THE APPLE TREE ] 



ample cold stores in the Island, and with slight modifica- 

 tions the storage of fruits such as apples, pears and 

 oranges would be possible, and should prove very remu- 

 nerative, the fruit duly selected and sized, being packed 

 in properly ventilated cases of convenient dimensions for 

 easy handling. 



Apples, like pears, are classified into (a) dessert or 

 table apples, (b) kitchen or cooking apples, (c) cider 

 apples. These last are unknown in Malta, and the 

 cultivation of kitchen apples is still in its infancy, being 

 a very recent introduction. Even the cultivation of 

 dessert apples on a large scale is limited to a few sorts, 

 but numerous continental and English varieties, also of 

 recent introduction, are cultivated sporadically in the 

 gardens of amateurs, although several of them which 

 seem to agree well with our climate are finding their 

 way to the orchard of the market grower. 



The following is a descriptive list of the apples 

 now grown in these Islands. 



1. THE SMALL RED APPLE (Nl = tuffieha ta Billudia 

 or J3ziludia~\\te.ra\\y "the fruit of the country of the 

 heathens or barbarians" !). The tree is vigorous and 

 very productive. The fruit is small, round and well 

 coloured. The flesh is firm, crisp and acid. This variety 

 probably represents the original apple grown in Malta, 

 and is little grown at present. The name tuffiek ta 

 Billudia is often applied indiscriminately to most other 

 varieties of apples. 



2. THE LARGE APPLE (JA tuffieh ohxon or tuffieh 

 ta Gian Matteu said to be introduced by a person 

 bearing that name). The tree is always well productive. 

 The fruit is a truncated cone, large or very large, 

 sometimes enormous. The rind is very smooth, but little 

 lustrous, very fragrant, yellow or greenish yellow at 

 maturity, flushed light pink towards the sun, with longi- 

 tudinal stripes of red or deep rose. The flesh is yellow or 



