256 KXGLISH BOTAXY. 



acid and harsh, that it cannot be eaten in an uncooked state, but makes a very pleasant 

 preserve when boiled with sugar. The French commonly call the apples Cider Apples, 

 and the juice known as " verjuice " has given rise to a ])roverb from its acidity, and is a 

 favourite remedy in rural districts for sprains and bruises. In Ireland, the jiiice is often 

 added to cider to give it roughness. 



Sub-Species ti.— Pyrus mitis. 



Plate CCCCXC. 

 P. Mains, var. ft, mitis, WaUr. Sched. Crit. p. 215. 

 P. Malus, B. C. Gr. & Godr. Fl. de Fr. Vol. I. p. 571. 

 Mains communis, " Poir." Boreau, Fl. du Centre de la Fr. ed. iiL p. 236. 

 P. Malus, var. ft, toraentosa, Bah. Man. Brit. Bot. ed. v. p. 117. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ. 



et Helv. ed. ii. p. 261. 

 P. Malus, var. ft, sativa, Letghton, Fl. Shrop. p. 527. 



Young branches, underside of leaves, pedicels, and calyx-tube, 

 woolly, pubescent. Pruit sub-erect, longer than the peduncle. 



In hedges and thickets. Not uncommon in England and the 

 South of Scotland, but most probably generally, if not always, 

 derived from the seeds of the cultivated apple. 



England, [Scotland], Ireland ? Tree. Summer. 



This plant is, no doubt, the original stock of all the cultivated 

 apples which have shortly-stalked fruit. The leaves are generally 

 larger, more oval, and with rather shorter petioles and less distinctly 

 cusjjidate than those of the crab-apple ; the red and white in the 

 flower is more in stripes, and the whole plant more woolly. It 

 begins to flower a little earlier than P. acerba, and appears to 

 perfect its fruit less readily, as I have frequently seen the crab 

 fruiting freely beside P. mitis on which no fruit was set. 



The name tomentosa cannot be applied to this plant, as there is 

 already a P. tomentosa of De CandoUe. 



Wild A2)ple. 



French, Pyrns Pommier. German, Gemenier Apfelbav/m. 



The source from whence we derived our first cultivated Apples is somewhat 

 obscure ; but it is certain that no fruit is brought to so great a state of perfection at 

 the jiresent time in Great Britain, and with so little trouble, the climate and soil seeming 

 to be sj)ecially adapted to it. Tlie Apple is mentioned by the most ancient Greek 

 ■writers, and in Pliny's time it was cultivated in abuudauce in the villages around 

 Rome, and many of the sorts took their names from the first gratters. In all proba- 

 bility, the cultivated Apple was first introduced into our island by the Pomans, — 

 possibly by some of the monks who established themselves here, and founded religious 

 houses, the gardens of which were well supplied with fruit-trees. The Apple known 

 as the pippin, from being orignally raised from pips or seeds instead of by grafting, 

 ■was brought by Leonard Maschal, in the sixteenth year of the reign of Henry VIII , 

 from France ; and numerous other varieties were imported shortly after. In Sliake- 

 speare's time Apples of this sort seem to have been much esteemed, if we may judge 



