GROUP 1. FRUCTUS OBLONGI.—OBLONG FRUIT.
GROUP 2. FRUCTUS SPHÆRICI.—ROUND OR FLATTENED FRUIT.
ORDER II. REINETTA.—REINETTES.
1. These are apples which have generally the most regular and handsome shape; having the bulge in the middle, at the same distance from the eye as from the stalk.—2. All are dotted, clouded, or entirely covered with russet.—3. They are very rarely inclined to be unctuous, but generally rough when handled.—4. They all decay very readily, (they must therefore be left as long as possible on the tree.)—5. Their flesh is fine-grained, crisp, firm, or fine and delicate.—6. They are all charged with only a balsamic, sugary acid, which is called Reinette flavored.
GROUP 1. FRUCTUS UNICOLORES.—SELF COLORED.
1. Having an uniform green ground color, which changes to the most beautiful golden yellow.—2. Having no lively colors nor marks of russet, on the side next the sun; except those that are very much exposed, and are slightly tinged with red.—3. Having no covering of russet, but only slight traces of russety stripes.
GROUP 2. FRUCTUS RUBRI.—FRUIT RED.
Having all the properties of the self colored Reinettes; but on the side next the sun, they are of a red color, with a mixture of russet.
GROUP 3. FRUCTUS RAVI.—FRUIT RUSSETED.
1. Their ground color is green, changing to dingy dull yellow.—2. The coatings of russet are very conspicious.—3. The side next the sun is often dingy, brownish, or ochreous-red.—4. They all decay very readily.
GROUP 4. FRUCTUS AUREI.—YELLOW OR GOLDEN FRUIT. GOLDEN REINETTES.
1. On the side next the sun they are washed or striped with beautiful crimson.—2. The ground color changes by keeping, to beautiful deep yellow.—3. Over the crimson there is a light, thin trace, or complete covering of russet.
CLASS IV. MALA MALARIA.—PERFECT OR PURE APPLE SHAPED.
They are of a perfectly sweet or vinous flavor, approaching to pure acid.
ORDER I. STRIOLA.—STRIPED APPLES.
1. They are all, and almost always, marked with broken stripes of red.—2. These are either over the whole fruit, or only indistinctly on the side exposed to the sun.—3. The stripes may all be distinct, that is, clearly and finely striped; or between these stripes on the side next the sun, the fruit is dotted, shaded, or washed with red; but on the shaded side, the stripes are well defined.—4. The cells are regular.—5. The fruit does not decay, except when gathered before maturity, or after the period when it has been properly ripened.
GROUP 1. FRUCTUS DEPRESSI.—FRUIT FLAT.
1. They have the bulge at the same distance from the eye, as from the stalk, and are broadly flattened.—2. They are always half an inch broader than high.
GROUP 2. FRUCTUS ACUMINATI.—POINTED FRUIT.
1. They are broader than high.—2. They diminish from the middle of the apple towards the eye, so that the superior half is conical or pyramidal, and is not at all similiar to the inferior half.
GROUP 3. FRUCTUS OBLONGI.—FRUIT OBLONG OR CYLINDRICAL.
1. The height and breadth are almost equal.—2. They diminish gradually from the base to the apex.—3. Or from the middle of the fruit, they gradually diminish towards the base and apex equally.
GROUP 4. FRUCTUS SPHÆRICI.—FRUIT ROUND.
1. The convexity of the fruit next the base and the apex is the same.—2. The breadth does not differ from the height, except only about a quarter of an inch.—3. When laid on their sides they present a spherical shape.
ORDER II. CONTUBERNALIA.—STORING OR HOUSEHOLD APPLES.
1. Having the cells regular.—2. They are not striped, and are either of an uniform color, or washed with red on the side next the sun.—3. They do not decay readily.—4. They are not unctuous when handled.—5. They are never covered with bloom.
GROUP 1. FRUCTUS ACUMINATI.—FRUIT TAPERING.
Diminishing towards the eye.
GROUP 2. FRUCTUS DEPRESSI.—FRUIT FLAT.
They are constantly broader than high.
Such is the classification of Dochnahl, and although it is not all that could be desired, it is certainly the best which has yet been published, and will serve as a good foundation on which to raise a more perfect work.
I have not had an opportunity of applying either of these arrangements to the classification of our British apples, but for the purpose of affording a little assistance in identifying the different varieties described in this work, I have prepared the following, which, although I am aware is not what could be desired, will at least be sufficient for all general purposes. The period of duration, and the coloring of fruits, vary to a considerable extent according to circumstances of soil, situation, and season; but in the following arrangement, I have endeavored to embrace those characters which they are most generally found to possess.
I. SUMMER APPLES.
Consisting of such as either ripen on the tree, or shortly after being gathered, and which generally do not last longer than the beginning of October.
§—ROUND, ROUNDISH, OR OBLATE.
A. Pale Colored.
Being either of an uniform pale color, or occasionally tinged with faint red.
Calville Blanche d’Eté
Dutch Codlin
Early Harvest
Early Julien
Early Spice
Joanneting
Large Yellow Bough
Madeleine
Oslin
Sack and Sugar
Stirzaker’s Early Square
B. Striped.
Being wholly or partially marked with stripes, either on a pale or colored ground.
Borovitsky
Duchess of Oldenburgh
Nonesuch
Ravelstone Pippin
Whorle
C. Red.
Having either a cloud of red on the side next the sun, or entirely covered with red.
Calville Rouge d’Eté
Calville Rouge de Micoud
Cole
Devonshire Quarrenden
Irish