CHAP. XLII. ROSACE1E. PY^RUS. 899 



liquor, like a scum, will appear on the surface : this must be removed, and the 

 liquor strain eel, before it is mixed with apples, as before. This scum is the tartaric 

 acid, which would spoil the raisine, and prevent it from keeping, but which is not 

 perceivable when the grapes have ripened in a southern climate. The raisine,when 

 properly prepared, is sweet, but with a .slight flavour of acidity, like lemon mixed 

 with honev. The best raisine is that of Burgundy. In Normandy a similar 

 marmalade is composed of cider and pears ; but it is not so good as the other 

 kind, being apt to ferment. In some cases, the pears are put into an earthen 

 vessel without water, and placed in a baker's oven after the bread lias been 

 drawn, previously to mixing with the cider. The best raisine is considered very 

 wholesome, particularly for children, who eat it spread on bread, and for per- 

 sons in delicate health, whose stomachs will not bear butter, and is in France 

 what marmalade is in Britain, and more especially in Scotland. Raisine is 

 abundant and cheap in Paris ; where, however, a composition is often sub- 

 stituted for it, made of honey and water, instead of wine; an imposition 

 which may be detected by putting the raisine in water, with which it will not 

 unite if pure. In Italy, the raisine is eaten with preparations either of Indian 

 corn, or of maccaroni, to give a flavour to these dishes. (Xmiveau Cours 

 Complet d* Agriculture, tome xiii. p. 44.) 



Poetical and legendary Allusions^ The apple tree was formerly supposed to 

 be the tree of knowledge, the fruit of which was eaten by Eve in Paradise; 

 and it is a curious fact, that the apple tree is also distinguished by legends 

 in the mythologies of the Greeks, the Scandinavians, and the Druids. The 

 pagans believed that the golden fruit of the Hesperides, which it was one of the 

 labours of Hercules to procure, in spite of the fierce dragon that guarded them 

 and never slept, were apples ; though modern writers have supposed them 

 oranges. (See Encyc. of Gftrd,, edit. 1835, p. 4. and p. 5.) In the Edda, we 

 are told that the goddess Iduna had the care of apples which had the power 

 of conferring immortality ; and which were, consequently, reserved for the 

 gods, who ate of them when they began to feel themselves growing old. The 

 evil spirit Loke took away Iduna and her apple tree, and hid them in a forest, 

 where they could not be found by the gods. In consequence of this malicious 

 theft, every thing went wrong in the world. The gods became old and infirm ; 

 and, enfeebled both in body and mind, no longer paid the same attention to 

 the affairs of the earth ; and men, having no one to look after them, fell into 

 evil courses, and became the prey of the evil spirit. At length, the gods 

 finding matters get worse and worse every day, roused their last remains of 

 vigour, and, combining together, forced Loke to restore the tree Thedruids 

 paid particular reverence to the apple tree, because the mistletoe was supposed 

 to grow only on it and the oak ; and also on account of the great usefulness 

 of the fruit. In consequence of this feeling, the apple was cultivated in 

 Britain from the earliest ages of which we have any record; and Glastonbury 

 was called the apple orchard, from the great quantity of apples grown there 

 previously to the arrival of the Romans. (See p. 22.) 



Hercules was worshipped by the Thebans, under the name of Melius; and 

 apples were offered at his altars. The origin of this custom was the circumstance 

 of the river Asopus having, on one occasion, overflowed its banks to such an ex- 

 tent as to render it impossible to bring a sheep across it which was to be sacrificed 

 to Hercules ; when some youths, recollecting that an apple bore the same name 

 as a sheep in Greek (melon), offered an apple, with four little sticks stuck in 

 it, to resemble legs, as a substitute for the sheep ; and, after that period, the 

 pagans always considered the apple as especially devoted to Hercules. (See 

 Reid's Jl/.st. and Lit. Hot., vol. i. p. 103.) In Britain, as we have already 

 stated, the apple tree has been held in respect ever since the time of the 

 druids. The ancient Welsh bards were rewarded for excelling in song by 

 " the token of the apple spray;" and Gwaichmal thus sings : "The point of 

 the apple tree, supporting blossoms, proud covering of the woods, declares 

 every one's desire tends to the place of his affections." (Davies's Welsh Hards.) 

 " On Christmas Eve, the farmers and their men, in Devonshire, take a large 



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