STONE.

Reference. 1. Hoskins, Montreal Hort. Soc. Rpt., 5:18. 1879.

An apple of the Blue Pearmain group somewhat similar to Bethel in general appearance. We find no published description of this variety. It is highly esteemed locally in St. Lawrence county where it has come to be recognized as a very hardy, healthy, thrifty and long-lived variety. It has a tendency to overbear or to set more fruit than it can properly mature. It is an advantage to have the fruit thoroughly thinned early in the season. It has the habit of ripening its wood and shedding its foliage early in the autumn. Young trees in the nursery row have a rather rough, sprawling habit of growth. The fruit when well grown is rather large and although rather dull red in color is fairly attractive in appearance. It ranks good or sometimes possibly very good in quality.

Historical. This variety was brought from Bethel, Vermont into Potsdam, St. Lawrence county, about 1836 or 1837 by a Mr. Stone. He propagated it in that locality and it came to be known locally as the Stone apple. For a time the Stone and the Snow or Fameuse were about the only grafted apples known in that vicinity. During the last sixty years it has been grown in some sections of St. Lawrence county more extensively than any other variety¹ and has there become a standard winter apple for home use. Apparently it is unknown outside of Northern New York.

FRUIT.

Fruit above medium to very large, quite uniform in size and shape. Form round to somewhat ovate, rounding toward base and apex, regular or sometimes slightly ribbed. Stem very short to medium, rather slender. Cavity very small, usually acuminate, very narrow, somewhat unsymmetrical, partly russeted; the russet does not often extend beyond the brim of the cavity. Calyx medium to rather small, usually open, sometimes nearly closed; lobes rather broad and acute. Basin usually shallow, sometimes moderately deep, medium in width to rather narrow, sometimes slightly wrinkled. Skin thick, tough, rather smooth, takes a high polish; color pale yellow or greenish washed and mottled with rather dull dark red which in highly colored specimens deepens to solid red, irregularly splashed and striped with deep carmine, overspread with bluish bloom and often noticeably marked with thin-white scarf-skin. Dots numerous. Some are very large, irregular, very conspicuous, grayish and often areolar with russet point; others are small, round, pale gray or whitish and often submerged. Calyx tube short, broadly conical. Stamens usually basal.

¹Letters of A. F. Clark, Raymondville, 1896, 1905.

Core slightly abaxile with a hollow cylinder at the axis which becomes narrow above and extends to the calyx tube; cells not uniformly developed, closed or open; core lines nearly meeting or clasping. Carpels roundish to roundish ovate, a little tufted. Seeds not numerous, small to medium, varying from rather long, narrow and acuminate to short, blunt and nearly obtuse. Flesh nearly white with yellowish tinge, moderately firm, a little coarse, rather tender, juicy or moderately juicy, mildly subacid becoming nearly sweet, somewhat aromatic, good to possibly very good in quality.

STONE AND BETHEL COMPARED.

Some have supposed that Stone is identical with Bethel (1) but as received from various parts of Northern New York it is certainly distinct. The fruit averages larger than that of Bethel, sometimes becoming very large, and its form is more elongated and more inclined to roundish ovate. Its color is duller than that of Bethel, being not quite so dark red in tone, and it is noticeably less striped and splashed. The dots of Stone are considerably the larger, more irregular and more noticeably areolar. The dots of Bethel are the brighter; its stem usually shorter and more slender; its cavity decidedly smaller and narrower; its basin slightly narrower and more regular; its core less abaxile and slightly smaller, and its cells less uniformly developed.

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