THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 331 



BEAUTIFUL DESSERT APPLES EOR WINTER USE. 



BY THOMAS TUUSBLEE, 

 Nurseryman, Edmonton, N. 



pGHLY-COLOURED fruit contributes so much to the 

 attractiveness of the dinner-table when laid a la Itusse, 

 especially during the winter season, wlieu everything is 

 dull and cold without, that it behoves the planter to study 

 the colouring as well as the quality of the several fruits. 

 There is not much choice amongst grapes, for we have nothing better 

 than the deep purple of the Black Hamburgh, or the rich amber of 

 the Muscat of Alexandria ; the finest winter pears are pretty much 

 alike so far as colour and appearance are concerned, but amongst the 

 apples there is a wide range for selection. Some of those of the 

 finest quality and remarkable ibr their productiveness have a very 

 dull skiu, and are by no means attractive, whilst many others equally 

 good iu quality and quite as productive have a skin of the most bril- 

 liant crimson, or striped with crimson on a rich yellow ground. 

 There are a dozen that are of great beauty, and these tastefully ar- 

 ranged, in combination with the more sombre coloured pears and 

 other fruits, produce a very rich eflect upon the dinner table. They are 

 in fact so good in every way that they should form part of every plan- 

 tation of apple trees. Highly-coloured fruit is not much required 

 during the summer and early autumn months, and in making a selec- 

 tion from the varieties, I shall confine myself to those in season 

 during November and the three following months, the principal 

 portion being at their best during the Christmas and New Year's 

 festivities. 



The twelve that can be the most strongly recommended as com- 

 bining high colouring with fine quality and heavy cropping are as 

 under : — 



Adavi's Fearmain, a large pearmain-shaped fruit, in season Irom 

 December to February. The skin is pale yellow streaked with 

 bright red on the sunny side ; the flesh ia crisp, juicy, and delicious. 

 Api or Lady Jpple, a very small round fruit, pleasant in flavour, 

 and having a clear shining skiu of the most brilliant crimson. It is 

 very beautiful upon the table, and is usually plentiful in the fruiterers' 

 shops during the winter. 



Barcelona Fearmain is a medium sized fruit, with a highly aromatic 

 flesh, and skin of the most brilliant red in the sun, and rich yellow 

 in the shade. It is at its best from November to March. The 

 tree crops heavily, 



Blenheim Orange, when well coloured, is very beautiful, and as it 

 is one of the finest cooking apples as well as being of fair quality for 

 the dessert, it can be strongly recommended. In season from Novem- 

 ber to February. 



Cellini, although properly considered a culinary apple, deserves 

 mention here, for it ia of fairly good quality for the dessert. The 



NoTember, 



