SOME OF THE BEST APPLES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1695, 24 August 1904, Page 70

SOME OF THE BEST APPLES

The ‘ ‘Sear let Nonpariel" (commonly called “Scarlet Pearmain” or simply Scarlet) is decidedly our best apple, being highly coloured and cf a beautiful flavour; it also keeps well and travels well. Although our best dessert apple it is a splendid cooker, and when baked,is a dream of delight. It is a medium-sized apple. There are more trees sot out of this than of any other kind, and yearly it is increasing in favour. It is, however, very liable to black spot in certain dis-

tricts, and having a tender skin is easily damaged by spraying mixtures. The “New York” (or “Cleopatra”) is a decided favourite; it is a rather long apple of a. green colour, becoming a waxy yellow when ripe, and occasionally with a slight flush. It is rather below the average size. It keeps and travels well. Like the “Scarlet,” it is especially sul> ject to attack by black spot, but stands spraying with Bordeaux mixture (the almost universal spray for this disease) better. It is also very liable to bitter pit, a troublesome disease which sometimes cause the fruit when opened in London to appear a mass, of brown spot 3 and seriously reduce it m value, the disease being especially troublesome to young trees and large fruits. Notwithstanding this, it is a splendid apple to grow, and yearly is being set out in increasing numbers. The “Sturmor Pippin” is a hard apple, rather above medium size; -it is of a greenish colou-r, with a rusty, red flush on one side. It travels hotter than any of the other commercial varieties and keeps better. Early in the season it is not of a particularly good flavour, but it improves greatly later on. It is an especial favourite with our larger growers on account of its keeping and travelling qualities, and many contend that it is our best paying apple. The “French Crab” is a rather large, green apple, grown principally for the London market, where it is a great Savourjte. It keeps aud travels well. The trees grow very largo and produce heavy crops in alternate seasons, but when planted out in blocks are liable to be shy bearers, this being one of the kinds to which fertilisation of pollen is a prime necessity. The “Golden Rennette” (usually called the “Adams Pearmain,” although a very different apple to that variety) is a showy apple, something like the “Scarlet” in appearance, but less finely flavoured. It keeps and travels well, and is a very desirable apple to grow.

The “Russet” is too old a favourite to need describing; it is one of our earliest apples, but many of the -older people state that it is of inferior flavour to what it was when they were young.