APPLES. 129 



EOYAL RUSSET (Reinette de Canada Qrlse; Ldnetle de Canada 

 Platte ; Leather Coat). — Fruit, large, three inches and a half wide, and 

 two inches and three quarters high ; roundish, somewhat flattened and 

 angular. Skin, covered with rough brown russet, which has a brownish 

 tinge on the side next the sun ; some portions only of the ground 

 colour are visible, which is yellowish green. Eye, small and closed, set 

 in a narrow and rather shallow basin. Stalk, half an inch long, 

 inserted in a wide and deep cavity. Flesh, greenish yellow, tender, 

 crisp, brisk, juicy, and sugary. 



A most excellent culinary apple of first-rate quality ; it is in use from 

 November to May, but is very apt to shrink and become dry, unless, 

 as Mr. Thompson recommends, it is kept in dry sand. 



The tree is of a very vigorous habit, and attains the largest size. It 

 is perfectly hardy and an excellent bearer. 



This has always been a favourite old English variety, being mentioned by 

 Lawson so early as 1597, and much esteemed by almost every subsequent writer. 



EOYAL SHEPHERD. — Fruit, above medium size, three inches 

 wide, and two and three quarters high ; roundish, inchning to ovate, 

 slightly ribbed, and narrowing towards the eye. Skin, greenish yellow 

 in the shade, but covered with dull red next the sun, and strewed all 

 over with minute russety dots. Eye, partially closed, set in a round 

 and rather deep basin. Stalk, short, inserted in a deep funnel-shaped 

 cavity, which is lined with ramifications of russet. Flesh, greenish 

 white, firm, crisp, brisk and pleasantly flavoured. 



A very good culinary apple, grown in the neighbourhood of Lancaster. 

 It is in use during November and December, and will keep till March 

 or April. 



ROYAL SOMERSET. — ^Fruit, rather above medium size, three 

 inches wide, and rather more than -two inches and a quarter high ; 

 roundish-ovate, generally higher on one side than the other, handsome 

 and regularly shaped. Skin, smooth, pale yellow, with a tinge of green 

 on the shaded side, but brighter yeUow, marked with faint broken 

 streaks and mottles of crimson, on the side next the sun ; the whole 

 strewed with russety dots, which are most numerous in the basin of the 

 eye. Eye, large and open, with very short stunted segments, which are 

 reflexed, and placed in a round, even, and pretty deep basin. Stalk, up- 

 wards of half an inch long, slender, and inserted almost the whole of 

 its length in a deep, round, smooth, funnel-shaped cavity. Flesh, 

 yellowish, very tender and juicy, with a pleasant, delicate, sub-acid, but 

 not brisk flavour. 



A very excellent culinary apple ; in use from November till March. 

 Like the Dumelow's Seedling, this apple is translucent round the eye. 



The Royal Somerset of the Horticultural Society's Catalogue is London Pippin ; 

 hut the variety described above is a very distinct fruit, and has more the resemb- 

 lance of a medium sized Blenheim Pippin, both in shape, colour, and the 

 formation of the eye. 1 obtained this in 1847 from the late Mr. James Lake, 

 nurseryman of Bridgewater. 



