102 THE FEUIT MANUAL. 



the middle size, and is an abundant and early bearer, young trees three 

 years old from the graft producing an abundance of beautiful fruit. 



Although an old variety, I do not think this is the Nonesuch of Eea, Worlidge, 

 or Bay, as allthese authors mention it as being «. long keeper, for which circum- 

 stance it might otherwise have been considered the same. Eea says "it is a middle 

 sized, round, and red striped apple, of a delicate taste, and long lasting." Wor- 

 lidge's variety is probably the same as Rea's. He says, "The Nonsuch is a long 

 lasting fruit, good at the table, and well marked for cider.'' And Ray also includes 

 his " Non-such " among the winter apples. 



NONPAKEIL {Old Nonpareil; English Nonpareil; Hunt's Non- 

 pareil; Lovedon's Pippin; Reinette Nonpareil; Nonpareil d'Angle- 

 terre ; Dice d'Arsel ; Orune Reinette). — Fruit, medium sized ; roundish, 

 broad at the base and narrowing towards the apex. Skin, yellowish 

 green, covered with large patches of thin grey russet, and dotted with 

 small brown russety dots, with occasionally a tinge of dull red on the 

 side next the sun. Eye, rather prominent, very slightly if at all 

 depressed, half open, with broad segments, which are reflexed at the 

 tips. Stalk, an inch long, set in a round and pretty deep cavity, 

 which is lined with russet. Flesh, greenish, delicate, crisp, rich, and 

 juicy, abounding in a particularly rich, vinous, and aromatic flavour. 



One of the most highly esteemed and popular of all our dessert apples. 

 It is in use from January to May. The tree is a free grower, and 

 healthy, scarcely attaining the middle size, and an excellent bearer. 

 It prefers a light and warm soil, succeeds well on the paradise stock, 

 and is well adapted for growing in pots, when grafted on the pommier 

 de paradis of the French. Bradley in one of his tracts records an 

 instance of it being so cultivated. "Mr. Fairchild (of Hoxton) has 

 now (February) one of the Nonpareile apples upon a small tree, in a 

 pot, which seems capable of holding good till the blossoms of this year 

 have ripened their fruit." In the northern counties and in Scotland 

 it does not succeed on a standard as it does in the south, and even 

 when grown against a wall, there is a marked contrast in the flavour 

 when compared with the standard grown fruit of the south. 



It is generally allowed that the Nonpareil is originally from France. Switzer 

 says, " It is no stranger in England j though it might have its origin from France, 

 yet there are trees of them about the Ashtons in Oxfordshire, of about a hundred 

 years old, which (as they have it by tradition) was first brought out of France and 

 planted by a Jesuit in Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth's time." It is strange, 

 however, that an apple of such excellence, and held in such estimation as the 

 Nonpareil has always been, should have received so little notice from almost all 

 the early continental pomologists. It is not mentioned in the long list of the 

 Jardinier Francois of 1653, nor even by De Quintinye, or the Jardinier Solitaire, 

 ^chabol enumerates it, but it is not noticed by Bretonnerie. It is first described 

 by Duhamel and subsequently by Knoop. In the Chartreux catalogue it is said 

 " elle est forte estimee en Angleterre," but, among the writers of our own country, 

 Switzer is the first to notice it. It is not mentioned by Rea, Worlidge, or Ray, 

 neither is it enumerated in the list of Leonard Meager. In America it is little 

 esteemed. 



Nonpareil d' Angleterre. See Nonpareil. 



Nonpareil Russet. See Morris's Nonpareil Russet. 



