KEEPING APPLES. 99 



The Golden Noble is, perhaps, the best cooking apple 

 \ve have. It bakes to a soft, amber-coloured pulp, with a 

 fine rich flavour, and just acidity enough, not too much. 

 The fruit is large and round, becoming a little narrower 

 towards the crown. The skin is beautifully smooth and 

 polished, and of a fine, clear golden yellow, with just a 

 few reddish markings and little patches of russet. The 

 flesh is yellow, tender, and juicy, with a pleasant sub- 

 acid flavour. The eye is small, and surrounded by 

 little plaits, and the stalk very short and thick. It is in 

 use from November until March. The tree is hardy and 

 good, and bears very well. 



The "Wellington is another good cooking, keeping 

 apple. The fruit is above the middle size, round, and 

 flattened at both ends, clear yellow, with light red on 

 the sunny side, and speckled with brown all over. The 

 flesh is yellow and crisp, with a brisk acid flavour. The 

 eye is large, open, and rather deeply sunk, and the stalk 

 very short. Other names for it are Dumelow's Seed- 

 ling, Duke of Wellington, and Normanton Wonder. It 

 keeps remarkably sound and good, and is in use from. 

 November to April. The tree is a good bearer. 



The Norfolk Beaufin is a kind which deserves a place 

 in the garden, if there be room to spare. Like baking 

 pears and quinces, it is of no use except for cooking. 

 The fruit is above the middle size, irregular in shape, with 

 broad angles from base to crown. The colour is deep 

 green, with livid red nearly round the fruit, but deepest 

 on the sunny side. The flesh is very firm, rather acid, 

 and not juicy; but when the fruit is slowly baked, and 

 pressed, it has a rich, fine flavour. The eye is large, in 

 a deep basin, surrounded by irregular plaits ; and the 

 stalk not long, fleshy, and deeply set. Other names for 

 it are Norfolk Beefin, and Bead's Baker. It is in use 

 from November to June. The tree is rather tender and 

 apt to canker, so it requires a good soil and a warm 

 position. The fruit, dried and pressed, is a very con- 

 venient addition to the dessert throughout the winter, 

 and makes variety all the time that fruit is most 

 scarce. 



H 2 



