^/VV./..v. 3 ,, 



had the very characteristic old English Pearmain grown in Norfolk so early as 121 Hi, 

 and the Costard is mentioned in the fruiterers' bills of Edward I. in 1292 ; while of the 

 Golden Pippin, still in cultivation, Switxer wrote in 1724, describing it as " the most 

 antient as well as the most excellent apple that is.'' 



The Scudamore Crab or Eed Streak, a Herefordshire apple, and Ashmead's Kernel, a 

 Gloucestershire native, prove conclusively that our present varieties are due to the enter- 

 prise of our ancestors. Mr. T. A. Knight was the raiser of many varieties by cross fertili- 

 sation, Red Ingestre and Yellow Ingestre both originating from two pips taken from 

 Ihe same cell of the core, the result of crossing Orange Pippin and Golden Pippin; and 

 Wonnsley Pippin remains a living monument of an eminent man, though he was 

 wrong in his theory that a variety could not exist more .than two hundred years. Apple 

 seedlings are proverbially apt to sport, and cannot be relied upon as coming like the 

 parents. This shows long subjection to natural cross fertilisation effected by insects, 

 particularly bees. It is, however, noteworthy that Waltham Abbey seedling was raised 

 from seed of Golden Noble, which so closely resemble each other as to be scarcely distin- 

 guishable ; and in Welford Park Nonesuch, we have an assumed crossing of Golden 

 Harvey by Lamb Abbey Pearmain, both small fruits producing a large, with a great 

 loss of quality. Two forces have been at work nature and cultivation ; from the crab 

 nature evolved the crab apple, then man by cultivation and selection produced large 

 apples and not luscious, for the richest in flavour are. as a rule, medium-sized or small. 



So great is the hygienic value of apples that there is not a dwelling in the laud which 

 can be regarded as satisfactorily furnished with wholesome food without a supply of them 

 during their season of use, and this is nearly all the year round. With well-chosen 

 varieties, and suitable provision for keeping the fruit, homo-grown apples may be hud 

 every week in the year, but not usefully and profitably in bulk for regular culinary 

 purposes. Nor is an absolutely unbroken supply needed. Two or three practically 

 appleless months give a rest to the palate that might pall under a continual feast of one 

 kind of fruit. It is enough to know that apples can be had every month of the year, if 

 they are wanted, while the season of a full supply is long enough, namely, from the 

 middle of July to the middle of April. Then* is no other kind of hardy fruit that can 

 be used in a fresh state over so long a period, and in so many different ways, and this 

 fact alone gives it pre-eminence. It is a rich man's fruit and a poor man's fruit, and 

 trees should be planted in every garden in which they will thrive. There are varietio 

 of apples and forms of trees adapted for different soils, localities, and positions ^ and it is 



