REFERENCES. 1. Hoskins, U. S. Agr. Rpt., 1886:274. 2. Hoskins, Rural N. Y., 47:249, 1888. figs. 3. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:235. 4. An. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1899:15. 5. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rept., 14:288. 1901. 6. Munson, Me. Sta. Bul., 82:83. 1902. 7. Budd-Hansen, 1903:48.

This shows its kinship to the Blue Pearmain in the quality, texture, form, conspicuous dots and color of its fruit. Sometimes it has a rather dull appearance, but it may attain a bright and attractive, though dark red, color. The quality is fairly good. It will not bear rough handling, and is suitable rather for local markets than for shipping long distances. The tree shows a rather weak development of roots in the nursery, but in the orchard becomes moderately vigorous and generally quite productive. It has proved very hardy in Northern New York, and is recommended for planting for home use and local markets in that section and in the more elevated regions of the state, where varieties of the grade of hardiness of Baldwin are apt to show winter injury. In such localities some prefer to grow it on warm soil or sod, to favor the development of better color. It is locally profitable. It is healthy, long-lived and a reliable cropper, usually comes into bearing rather young and bears annually. There is apt to be considerable loss from dropping of the fruit.

Some have thought that it is identical with an apple grown in Northern New York under the name Stone. The two varieties, as we have received them, are certainly distinct, but both belong to the Blue Pearmain group.

Historical. It originated in Bethel, Vermont (1). During the last twenty-five years it has become scattered throughout Northern New York, Northern New England and portions of Canada.

TREE. Tree medium to rather large, moderately vigorous or vigorous. Form round, spreading. Twigs spreading, below medium in length, usually curved, somewhat slender; internodes medium. Bark brownish-red, exceptionally mingled with olive-green, blotched with gray; sparingly pubescent. Lenticels not very conspicuous, moderately abundant, rather small, roundish. Buds rather small, obtuse, appressed, pubescent.

FRUIT. Fruit large. Form roundish, slightly conic, somewhat angular or irregularly elliptical. Stem short, rather slender. Cavity acute to acuminate, deep, rather broad, rather symmetrical, with red russet often outspreading. Calyx pubescent, medium to rather large, partly open or closed; lobes rather narrow, acute. Basin rather shallow to moderately deep, moderately wide, slightly furrowed and wrinkled. Skin thick, tough, smooth; good deep yellow, washed and mottled with red and striped with purplish carmine, becoming very dark red in highly colored specimens. Dots numerous, conspicuous, russet or light, many small, many large and areolar. Prevailing effect somewhat striped. Calyx tube very large, wide, somewhat funnel-shaped with a short cylinder. Stamens median to basal. Core large, somewhat abaxile, open or sometimes closed; core lines somewhat clasping. Carpels broad, roundish ovate, emarginate, tufted. Seeds large, rather wide, long, acute to acuminate, tufted, medium brown. Flesh yellowish, firm, coarse, crisp, moderately tender, moderately juicy, mild subacid, fair to good. Season November to midwinter or possibly March.

Uses. Baking, dessert and local market.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)

Bethel.—Origin, Bethel, Vermont; tree a strong grower.

Fruit large, roundish oblate, slightly irregular and angular, surface greenish yellow, heavily splashed and shaded with carmine with considerable bloom; dots many, greenish yellow and russet, distinct; cavity usually deep, medium width, slightly russeted; stem medium, slender; basin shallow, narrow, nearly smooth; calyx half open.

Core medium; flesh greenish white, with traces of pink, firm, juicy, mild subacid, good. November to late winter.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

BETHEL. Fig. 10.

Bethel falls at once through its fruit and tree characters into the well-known Blue Pearmain group of apples. It is probably worth planting only in regions where Baldwin is injured by cold. The apples are bright dark red, uniform in size, fair in quality, and keep well, but do not ship well. The trees are vigorous, healthy, hardy, longlived, fruitful, bear young and annually, but often lose the crop before picking time. The stem of Bethel is characteristically curved to one side. Culture of the variety is largely confined to the New England states. Bethel is often confused with Stone, but the two, as the descriptions show, are quite distinct. The variety originated at Bethel, Vermont, some time previous to 1886.

Tree large, vigorous, round, spreading. Fruit large, round-conic, angular or irregularly elliptical; stem short, slender; cavity acuminate, deep, broad, symmetrical, with red-russet often outspreading; calyx pubescent, large, open or closed; basin shallow, wide, furrowed and wrinkled; skin thick, tough, smooth, yellow, washed and mottled with red and striped with carmine, dark red in highly colored specimens; dots numerous, conspicuous, russet or light, many small and some large and areolar; calyx-tube very large, wide, funnel-shaped with a short cylinder; stamens median; core large, abaxile, open or closed; core-lines clasping; carpels broad, round-ovate, emarginate, tufted; seeds large, wide, long, acute to acuminate, tufted, brown; flesh yellow, firm, coarse, crisp, tender, juicy, mild subacid; fair to good; November to March.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)