The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1885-09-25
THE CLOT OF BLOOD IN THE
APPLE.
A Curious Connecticut Fruit That
is Said to Garry IL Gains Mark.

Norwich, Sept. 5.-the story of
the "Mike apple" aud the drop OF
blood in it is Il familiar one in new
London county, and old people uev-
er tire of relating il. In almost
every town in this part OF Conuec-
ticut, where the fruit originated, il
is to be found one or more Mike
apple trees, and at this time OF the
year children vie with each other
in getting the first amber hued
windfalls and hnding the drops Of
blood in them. SOmetiuies The
drop Is found just under the skin
a thin streak of carmiHe that pene-
trateS to the core, and that coverS
the Silvery pulp, it touched, as "A
drop of blood might do. Often it.
is an insulated clOt as large as a
whOrtleberrN, aud sometimes the
apple is banded by Il narrow crps
cent of crimson that reaches halt
around the fruit on the outside OF
rind. Apples thus marked present
"A very striking appearance, the
crimson patch being 50 clearly de-
fined and so wildly III contrast
with the silvery green rind. They
are always regarded with romantic
interest by their possesSorS. The
Mike apple is just ripe now. Ney.
er vas the fruit tairer than this
season, and the trees are heavily
Laden. The old tree on which the
queer fruit first appeared, 10 the
town of Franklin, about six miles
north of this city, persisted many
years ago, but shoots spraug
the roots. aud one of these is
Il large tree whose branches are
bowed with luciOus apples this sea.
son. 1t is on the farm of Jake
Armstrong, the miller at Peek Hol
. wild, romantic glen, sOn the
line of The New London Northern
Railroad, near the centre of the
town. A squat, weather. beaten,
Did farmhouse, a few rods from
the depot, WAS the home of Micah
Rood (Mike), whose name the ILL
reputed fruit bears, and the "Mike
-ree' is at the back of the house
where the garden slopes iutO an
apple orchard.
From this tree and its predeces
were taken the sprouts and
seeds by means of which all the
Nike apple trees have been rropa.
gated in Eastern Connecticut.
From it Mr.. Hezekiah Hunting on,
II this town, took away a few days
go an apple that is clearly marked
With the rare crimson outside band.
The red path, scimetar shaped.
bout M side of the fruit, is as
distinctly traced aud is of "a deep
Hood color as though blood had
'een painted on it with a brush.
The rest of the rind is of rict,
listening amber hue. In a little
1Ork compiled by a lOcalhistorian
n connection with the local celebra-
ion in 1868 OF the 150th annivpr-
airy of the founding of Franklin
congregation Society, this anthem.
ic account of Mike aud his famous
pple tree is given:
"ROod, Micah, the youngest son
f Thomas Rood, who was an early
upon the east side of the
hetucket. Micah had upon his
lrm an apple tree which bore
irge, fair fruit, but always with n
I'd globule, like a clOt of blood,
ear the centre of each apple. The
pple, which has become a great :
Ivorite in this vicinity aud Is call ,
| the Mike apple from It's nrigina. ,
IT, still retains this pecnliariiy, :
al is the object of much curiosity. !
his story of its origin, handed /.
1wn from father to son tor over a !
lndred years, has at length grown !
be a fixed tradition, implicitly :
AS the story runs, ped. !
er entered town vending such =