APPLES. 9 



bearer. It succeeds well in almost any situation, provided the soil is 

 rich, loamy, and not too light or dry ; and may be grown with equal 

 success either on the doucin or crab stock. When worked on the 

 French paradise it is well adapted for pot culture. The fruit is firmly 

 attached to the spurs and forcibly resists the effects of high winds. 



It has been asserted that this apple was brought from Peloponessus to Rome by 

 Appius Claudius. Whether this be true or not, there can be no doubt it is of great 

 antiquity, as all the oldest authors regard it as the production of an age prior to 

 their ow'n. Dalechamp and Harduin are of opinion that it is the Petisia of 

 Pliny ; but J. Baptista Porta considers it to be the Appiana of that author, who 

 thus describes it, "Odor est his cotoneorum magnitude quse Claudianis, color 

 rubens."* From this description it is evident that two varieties are referred to, 

 the Appiana and Claudiana. Such being the case, J. Baptista Porta says, '* duo 

 sunt apud DOS mala, magnitudine, et colore paria, et preciosa, quorum unum 

 odorem servat cotoneorum, alterum miniine. Quod odore caret, vulgo dictum 

 Melo rosa. Id roseo colore perfusum cst, mira teneritudine et sapore, rninime 

 fugax, pomum magnitudine media, ut facile cum ceteris de principatu certet, nee 

 indignum Claudii nomine. Hoc Claudianum dicerem."t This Melo Rosa may 

 possibly be the Pomme Rose or Gros Api ; and if so, we may infer that the Api 

 is the Appiana, and the Gros Api the Claudiana of Pliny, This, however, may 

 be mere conjecture, but as the authority referred to was a native of Naples, and 

 may be supposed to know something of the traditionary associations of the Roman 

 fruits, I have deemed it advisable to record his opinion on the subject. 



According to Merlet. the Api was first discovered as a wilding m the Forest of 

 Api, in Brittany. 



Although mentioned by most of the early continental writers, the Api does not 

 appear to have been known in this country till towards the end of the 17th 

 century. It is first mentioned by Worlidge, who calls it "Pomme Appease, a 

 curious apple, lately propagated ; the fruit is small and pleasant, which the 

 Madams of France carry in their pockets, by reason they yield no unpleasant 

 scent." Lister, in his "Journey to Paris, 1698," speaking of this as being one of 

 the apples served up in the dessert, says, " AL-o the Pome d'Apis, which is served 

 here more for show than for use ; being a small flat apple, very beautiful, and 

 very red on one side, and pale or white on the other, and may serve the ladies at 

 their toilets as a pattern to paint by." De Quintinye calls it " Une Pomme des 

 Damoiselles et de bonne compagnie." 



Under the name of Lady Apple, large quantities of the Api are annually 

 imported to this country from the United States, where it is grown extensively 

 and profitably, as it always commands the highest price of any other fancy apple 

 in the market. In the winter months they may be seen encircled with various 

 coloured tissue papers, adorning the windows of the fruiterers in Covent Garden 

 Market. 



There are other varieties mentioned by J. Baptista Porta as belonging to the Api 

 family ; one which ripened in August, in size like the Claudiana already men- 

 tioned, and commonly called Melo Appio Rosso, because it retained the scent of 

 the Api ; this is probably the Rother Sommer-api of Diel. There is another, of 

 which lie says, " Assererem tuto esse Melapium Plinii," and which was held in 

 such estimation as to give rise to the proverb 



" Omme malum malum praeter appium malum." 



API ETOILLE (Pomme EtoiUee; Sternapfct). This is a variety of 

 the Api, from which it is distinguished by being very much flattened, 

 and furnished with five very prominent angles on the sides, which give 

 it the appearance of a star, hence its name. Skin, of a deep yellow on 



* Plinii Hist. Nat. Lib. xv., cap. 14. t Villae, p. 278. 



