THE GRAVENSTEIN APPLE. 



Gkavenstein. Transactions Lon. Hort. Soc, vol. iv. pi. xxi. 



Grave Slue, > According to HoH. Soc. Cat, 1842. 



Sabine of the Flemings, > 

 Grafensteiner, of the Germans. 



But few of the great number of foreign varieties 



of apples, which have been described and figured in 



European pomological works, appear to possess much 



merit in comparison with our native Idnds. It is 



^f^-^/true, only a limited number have had a fair trial; 



^^m/ but that number has been a selection from the very 



^^> best, and few of them are sufficiently meritorious to 



retain a place in our gardens. 



Among these few, however, the Gravenstein un- 

 doubtedly stands at the head. It is a large as well 

 as a most beautiful fruit, and possesses that crisp yet 

 tender flesh, and that refreshing admixture of sweet and acid which 

 characterize our most esteemed apples. It comes in, too, at a season 

 when we are not overstocked with fine varieties, succeeding the Porter, 

 and supplying the table throughout the month of October. 



The origin of the Gravenstein remains in some doubt. It is said to 

 have been originally found in the Duke of Augustinberg's garden at 

 Gravenstein, in Holstein, and that the original tree was growing there 

 in the middle of the last century ; another statement is, that it derived 

 its name from being found in the garden of the castle of Grafenstein, 

 in Sleswick ; and Diel says, that it was supposed by some to have 

 been introduced from Italy, Be this as it may, it is a common apple 

 throughout Germany and Sweden, and was received from thence into 

 the English collections. It is undoubtedly of similar origin with the 

 Red Astrachan and Duchess of Oldenburg, possessmg the pecuhar habit 

 of growth, form of foliage, and texture of the fruit, which distinguish 

 the German apples. 



At what time it was first introduced into our gardens we are not 

 aware. But as neither Cox or Thatcher describe or name it, we sup- 

 pose it was some time subsequent to the account given of it in the 

 Transactions of the London Horticultural Society in 1822. It is at 

 the present time considerably cultivated, though not to the extent its 

 merits deserve. 



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