of strong upright growth, a profuse and annual bearer.

Fruit small, regular, roundish-oblate; Surface very smooth, polished, greenish-yellow, blushed with brownish-red; Flesh whitish, breaking, juicy, mild sub-acid; remarkable for its keeping qualities, remaining sound until the second season, and has been shown in May after having been kept over two winters.

=Fulton.=

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig 72.--FULTON.]

Origin, Canton County, Illinois. Tree large, vigorous, productive, annual bearer.

Fruit large, globular-oblate, often oblique or unsymmetrical; Surface smooth, greenish-yellow, with a carmine blush; Dots minute, indented.

Basin abrupt, deep, folded; Eye medium to large, open.

Cavity deep, narrow or acute, green and brown; Stem rather long and slender.

Core small, round, clasping; Seeds numerous, small, short and plump; Flesh yellow, tender, line grained, juicy; flavor sub-acid and aromatic; First quality for table; In November and December. Our Illinois orchardists do not commend it so highly as when first introduced; not fully satisfactory where planted in Ohio on limestone clays.

=Golden Seedling.=

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 73.--GOLDEN SEEDLING.]

Said to have originated with Mr. Riehl, of St. Louis, cultivated and distributed by Geo. Husmann, of Hermann, Mo., in whose orchard I gathered it.

Fruit large, handsome, regular, and oblate; Surface smooth, greenish-yellow, and blushed; Dots scattered, minute.

Basin wide, regular; Eye medium, closed.

Cavity wide, wavy; Stem short.

Core medium, regular, meeting the eye, closed; Seeds numerous, angular, pale; Flesh yellow, juicy, rich; "Very good."

=Green Crank.=

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 74.--GREEN CRANK.]