118 THE FKUIT MANUAL. 



the first who wrote it June-eating, as if in allusion to the period of its maturity, 

 which is, however, not till the end of July. Dr. Johnson, in his Dictionary, 

 writes it Gineting, and says it is a corruption of Janeton (Fr.), signifying Jane or 

 Janet, having been so called from a person of that name. Hay* says, " Pomum 

 Ginettinum, quod unde dictum sit me latet." Indeed, there does not seem ever to 

 have been a correct definition given of it. 



My definition of the name is this. In the Middle Ages, it was customary to 

 make the festivals of the Church periods on which occurrences were to take place or 

 from which events were to be named. Even in the present day we hear the country 

 people talking of some crop to be sown, or some other to be planted, at Michaelmas, 

 St. Martin's, or St. Andrew's tide. It was also the practice for parents to dedicate 

 their children to some particular saint, as Jean Baptiste, on the recurrence of whose 

 festival all who are so named keep it as a holiday. So it was also in regard to fruits, 

 which were named after the day about which they came to maturity. Thus, we 

 have the Margaret Apple, so called from being ripe about St. Margaret's Day, the 

 20th of July ; the Magdalene, or Maudlin, from St, Magdalene's Day, the 22nd of 

 July. And in Curtiusf we find the Joannina, so called, " Quod circa divi Joannis 

 Baptistse nativitatem esui sint." These are also noticed by J. Baptista Porta ; he 

 says, "Est genus alterum quod quia circa festum Divi Joannis maturiscit, vulgus 

 Melo de San Gzoyoranzdicitur." And according to Tragus,| " QUJE apud nos prima 

 maturantur, Sanct Johans Opffell, Latine, Prrecocia mala dicuntur." 



We see, therefore, that apples were called Joannina because they ripened about 

 St. John's Day, and we have among the old French pears Amire Joannet the 

 "Wonderful Little John," which Merlet informs us was so called because it 

 ripened about St. John's Day. If, then, we add to Joannet the termination ing, 

 so general among our names of apples, we have Joannetmg. There can be no 

 doubt that this is the correct derivation of the name of this apple. 



JOEBY CRAB. Fruit, small, about two inches wide, and an inch 

 and three-quarters high ; round, somewhat flattened, and evenly 

 shaped. Skin, almost entirely covered with deep bright crimson, 

 except where shaded, and then it is deep yellow, with a few stains of 

 pale crimson and broken streaks of the same colour towards the exposed 

 side. Eye, very small and closed, set in a shallow plaited basin. 

 Stamens, marginal ; tube, conical. Stalk, sometimes a mere knob, 

 and sometimes a quarter of an inch long, rather deeply inserted. Flesh, 

 white, firm, and intensely acid. Cells, obovate ; axile, open. 



An old-fashioned cider apple, much in repute with old-fashioned 

 Herefordshire cider-makers. This was sent to me by Dr. Bull, of 

 Hereford. 



John Apple. See Winter Greening. 

 John Apple. See Northern Greening. 



JOHN GIDLEY PEARMAIN. Fruit, medium sized, two inches and 

 three-quarters wide, and two inches and a quarter high ; conical or Pear- 

 main shaped, even and regular in outline, with a few ridges round the 

 narrow crown. Skin, deep golden yellow, with a pale red cheek on the 

 sun side, which is marked with broken stripes of dark bright crimson ; 

 the whole surface is sparingly sprinkled with russet dots. Eye, small 

 and closed, with erect segments, set in a narrow and plaited basin. 

 Stamens, marginal; tube, funnel-shaped. Stalk, short, and almost 

 * Hist. Plant., ii. 1447. f Hortorum, p. 522. J Hist., p. 1043. 



