USES AND PROPERTIES OF THE APPLE. 527 



now in cultivation has been greatly increased within the present century, 

 partly from importations, but chiefly from seedlings raised in this 

 country. In consequence, we have varieties suitable for different soils and 

 situations, from the warm moist climate of Devonshire and Cornwall, to 

 the cloudy and stormy atmosphere of Orkney. There are varieties which 

 ripen as early as July, and others which are not fit to eat till the fol- 

 lowing spring ; and which, with proper care, will keep till apples come 

 again, and even longer. No fruit tree is more prolific than the apple 

 when in a suitable soil and situation, and no fruit is applied to a 

 greater variety of useful purposes. 



The use of the apple in pies, tarts, sauces, the dessert, or boiled or 

 roasted, is familiar to every one. The expressed juice fermented forms 

 cider that of the crab verjuice ; and when both these liquids are 

 mixed, and properly managed, a very good wine, it is said, may be 

 produced. One-third of boiled apple-pulp, baked with two-thirds of 

 flour, and fermented for twelve hours, is said to make an excellent 

 bread, very palatable and light. In confectionery the apple is used 

 for comfits, compotes, marmalades, jellies, pastes, tarts, fritters, and 

 various other purposes. To form a jelly, the apples are " pared, 

 quartered, and the core removed, and put in a closely-covered pot, 

 without water, in an oven, or over a fire. When well stewed, the 

 juice is squeezed through a cloth, a little of white of an egg is added, and 

 then sugar ; and lastly it is skimmed, and by boiling reduced to a proper 

 consistence." Medicinally, boiled or roasted apples are considered 

 laxative and at the same time strengthening. In perfumery, the pulp of 

 the apple beat up with lard forms pomatum ; and by mixing apples with 

 elder-flowers, in a close vessel, an odour of musk is said to be com- 

 municated to them. The juice of the apple concentrated by boiling 

 will keep fresh for several years, and may be used to form a liquor 

 similar to cider, by adding a little to water as it is wanted for use. The 

 apple-tree when in flower is very ornamental, particularly some varieties 

 which have their petals tinged with pink, such as the Hawthornden ; 

 and the tree is still more beautiful when covered with fruit, especially 

 with such as are highly-coloured, such as the red Astrachan, the tulip- 

 apple, &c. The bark of the tree may be used for dyeing yellow ; and 

 the wood of the tree being fine-grained and very compact, is well 

 adapted for turning and for staining, so as to be used as a substitute 

 for ebony. We have dwelt thus fully on the uses of the apple because 

 we regard it as a fruit of more use and benefit to society at large than 

 all the other fruits cultivated in Britain, and it ought be much more 

 extensive ly grown as an article of food for the masses of the people. 



Properties of a Good Apple. Apples for table are characterized by a 

 firm juicy pulp, high flavour, regular form, and beautiful colouring ; 

 those for kitchen use by the property of falling, as it is technically 

 termed, or forming in general a pulpy mass of equal consistence when 

 baked or boiled, and by a large size. Some sorts of apples have 

 the property of falling when green, as the Keswick Codlin, Haw- 

 thornden, and other codlins; and some only after being ripe, as the 

 russet varieties. Those which have this property when green are 



