432 



P YR 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



P V R 



the fruit is always found plumper and sounder than any of 

 those fruits which are preserved singly upon shelves, the 

 skins of which are generally dry and shrivelled. For, as Mr. 

 Boyle observes, the air is the cause of putrefaction ; and in 

 order to prove this, that celebrated writer put fruits of seve- 

 ral kinds into glasses where the air was exhausted, in which 

 places they remained sound for several months, but, upon 

 being exposed to the air, rotted in a very short time after; 

 which plainly shews the absurdity of exposing gathered fruit 

 to the operation of the air. 



2. Pyrus Pollveria; Woolly-leaved Pear Tree. Leaves 

 serrate, tomentose underneath; flowers corymbedj This 

 differs from the common Pear-teee, in having the leaves 

 downy on both sides, but especially beneath; and the flowers 

 cream-coloured, smaller, and more numerous, about forty in 

 each corymb : the fruit is small, and falls easily when ripe. 

 Native of Germany. 



3. Pyrus Nivalis; Alpine Pear Tree. Leaves quite entire; 

 flowers corymbed ; fruit globular, extremely acerb, but when 

 ripe melting and very sweet. Native of the mountains of 

 Austria. 



4. Pyrus Malus ; Common Apple Tree. Leaves elliptic- 

 oblong, acuminate, serrate, smooth; umbels simple, sessile; 

 claws of the corolla shorter than the calices ; stem smooth. 

 This is a spreading tree, with the branches and twigs irre- 



fular and twisted, more horizontal than in the Pear-tree: 

 owers in terminating, sessile, villose umbels; corollas white, 

 but finely tinged with red on the outside. The Apple-tree in 

 its wild state is called the Crab, or Wilding, and, like the 

 Wild Pear, is armed with fhorns. Linneus distinguishes two 

 varieties of the Wild Apple : the common one, with a very acid 

 fruit, and another with a bitter fruit, which becomes sweetish 

 when ripe. Mr. Miller also mentions two varieties in the 

 fruit of the Crab Apple, one white ; the other purple towards 

 the sun : it is, however, commonly yellowish green with a 

 tinge of red. He also mentions a variety with variegated 

 leaves ; but when the trees grow vigorous, the leaves soon 

 become plain. The following discrimination of the Apple- 

 tree from that of the Pear, will materially assist young bota- 

 nical students ; it is the fruit of Haller's observations. The 

 Apple-tree has many things in common with the Pear-tree, 

 buMhe leaf is more shortly mucronate, less manifestly ser- 

 rate, subhirsute underneath ; the flowers tinged with red, 

 and smelling very sweet; the peduncle shorter; the stamina 

 usually from nineteen to twenty-five, the Pear having only 

 twenty-two; the fruit round, hollowed at the peduncle, de- 

 pressed at top, less astringent, but more acid than the Pear, 

 and of a softer texture. The Apple has woody threads pass- 

 ing through it from the peduncle, ten of which are regularly 

 disposed round the capsules, and tend to the calix : the 

 Pear also has them, but they are not so distinct, on account 

 of the calculous or stony congeries. In the Apple they 

 are placed very regularly, one at the point of each cell of 

 the capsule, and one in the middle between the other five, 

 and are very apparent on a transverse section of the fruit. 

 The cells are differently shaped in the two fruits : in the 

 Apple they are narrow and pointed at both ends; in the 

 Pear they are obovate, broad exteriorly, and drawing to a 

 point at the end next the centre of the fruit. The Pear, 

 however it may vary in shape, size, colour, taste, &c. by 

 cultivation, is generally convex, and lengthened at the base; 

