THE APPLE. ITS VARIETIES. 119 



This is one of our oldest apples, and although generally known and 

 popular, seems to have escaped the notice of Miller, who does not even 

 mention it any of the editions of his dictionary. As I have doubts of 

 this being the Geneting of Parkinson — his figure being evidently in- 

 tended for the Margaret, which in some districts is called Joanneting — ■ 

 the first mention we have of this variety is by Rea, in 1665, who 

 describes it as " a small, yellow, red-sided apple, upon a wall, ripe in 

 the end of June." 



The orthography which I have adopted in the nomenclature of this 

 apple may, to some, at first sight, seem strange ; but I am nevertheless 

 persuaded it is the correct one. The different forms in which it has 

 been written will be found in the synonymes given above, none of which 

 afford any assistance as to the derivation or signification of the name. 

 Abercrombie was the first who wrote it June-eating, as if in allusion to 

 the period of its maturity, which is, however, not till the end of July. 

 Dr. Johnson, in his Dictionary, writes it Gineting, and says it is a cor- 

 ruption of Janeton (Fr.) signifying Jane or Janet, having been so called 

 from a person of that name. Ray * says, " Pomum Ginettinum, quod 

 unde dictum sit me latet." Indeed there does not seem ever to have 

 been a correct definition given of it. 



In the middle ages, it was customary to make the festivals of the 

 church, or saint's days, periods on which occurrences were to take place, 

 or from which events were dated. Even in the present day, we hear the 

 country people talking of some crop to be sown, or some other to be 

 planted at Michaelmas, St. Martin's, or Saint Andrew's-tide. It was 

 also the practice, during the reign of Popery in this country, as is still 

 the case in all Roman Catholic countries, for parents to dedicate their 

 children to some particular saint, as Jean Baptiste, on the recurrence of 

 whose festival, all who are so named keep it as a holiday. So it was also 

 in regard to fruits, which were named after the day about which they 

 came to maturity. Thus, we have the Margaret Apple, so called from being 

 ripe about St. Margaret's day — the 20th of July. The Magdalene, or 

 Maudlin, from St. Magdalene's day — the 22nd of July. And in Curtius'' 

 we find the Joannina, so called, " Quod circa divi Joannis Baptistae nativi- 

 tatem esui sint." These are also noticed by J. B. Porta ; he says, " Est 

 genus alterum quod quia circa festum Divi Joannis maturiscit, vulgus 

 Melo de San Giovanni dicitur." And according to Tragus,'' " Quae apud 

 nos prima maturantur, Sanct Johans Opffel, Latine, Praecocia mala 

 dicuntur." 



We see, therefore, that they were called Joannina, because they ripened 

 about St. John's Day. We have also among the old French pears Amire 

 Joannet — the Admired, or Wonderful Little John, which Merlet informs 

 us was so called, because it ripened about St. John's Day. If then we 

 add to Joannet the termination ing, so general among our names of 

 apples, we have Joanneting. There can be no doubt that this is the cor- 

 rect derivation, and signification of the name of this apple, and although 

 the orthography may for a time appear singular, it will in the course of 

 usage become as familiar as the other forms in which it as been written. 



= Hist. Plant, ii. 1447. b Hortorum, p. 522. ^ Hist. p. 1043. 



