. ORIGI^^ OF THE APPLE TREE. 



ITS PHYSICAL PKOPERTIES, NATURAL HISTORY, 

 HABITS, &c. 



The Apple-tree, the common, or Pyrus Mains, L., {^-Epple^ 

 Sax., Ajjfel, Ger.,) a tree arranged by Linnaeus under the 

 genus Pyrus, it is too well known in this country to require 

 a minute description. It frequently grows to the height of 

 twenty or thirty feet, and produces a great variety of fruit. 

 Botanists are of opinion, that the wildling crab-apple of the 

 woods and hedges, is the original kind, from the seeds of 

 which the apple now cultivated was first obtained. 



The Apple-tree by cultivation has become indefinitely various 

 and progressive, producing in a wild state, the small and bit- 

 ter crab, and under high and successive cultivation, such fruit 

 as the splendid Albemarle Pippin. The varieties of this spe- 

 cies in this country, are now multiplied to some thousands in 

 the different States; all having been accidentally procured from 

 the seed or kernels of the fruit, or increased by the various 

 modes of grafting upon crabs or any kind of apple stocks. 



Nothwithstanding the numerous sorts, it is believed that it 

 would be best for all parties, that nurserymen should confine 

 their stock to forti/ or fifty varieties ; and having these well 

 attested and adapted to the different regions, their different 

 locations would enable them to furnish suitable catalogues for 

 all parts of the country, and prevent the many vexatious fail- 

 ures and losses sustained by farmers and others, caused by 

 improper selections. 



The fruit of the Apple-tree arrives at full growth in suc- 

 cessive order from June to the first of November, but comes 

 to maturity only after gathering ; and many of the winter 

 kinds may be preserved until the next Spring. 



The fruit of the wild crab tree of our woods and forest is flatish, 

 about one inch in diameter, yellow when ripe, or of the color 