 whereas in the Apple it is always concave there. Besides 

 tliis, the leaves of the Apple are commonly wider in propor- 

 tion to their length, of a yellower green above, and whitish 

 underneath ; whereas in the Pear they are dark green above, 

 and quite smooth on both side-s. Their vascular system is 



very different, being loose in the Apple, and very close in the 

 Pear ; hence the leaves of the latter are much stouter and 

 more permanent. Lastly, the growth of these trees is quite 

 different; the Pear being lofty and upright, the Apple low 

 and spreading. The wood of the Wild Apple is tolerably 

 hard ; it turns very clean ; and, when made into cogs for 

 wheels, acquires a polish, and lasts a long time. The bark 

 affords a yellow dye. The acid juice of the fruit is calltd 

 Verjuice, and is much used in recent sprains, and in other 

 cases, as an astringent or repellent. With a proper addition 

 of sugar, it is probable a very grateful liquor might be made 

 with the juice, little inferior to Rhenish wine. Lighitbot 

 asserts, that the Crab mixed with cultivated Apples, or even 

 alone, if thoroughly ripe, will make a sound masculine cider. 

 Every one knows that cider is made from the juice of a 

 variety of cultivated Apples, pressed and fermented. Poma- 

 tum is so called, because the lard is, or ought to be, beaten 

 up with the pulp of Apples. This fruit when ripe is hixalive ; 

 and the juice is excellent in the dysentery; boiled or roasted, 

 it fortifies a weak stomach ; and they are equally efficacious in 

 putrid or malignant fevers, with juice, of lemons or currants. 

 The following is Miller's account of the varieties of Apples. 

 After enumerating and briefly describing those Apples which 

 have been introduced from France into England, Mr. Miller 

 observes, that only two or three of them are much esteemed, 

 viz. 1. The French Rennet, which is a large fine fruit, of a 

 roundish figure, and of a pale green, changing a little yel- 

 lowish when ripe, having some small gray spots : the juice is 

 sugary, and it is good for eating or baking, and will keep sound' 

 till after Christmas. 2. The Rennette Grise, is a middle-sized 

 fruit, of a deep gray colour on the side next the sun, but on 

 the other side intermixed with yellow: it is a very juicy good 

 Apple, of a quick flavour, and ripens in October, but will not 

 keep long. 3. The Violet Apple, which is a pretty large pale 

 green fruit, striped with deep red in the 8'in. The juice is 

 sugary, and has a flavour of violets, from which it derived its. 

 name. 1. The first English Apple brought to market is the 

 Codlin, which is so well known that it needs no description. 2. 

 The next is the Margaret Apple : this fruit is not so long as the 

 Codlin, and of a middling size ; the side next the sun changes 

 to a faint red when ripe; the other side is of a pale gi-een> 

 the fruit is firm, of a quick pleasant taste, but does not keep 

 long. 3. The Summer Pearmain, is an oblong fruit, striped 

 with red next the sun ; the flesh is soft, and soon becomes 

 mealy, so that it is not greatly esteemed. 4, The Kentish 

 Fill-basket, is a species of Codlin, of a large size, and some- 

 wha-t longer-shaped than the Codlin: it ripens a little later 

 in the season, and is generally used for baking. 5. The 

 Transparent Apple, was brought to England some years since, 

 and was esteemed a curiosity : it came from Petersburg!), 

 where it is asserted to be so transparent that the kernels may 

 be perfectly seen when the Apple is held to the light ; but 

 in this country it is a mealy insipid fruit not worth cultivation. 

 6. Loan's Pearmain: this is a beautiful fruit, being of a mid- 

 dling size; the side next the sun is of a beautiful red, anrf 

 striped with the same colour on the other; the flesh is vinous, 

 but as it soon grows mealy, it is not greatly esteemed. 7. Th : 

 Quince Apple, is a small fruit, seldom larger than the Golden 

 Pippin, but is in shape like the Quince, especially towards 

 the stalk ; the side next the sun is of a russet colour, on the 

 other side inclining to yellow: it is an excellent Apple for 

 about three weeks in September, but will not keep much 

 longer. 8. The Golden Rennet, needs no description; it- 

 ripens about Michaelmas, and for about a month is very 

 good fruit either for eating raw or baking. 9. The Aromatic 

 Pippin, is also a very good apple : it is about the size of a 



