§J The Scents of Early Summer ($£ 



symbol of an English home, for there is no other tree 

 which embodies in its quiet happy beauty and its sim- 

 plicity all that the word home means to our race. How 

 largely this tree figures in the domestic history of our 

 race, and how interesting it would be to trace the story 

 of it in these islands from the days of our British ancestors 

 through Saxon, mediaeval, Tudor, Stuart and Georgian 

 days. What pictures flit before one of our indigenous 

 apple trees in the beauty of their bloom before the days 

 of the Romans, when the sacred island of Avalon was so 

 called because of the apples which grew there in such 

 abundance ; of the orchards of our Anglo-Saxon ancestors 

 and the picturesque scenes when they made cider (which 

 they called sieder) of the well-cared for orchards belonging 

 to the monasteries ; of the fame of the cider orchards 

 of Herefordshire even in Elizabeth's reign. Gerard 

 enthusiastically advocated the planting of yet more or- 

 chards. ' Gentlemen, that have lands and living put 

 forward in the name of God ; graffe, set, plant, and nourish 

 up trees in every corner of your grounds ; the labour is 

 small, the cost is nothing, the commoditie is great, your- 

 selves shall have plentie, the poor shall have somewhat 

 in time of want to relieve their necessitie and God shall 

 rewarde your good mindes and diligence.' Apples and 

 apple trees figure largely in our folk-lore and the custom 

 of wassailing trees was kept up to within living memory. 



' Here's to thee, old apple-tree ; 



Hence thou mayst bud, and whence thou mayst blow, 

 And whence thou mayst apples bear enow ! 

 Hats full ! caps full ! 

 Bushel, bushel sacks full ! 

 And my pockets full, too ! Huzza ! ' 



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