APPLES. 51 



Stalk, short, generally not extending beyond the base, slender. Flesh, 

 yellow, tender, juicy, s \\vet, and richly flavoured. Cells, sometimes 

 only four, obovate ; axile. 



A richly-flavoured dessert apple, the great value of which consists in 

 its late keeping. 



I received this, as well as most of the Herefordshire apples, from my friend 

 Dr. Henry Bull, of Hereford. 



CORSE HILL (Corset Hill ; Cosset Hill). Fruit, below medium 

 size, two inches and ;i <]iiartiT wide, and over two inches high ; short 

 Pearmain- shaped, smooth and even in its outline, narrowing abruptly 

 from the middle to the crown, which gives the upper part of the fruit 

 a snouted figure. Skin, thick and membranous, shining, pale lemon on 

 the shaded side, but with a fine bright red cheek on the side next the 

 sun, which frequently extends over two-thirds of the surface of the 

 fruit, and the. whole is thickly strewed with minute russety points. 

 Eye, rather large, and closed, with long and broad leaf-like segments, 

 placed in a round, even, and saucer-like, slightly plaited basin. Stalk, 

 a mere fleshy knob, but occasionally, and very rarely, a quarter of an 

 inch long and woody, inserted in a very shallow cavity, lined with pale 

 brown russet. Flesh, white, tender, not very juicy, brisk, and slightly 

 sweet. 



A culinary apple of second-rate quality, which takes well, and is in 

 use during December and January. 



It is much grown in the Gloucestershire orchards, and received its name from 

 having heen raised at Corse Hill, near Gloucester, where the seedling tree is still 

 existing. I received it from T. Wintle, Esq., of Gloucester. 



Corset Hill. See Corse Hill. 

 Cosset HilL See Corse Hill. 



COSTAHD (Coulthard ; I'mwian Pippin). The large oblong five- 

 ribbed and five-sided apple, with a green skin and sometimes a brownish 

 tinge on the side next the sun, an open eye and short stalk, is no 

 doubt synonymous with the Catshead ; and this accounts for George 

 Lindley saying they are the same variety. But there are two other 

 varieties of Costard which are undoubtedly distinct, and these are the 

 Herefordshire or Dadnor Costard and the Gloucestershire Costard, 

 which will be found described under these names. 



The Costard is one of our oldest English apples. It is mentioned 

 under the name of "Poma Costard " in the fruiterers' bills of Edward 

 the First, in 1292, at which time it was sold for a shilling a hundred. 

 The true Costard is now rarely to be met with, but at an early period it 

 mnst have been very extensively grown, for the retailers of it were 

 called Costardmongers, an appellation now transformed into Coster- 

 mongers. It is mentioned by William Lawson, in 1597, who, in his 

 quaint style, says, " Of your apple-trees you shall finde difference in 

 growth. A good pipping will grow large, and a Costard-tree : stead 

 them en the north side of your other apples, thus being placed, the 



