The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-10
COMMERCIAL APPLES.
Ths "Imperial of Keepers" - The Most
Extensively Grown Variety.

The "Imporial of Keepers" - The Most
Extensively Grown Variety.
The now popular apple bearing the
name of York Imperial originated early
in the present century near the then
borough of York, Pa. 1t was first prop
agated under the name of Johnson 8
Fine Winter. Under this name it was
known till the middle of the century,
when the late Charles Downing pro-
nounced it the imperial of keepers
and suggested that it be named York
Imperial. After its merit as a variety
for market orchards was established it
became widely distributed throughout
Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia,
and soon became leading market va
riety in those states 1t does not seem
to have become generally popular west
of the Allegheny mountains until
comparatively recent date. Since about
1880 it has been widely disseminated
through the middle western states and
has become one of the leading market
varieties of that region.
The fruit varies from medium to
large in size and is roundish oblate,
often oblique, in form. The surface of
the fruit is smooth, light yellow, wash
ed and indlstinctly striped with bright
red in the sun, overspread with gray
and sparingly sprinkled with distinct
large, light dots, The skin is thin and
tough; the core small to medium. open,
with numerous seeds; the flesh yellow
ish, crisp, juicy; the flavor pleasant,
mild, subacid; the quality good to very
good.
In season this apple is at its best from
November to February in the regions
where it is chiefly grown. Its produc-
tiveness, uniform size. bright color and
fair quality are its chief merits. The
oblique form lessons its value for evap-
Grating, as the difficulty of pairing by
machines is increased thereby.
Since 1895 York Imperial has been
growing in favor with the export trade,
and selected fruit from orchards of the
Piedmont region of Virginia has been
sold at high prices both in British and
German markets. A distinct strain is
recognized and locally propagated in
York county, Pa, where the variety
originated. 1t is of smaller size, is less
oblique in form, is of brighter color
and has flesh of finer texture and longer
keeping quality than the common type
of the variety. The facts given above
are CLEANED from notes on ten varieties
of apple suitable for the export trade,
which form part of recent government
bulletin on 1.-THE Fruit Industry"
The Ben Davis apple is said by the
authority quoted to be more extensively
planted in commercial orchards in the
United States than any other variety.
1t was widely disseminated through
Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, south
ern Ohio, Indiana and Illinois before
1850. Though not of high dessert quail
ty, the variety possesses SO many valua-
BILE characteristics that it has steadily
grown in favor among commercial
orchardists from Maryland, Virginia
and North Carolina westward. Farther
north, in the apple growing districts
where Baldwin and Northern Spy are
the leading varieties. Ben Davis is less
highly esteemed, as the growing season
there is too short to permit tho proper
maturing of its fruit.
The tree is an upright and vigorous,
though somewhat struggling, grower,
and is prolific bearer from an early
age. The fruit is large, varying from
roundish oblate to cylindrical truncate
in form, and is usually regular. The cavi
ty is deep, acute and russeted the stem
rather slender and varying from medium
to long. The basin is usually wide and
moderately deep, of peculiar saucer
form, which is a strongly marked char
acteristic of the variety; the eye me-
dunn, partially open.
The surface is smooth, often glossy,
and is of rich yellow color, mostly COW
cred with stripes and splashes OF light
and dark red The dots are usually
small and scattered. The core is of me-
dunn size, conical, regular, clasping the
eye. The flesh is whitish, breaking,
rathertough until fully ripe. The flavor
varies from a distinct acid to subaeid.
In quality the fruit is better adapted to
culinary than dessert use. 1t is specially
esteemed for piemaking and yields a
handsome product when evaporated.
The fruit is easily kept until March
in ordinary storage wherever it goes in
to winter in sound condition, and it
stands cold storage and long shipment
better than most other varieties.
The toughness of skin and flesh rem
ders the fruit of Ben Davis less liable
to injury from bruises than other va.
rieties, SO that it rarely becomes "slack"
in the barrels unless very carelessly
packed and handled. Though sometimes
injured by scab In the north it is rarely
injured by this or any other serious dis
ease in the middle Atlantic and prairie
states, where it is most largely planted.
The low desert quality of the fruit is
the chief menace to its future popular
ity,