THE APPLE. 



145 



September comes, and brings with it. the Kerry Pippin (fig. 230), 

 which has a semi-transparent skin and a yellowish flesh, and also a 

 fine flavour. The Kerry Pippin is succeeded by Gravenstein (fig. 231), 

 which is another delicious apple for the season: towards the end of 

 the month the Ribston Pippin, King of the Pippins, and Pitmaston 

 Pineapple Pippin give us their delicious fruit. The Ribston (fig. 232) 

 is one of the finest of all apples, and may be kept, if well ripened, 

 till the following June : it has a peculiar flavour, due to an ether, 

 which modern chemistry has been able to make in the laboratory. 

 Every gai-den should have one or two large standard trees of this 

 variety, as it is capricious in its bearing. The tree likes to grow in 

 rich deep loam : I have tried it on its own roots, but this plan appears 

 to have no advantage. The King of the Pippins (fig. 233) is a great 

 bearer, though it is an inferior apple : nevertheless a garden should have 



• Fjg. 232. — Ribston Pippin. 



Fig. 233.— King of tlie 

 Pippins. 



Fig. 233(1. — Pitmas- 

 ton Pineapple. 



Fig. 234. — Cornisli Gilli- 

 flower. 



.one tree of this variety. The Pitmaston Pineapple (fig. 233a) is little 

 known, but I have found it second to none in cultivation. It is not 

 too large, is very sugary and highly flavoured, and is one of the best 

 of all apples. With me it frequently bears prodigiously ; but, when it 

 does so, I obtain no crop the next year. No garden should be without 



this, apple. 



From the middle of October till the middle of November the Rib- 

 ston alone should be used. December gives us the Cornish Gilliflower, 

 one of the finest of all apples (fig. 234). It has a yellowish flesh, 

 and its flavour is most delicious; but the tree is so indiff-erent a 

 bearer near London, that we can never depend upon a crop, although 

 I have at least half-a-dozen trees. The mode of growth of this tree 

 is peculiar, as it 'throws out long slim branches, and frequently it 



L 



