APPLES. 91 



but bright red next the sun, striped all over with darker red, and 

 strewed with grey russety dots. Eye, half open, and prominent, with 

 long, broad, erect segments, surrounded with a number of puckered knobs. 

 Stalk, short and thick, about half an inch long, inserted in a small 

 and shallow cavity. Flesh, greenish white, brisk, juicy, and vinous, 

 with a pleasant and very refreshing flavour. 



A first-rate early dessert apple ; it is ripe in the beginning of August, 

 but does not keep long, being very liable to become mealy. To have 

 it in perfection, it is well to gather it a few days before it ripens on the 

 tree, and thereby secure its juicy and vinous flavour. 



The tree does not attain a large size, being rather a small grower. 

 It is a good bearer, more so than the Joanneting, and is quite hardy, 

 except in Ught soils, when it is liable to canker. It is well adapted 

 for growing as dwarfs, either for potting or being trained as an espalier, 

 when grafted on the paradise or pomme paradis stock. 



This is a very old English apple. It is without doubt the Margaret of Eea, 

 Worlidge, Ray, and all our early pomologists except Miller ; Mr. Lindley, how- 

 ever, is of a different opinion, for he believes the Margaret of Miller to be identical 

 with that of Ray. That this variety is the Margaret of Rea, hia description is 

 sufficient evidence. " The Margaret or Magdelen Apple is a fair and beautiful 

 fruit, yellow, and thick striped with red, early ripe, of a delicate taste, sweet flavour, 

 and best eaten off the tree." Ray gives no description of it, but it is only reason- 

 able to suppose that it is this variety he refers to, seeing it is the Margaret of all 

 authors both immediately preceding and subsequent to him. And indeed in no 

 instance is that of Miller noticed by any English author but himself anterior to 

 Mr. Lindley. 



Margaret. See Madeleine. 



Marget. See Margaret, 



MARGIL (MargUl; Never Fail; Munches Pippin ; Small Ribston). 

 — ^Fruit, small, two inches and an eighth wide, and the same in 

 height ; conical, distinctly five-sided, with acute angles on the side, 

 which terminate at the crown in five prominent ridges. Skin, orange, 

 streaked with deep red, and covered on one side with patches of russet. 

 Eye, small and closed, compressed as it were between the angles of 

 the basin. Stalk, half an inch long, slender, and rather deeply in- 

 serted in a round and russety cavity. Flesh, yellow, firm, juicy, rich, 

 and sugary, with a powerful and delicious aromatic flavour. 



One of the finest dessert apples, a rival of the Ribston Pippin, ex- 

 celling it in juiciness, and being of a better size for the dessert ; it is 

 in use from November to February. 



The tree is quite hardy, and generally an abundant bearer, except 

 in seasons when the bloom is injured by frosts, to which it is liable. 

 It is of a small and slender habit of growth, and is well adapted for 

 growing as dwarfs or espahers when grafted on the palradise stock. 



There seems to be no record of this variety before the publication of the Pomona 

 Londonensis, although it was known for many years previously. Rogers says he 

 saw a tree of it growing as an espalier in the garden at Sheen, which was planted 

 by Sir William Temple. I find it was cultivated to a considerable extent in the 

 Brompton Park nursery so early as 1750 ; it must therefore have been well known 



