Moon

MOON.

REFERENCES. 1. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1877:39. 2. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892: 244. 3. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:133. 1904.

Fruit of good size, good quality and fairly attractive for a greenish-yellow apple. In the South it ripens its fruit in succession through the summer but as fruited at this Station it is in season from November to April or later. In ordinary storage there is a pretty high percentage of loss in autumn with a low rate of loss through midwinter. On the whole, as grown in this region it appears to be unsatisfactory for handling in common storage, notwithstanding the fact that a considerable portion of the fruit may be kept in good condition till February or later. The tree is not a strong grower but it comes into bearing young, is a reliable cropper and almost an annual bearer alternating light with heavier crops. It does not appear to excel standard sorts of its season for any purpose and is not recommended for planting in New York.

Historical. Moon originated as a chance seedling on the farm of Mr. I. W. Moon, Monroe, Walton county, Ga. It bore its first fruit in 1873 (1). It appears to be practically unknown among New York fruit growers.

TREE.

Tree rather small with rather short, stout branches. Form roundish upright, open. Twigs below medium to short, somewhat curved, slender; internodes medium. Bark olive-green tinged with reddish-brown and streaked with gray scarf-skin, slightly pubescent near the tips. Lenticels quite numerous, medium to small, roundish, slightly raised. Buds medium to small, plump, obtuse, free, slightly pubescent.

FRUIT.

Fruit above medium, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form rather oblate not quite regular, being either somewhat elliptical or obscurely ribbed. Stem short to medium, rather slender. Cavity acute varying to acuminate, moderately deep to rather shallow, rather broad, nearly symmetrical, usually smooth, sometimes partly russeted. Calyx small to medium, usually partly open; lobes often slender and acuminate, reflexed. Basin obtuse to abrupt, shallow to moderately deep, wide, obscurely furrowed or wrinkled. Skin tough, smooth, waxy; the color is somewhat similar to that of a highly colored Rhode Island Greening being green mingled with yellow often with a shade of brownish-red deepening sometimes to a distinct red. Dots small, inconspicuous, often pale and submerged, sometimes russet. Calyx tube cone-shape or approaching funnel-form with wide limb. Stamens median or below. Core medium to rather small, axile or nearly so; cells usually fairly symmetrical, closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels much concave, rather short, elliptical to obcordate, slightly emarginate, mucronate. Seeds numerous, medium or above, wide, obtuse. Flesh tinged with yellow, firm, crisp, moderately fine, rather tender, juicy, slightly aromatic, mild subacid becoming sweet, good.

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