428 ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRI'TANNICUM. 
beneath, and the nerves there villose ; above glabrous, except being slightly 
downy on the midrib. A native of the country around Astrachan, on the 
testimony of gardeners. (Dec. Prod.) A very ornamental tree, from the 
beauty of its fruit, which it produces freely, and which is also good to eat. 
Varieties of P. Malus cultivated for their Fruit. From the above forms, we 
think it may safely be presumed, that all the apples cultivated for the dessert or 
the kitchen have been obtained, either by selection from seedlings, or by 
cross-fecundation ; and that no other wild sort has been used, unless, perhaps, 
we except Pyrus coronaria ; which, however, we have never heard of as being 
employed in cross-fecundation. These garden, or cultivated, varieties, as will 
hereafter appear, are very numerous; but the following selection of sorts, 
which are handsome-growing trees, or have fruit of a particular character, has 
heen made for us by Mr. Thompson, of the Horticultural Society’s Garden, 
from the collection under his care : — 
The Red Astrachan. The tree is middle-sized, with a branchy head ; the fruit 
is of a bright red, with a fine bloom like that of aplum. This is one form of 
_ the sort which DeCandolle has designated as P. astracanica: our No. 19. 
The White Astrachan, or transparent Crab of Moscow. The tree resembles 
the preceding sort, but has the branches tending upwards when young, and 
afterwards becoming pendulous. The fruit is of a wax colour, with a fine 
bloom on it, and is almost transparent. This is another form of P. (J4.) 
astracanica. It is known in English nurseries under the name of the trans- 
parent crab, 
The Black Crab is a tree of the middle size, with very dark small fruit of no 
value as such. 
The Court pendu plat is a remarkably dwarf-growing tree, and so late in flower- 
ing, that the leaves are expanded before, or at the same time as, the flowers ; 
and, consequently, the latter are seldom, if ever, injured by frost: for which 
reason, it is commonly called by gardeners the wise apple. Grafted on the 
French paradise stock, the tree may be kept of a size not larger than that of 
a gooseberry bush; in which state it will bear fruit in abundance and of good 
flavour. 
The Lincolnshire Holland Pippin is remarkable for the large size of its blossoms. 
Its fruit keeps till February. 
The Tulip Apple is a great bearer of fruit which is of a very bright red. 
ae Violet Apple has fruit of a violet colour, covered with a bloom like that of 
the plum. 
The Glens Crab, or Cherry Apple, is a subvariety of P. (M.) baccata. The 
tree is spreading, with drooping branches ; and the fruit is numerous, and 
about the size and colour of a large cherry. 
The Supreme Crab has fruit rather larger than the preceding sort. The tree is 
of robust growth, and the branches are somewhat erect. 
Bigg’s Everlasting Crab was raised in the Cambridge Botanic Garden, by Mr. 
Biggs, the curator, from seeds received from Siberia in 1814. It is a vi- 
gorous-growing tree, with pendulous branches and abundance of fruit, 
which, in form and character, are intermediate between P. (M.) prunifdlia 
and P. (M.) baccita, and which remain on the trees long after Christmas. 
In sheltered situations, and mild winters, this tree appears almost a sub- 
evergreen. 
The apple tree, whether in a wild state or cultivated, is by no means so 
handsome in form as the pear tree, though its blossoms are much more orna- 
mental, and are, besides, fragrant. It seldom grows above half the height of 
the pear tree ; the oldest apple trees known in Europe not being above 30 or 
35 feet in height. The trunk is generally crooked, and the branches rainbling 
horizontally when young, and when old becoming pendulous. The diameter of 
the head is also often greater than the height of the tree. The apple tree is 
much more liable to the canker, and other diseases, than the pear tree. The 
wood of the apple tree, in a wild state, is fine-grained, hard, and of a brownish 
