Tlie Apple. 195 



body, having at one end what is called an eye, which is, in 

 reality, the remains of the calyx surrounding the withered sta- 

 mens. The principal part of the flesh is the tube of the calyx, 

 but the central part is the carpels, also grown fleshy, and at this 

 period indistinguishable from the calyx itself; that their number 

 was five, is shown by the five cavities in the centre of the fruit, 

 each of which contains one or more seeds. Now it is obvious, 

 if this description be carefully considered, that the fruit is the 

 only thing by which the apple is known from a Rosaceous 

 plant. What is more enchanting, a writer observes, to the lover 

 of nature than an Apple tree, when clad with its beautiful bloom 

 in the early spring? And the more, that they hold forth the pro- 

 mise of an abundance of delicious fruit. The Apple bloom is 

 indeed a charming flower, and by some has been preferred before 

 the rose. The common Crab tree is the parent of all the im- 

 mense variety of Apples at present cultivated, and there are few 

 genera which so amply repay the trouble as does this. Our Na- 

 tive Crab — Pyrus Coronarum, is remarkable for the beauty 

 of its fragrant blossoms, and the leaves, as Nuttall observes, in- 

 stead of being entire, have an evident tendency to lobing. Its 

 fruit, when ripe, is almost diaphanous, entirely yellow, and on 

 mellowing, becomes very fragrant ; little depression at the inser- 

 tion of stalk. 



The Apple is a large, spreading, graceful tree, with ovate 

 leaves, as a general rule ; the flowers, agreeably to the economy 

 of this class of plants, come out the second year in beautiful ter- 

 minating umbels. The fruit is of various kinds, varying in taste 

 from sweet to sour, and in color, from white to green, yellow, red or 

 violet. It is a remarkable fact, that though America is distinguished 

 for her forest trees and elegant flowers, she is still very scantily fur- 

 nished with fruit-bearing genera ; nearly all we have are imported. 

 It should, however, inspire us with feelings of gratitude for the 

 goodness of Providence, when we reflect that all the useful tribes 

 of vegetables may be easily naturalized in any part of the world, 

 and made subservient to the interests of man. The Apple is a 

 native of Germany ; it was early known to the Romans, but as 

 they were unacquainted with the art of increasing the varieties, 

 of course, but few in comparison were known to them ; when 

 they conquered Britain, this tree, among other valuable gifts, was 

 for the first time introduced into England. Though we have the 



