APPLE. 263 



IN preparing the following articles, the object has 

 been to furnish such information as was thought best calcu- 

 lated to entertain, as well as to instruct the reader. Besides 

 the authorities quoted, I have gleaned from those inexhaust- 

 ible treasures to horticulturists, London's Encyclopaedia of 

 Plants, and that of Gardening; but on account of the 

 brevity necessarily observed throughout this work, it has 

 been found impracticable to give many entire extracts ; 

 suffice it to say, that the historical facts are generally 

 collected from these sources. 



APPLE. 



POMMIER. Pyrus malus. 



THE Apple being so closely connected with our wants 

 and enjoyments, is entitled to the first notice in the cata- 

 logue of our fruits, The Apple Orchard is in truth the 

 vineyard of our country ; and the delicious beverage that 

 can be obtained from some of the varieties of this excel- 

 lent fruit being calculated to cheer the invalid, as well aa 

 to strengthen the healthy, entitles it to high consideration. 

 It is one of our oldest and best fruits, and has become 

 completely naturalized to our soil ; none can be brought to 

 so high a degree of perfection with so little trouble; and of 

 no other are there so many excellent varieties in general 

 cultivation, calculated for almost every soil, situation and 

 climate, which our country affords. 



The Apple tree is supposed by some to attain a great 

 age : Haller mentions some trees in Herefordshire, England, 

 that attained a thousand years, and were highly prolific ; 

 but Knight considers two hundred years as the ordinary 

 duration of a healthy tree, grafted on a crab stock, and 

 planted in a strong tenacious soil. Speechly mentions a 

 tree in an Orchard at Burtonjoice, near Nottingham, of 

 about sixty years old, with branches extending from seven 

 to nine yards round the bole, which in some seasons pro- 

 duced upwards of one hundred bushels of apples* 



