This character, russet on the skin, has been very puzzling to young pomologists in the study of pears, owing to its liability to exaggeration in some varieties, under the influence of certain climatic conditions that have even produced it in varieties in which it had not been previously suspected. Some pears are characterized by this russeting of the skin, either generally spread over the surface or confined to a limited area at either end of the fruit, particularly about the insertion of the stem; others have never shown any disposition to put on this character, but, under certain circumstances some varieties, which should have been smooth and fair, become thickly spread with this russeting, that seems even to thicken the skin and which deteriorates the qualities of the fruit. In some cases this appearance is local, occupying one end of the fruit, or making a band around the middle and contracting it like a cincture, as though its presence prevented the proper growth and development of the sarcocarp or fleshy mass of the fruit.

The colors themselves being as various almost as the hues of the rainbow, will be designated by their appropriate or customary names; the manner of their laying on will require the use of certain definite terms, which should be understood to comprehend the classification, which, in part, depends upon this circumstance. Thus a fruit is called self-colored when it is not striped, though it may be blushed or bronzed, and the coloring may be so broken, without stripes, as to be mixed or curdled, blotched, marbled, mottled, clouded, spotted, stained, shaded or dappled; but some of these characters are often found associated with striping also, or they are observed in those kinds of fruit that are always devoid of stripes. Striped fruits are often so deeply colored that the separate stripes do not appear so distinctly, as when there are fewer of them on a lighter ground and they can scarcely be perceived. When the stripes are long and distinct, they are called streaks; when short and broken abruptly at their ends, the surface is said to be splashed. Certain pears are striped by a paleness or faintness of color, these are called panache, and are considered sports of their namesake varieties which they resemble in other respects. A few peaches are distinctly striped; some plums and cherries obscurely so.

Another class of surface or skin characters consists in the Dots and Specks, which appear to be very valuable distinctive markings, on account of their uniformity in different varieties. These may be large or small, numerous or scattered, darker or lighter colored, prominent or indented. In shape they are round or elongated, and this last is a valuable character because quite rare. Sometimes the dots are characterized by having a green base or areola around them, which is very noticeable, and in some varieties these marks, which are perhaps the stomata of the skin, are surrounded by distinct rings of a gray color, that resemble ocellations or eyes. No reliance can be placed upon the delicate coloring that is often to be seen upon the surface of certain light colored fruits, making rose, red, or purplish tints about these dots, as they are accidental only and not distinctive markings.

No one should confound these pores, that are designated as the dots, with the superficial and extraneous marks that appear to be the accidental growth of some fungus or lichen, and which are very commonly found upon the surface of many fruits, often giving them a quite pretty appearance that would be seized upon by the fruit painter as a special beauty, unless when so abundant as to produce an unpleasant smutchiness or cloudiness, such as is often found in the product of apple orchards that are situated in low bottom lands, and which peculiarity is attributed to the influence of fogs.

The Basin or Apex of a fruit consists of that portion most distant from the stem. In the apple and pear it is commonly called the blossom end, and is often more or less depressed; hence the term basin. In other fruits it is called the point or apex. Both are characterized by peculiarities of form that serve as distinctive marks in the description of fruits, and these are characters of considerable value on account of their permanence. In respect to its form, the basin, according to its depth, is called deep, fig. 44; shallow, fig. 45; very shallow, or medium. It is abrupt, fig. 44, when the edges are steep; it is narrow and pointed, fig. 46, or wide; it is regular, or wavy, wrinkled, plaited, folded, ribbed or angular, fig. 46—when these peculiarities exist.


Fig. 44.—DEEP AND ABRUPT.


Fig. 45.—SHALLOW.


Fig. 46.—NARROW AND FOLDED.

Some fruits are russeted at this part of their surface only, but this marking is a variable character and is found in greater or less degree in different localities; thus the Rhode Island Greening, to which it belongs, is sometimes almost entirely divested of the russeting, and in other localities the surface is thickly spread with it half way to the stem; the Westfield Seek-no-further, which is slightly marked with this character in the North, often becomes a russet apple in more southern latitudes.

The basin of some fruits is very apt to crack into irregular fissures, and this appears to be peculiar to certain varieties, though it is not esteemed a very reliable mark; the term cracked is used to express this. In some fruits, however, we find a very peculiar cracking that forms a permanent character, upon which great dependence may be placed: all the rim of the basin in these is marked with a slightly cracked appearance that does not rupture the skin, and which resembles the incipient breaking of the surface of a piece of dry leather; it has, therefore, received the name of leather-crack. This is characteristic of a few sorts, and hence a valuable mark.

Within the basin is the Eye, which furnishes characters of great value. This I consider to mean the meeting of the segments of the calyx, and more particularly in the apple, the triangular space enclosed by these parts, in which the remains of the stamens and pistils are found. Hence the Eye can only be displayed by making a vertical section of the fruit. There are but a limited number of expressions used in its description; thus the eye is said to be large, small, long or short, and it may be open or closed. The segments of the calyx may be converging or reflexed, persistent or obsolete, according to their condition in the ripe fruit, and these several characters are quite reliable; but the simple fact that the eye is open or closed, may depend upon the accidental breaking away of the segments of the calyx, and is of little value as a sign.


Fig. 47.—DEEP, STEM LONG.


Fig. 48.—WIDE, STEM STOUT.


Fig. 49.—WAVY, STEM CLUBBED.