APPLES. 95 



The fruit is small and perfectly round, from one to 

 two inches in depth and diameter ; a little larger some- 

 times on young and comparatively vigorous trees, and 

 smaller on old trees. The flesh is a pale bright gold 

 colour, crisp, juicy, sweet, rich, and exceedingly delicious 

 in flavour when we get it in perfection. The eye is 

 small, in an even, shallow basin ; and the stalk is long, for 

 the size of the fruit, and slender. Of course the bright 

 gold colour of the skin is very important : the gold is 

 marked with russet specks on the sunny side, and with 

 minute pearl-coloured specks embedded all over it. 

 Many declare that the Golden Pippin is dying out in 

 the country, and others consider that it may yet be 

 procured and grown in as great perfection as ever. 

 Lindley says, " In favourable situations, in many parts 

 of the country, instead of the trees being in a state of 

 rapid decay, they may be found of unusually large size, 

 perfectly healthy, and with abundant crops of fruit, 

 perfect in form, beautiful in colour, and excellent in 

 quality/ 1 



The Golden Pippin must have a dry subsoil, good 

 sound loam to grow in, and a sheltered, sunny situation, 

 safe from the bitter blasts of spring. Where it can ripen 

 its wood well it will thrive and keep free from decay. 

 The tree must be cut in close, to promote a vigorous 

 growth, and manuring with judgment will do good, 

 while care should be taken to defend the tree from 

 injurious insects. It does well on a wall, and deserves 

 it. The fruit ripens in October, and will keep until 

 after Christmas. 



The Downton Pippin is a very nice little apple, 

 rather larger than the Golden Pippin, flattened at both 

 ends, and generally rather larger on one side than on 

 the other, smooth-skinned and yellow, with indistinct 

 specks all over it. The flesh is a little yellow and crisp, 

 with brisk, rich sub-acid juice. It ripens in October or 

 November, is a good eating apple, and will keep until 

 Christmas. The tree is a very plentiful bearer, well 

 calculated for supplying the market, and the fruit is a 

 good cider apple. Other names by which it is known 



