COMMON APPLE-TREE. 209 
nerves are villose, but glabrous above, except in being slightly downy on the 
midrib. From this race originated the cultivated " Red Aslrachun Crab," a 
medium-sized tree, with a branchy head, bearing a bright-red fruit, covered with 
a fine bloom, like that of the plum; also the "White Astrachan," or "Transpa- 
rent Crab," of Moscow, a tree resembling the Red Astrachan, except in its 
branches tending upwards, when young, and afterwards becoming pendulous. 
Its fruit is of a wax colour, almost transparent, and covered with a fine bloom. 
From the preceding forms, it may be safely presumed, that all the apples cul- 
tivated for the dessert, or the kitchen, have been obtained, either by selections 
from seedlings, or from cross-fecundation. The number of varieties and sub- 
varieties, at present known, amounts to several thousand, about fifteen hundred 
of which have been collected in the garden of the London Horticultural society, 
and distinct sorts are being added every year. Hence, as the varieties are so 
numerous, and are rapidly becoming more multiplied, it is impossible for us, 
within our limits, to present an account of them, or even to enumerate their 
names. This branch of knowledge, however, forms a very important feature in 
practical horticulture ; and one of the most valuable objects to which individuals 
and societies for the encouragement of experiments in cultivation, can direct their 
attention, would be to diminish the embarrassing list of varieties, by confining 
themselves to the best sorts alone. 
Geography and History. The Pyrus mains, or some of its varieties, grows 
spontaneously in almost every part of the northern hemisphere, except in tbe 
torrid and frigid zones, and some of the islands in the ocean. It is found 
throughout western Asia, China, Japan, North America, and in the north of 
Europe, as far as West Finland, in latitude 62 ; in Sweden, in latitude 58 or 59 ; 
and central Russia, to 55 or 60. The crab of Europe, however, is wanting in 
Siberia, where its place is abundantly supplied by the P. m. prunifolia, and the 
P. m. baccata. In Britain, Ireland, and North America, the common apple-tree 
occurs wild, in hedges, and on the margins of woods. It is cultivated for its 
fruit, both in the temperate and transition zones of both hemispheres, even in the 
southern parts of India, on the Himalayas, and in China and Japan. 
That the apple-tree is a native of the eastern part of the world, we have the 
authority of the earliest writers in " Holy Writ," as well as of the naturalists of 
ancient Greece and Rome. The prophet Joel, where he declares the destruction 
of the products of the earth, by a long drought, mentions the fruits which were 
held in high estimation, and among them, he names the apple. 
"The vine is dried up, and the fig-tree languisheth ; the pomesrranate-tree, 
the palm-tree, also, and the apple-tree, even all the trees of the field are 
withered." J EL 12 - 
Apples are also mentioned by Theophrastus, Herodotus, and Columella; and 
the Greeks, according to Pliny, called them Medica, after the country whence 
they were first brought, in ancient times ; but others conjecture that the term 
" Medica," was more probably applied to the citron and the peach, both of which 
are supposed to have been introduced from Media into Greece. That the Epiro- 
tica, from Epirus, were what we call apples, there can be no doubt; as they 
are described by Pliny, as a fruit with a tender skin, that can easily be pared 
off; and besides, he mentions "crabs" and "wildings," as being smaller, "and 
for their harsh sourness they have many a foul word and shrewd curse given 
them." The cultivated apple, however, probably was not very abundant at 
Rome, in his time; for he states that, "there were some trees in the villas neai 
the city, which yielded more profit than a small farm, and which broughl about 
the invention of grafting." " There are apples," continues he, " that have enno- 
bled the countries from which they came; and our best varieties will honour 
