in the Neighbourhood of Kilkenny. ]67 



Early Apples, f 



1. * Scarlet Eve (Early Margaret of the London Uort. 

 Soc. Catalogue). — A middle-sized oval fruit, flattish at the. 

 eye and stalk. Eye shallow and wrinkled. Stalk short, in- 

 serted in a shallow cavity. Sides slightly angular. Ground 

 colour when ripe, a yellowish green in the shade, to the sun 

 a bright crimson marked with darker streaks and some russet 

 about the stalk. Flesh whitish, sometimes tinted with red 

 next the skin ; crisp and juicy ; flavour saccharine, pleasantly 

 acidulated, and accompanied by a perfumed odour. Ripe 

 the earlier part of August. The tree is middle-sized, grows 

 erect, and bears well. One of the earliest, and the best 

 apple of the season : we reckoned it an Irish fruit, but it 

 has been so long and universally known, that its origin is 

 doubtful. 



2. *Oslin Apple. — A middle-sized roundish oblate fruit. 

 Eye wide and shallow, its calyx often prominent, and a little 

 wrinkled. Stalk short, inserted in a wide and shallow cavity. 

 Sides sometimes slightly angular. Surface when ripe a 

 bright yellow speckled with russet, which is also clouded 

 about the stalk. Flesh yellowish, crisp, and juicy; flavour 

 delicate, sugary, and aromatic. Ripe the end of August. An 

 excellent fruit, of Scotch origin. The tree is dwarfish in its 

 growth, makes erect shoots of a light grey colour, has leaves 

 of a light green, and is an abundant bearer. 



3. Med Astrachan. — - Above the middle size. Roundish, a 

 little flatted at the ends. Sides irregular. Eye broad and 

 deep, but closed by the calyx, and uneven on the edge. 

 Stalk short, and deeply sunk in an angular cavity. Surface 

 of a deep cherry red to the sun, covered with a purplish, 

 bloom, and yellowish mixed with a lighter red to the shade. 

 Flesh very white, tinted with red next the skin, firm, juicy, 

 and well flavoured. A beautiful fruit, originally from Russia, 

 and ripe the end of August. The tree grows strong and erect, 

 and is a good bearer. 



4. Peach Apple. — An Irish fruit, somewhat above the 

 middle size ; its transverse diameter greatest. Sides irregular, 



f The selection given is classed under three heads : early fruit, which 

 ripen on the tree from July to the end of October ; middle season fruit, 

 which are in use from October to the end of January ; and late keeping 

 fruit, from January to the return of the season. I term those fruits small 

 which do not exceed 2 in. in diameter ; middle-sized, between 2 and 3 ; 

 and large, such as are 3 in. and upwards. The terms designating the shape, 

 must be understood with some latitude: precision cannot be attained; and 

 in this, the most uncertain of all uncertain climates, one season often 

 proves a fortnight or three weeks earlier or later than another. 



m 4 



