FLORA AND SYLVA, 



known as major; a second, P. Sieboldi, is very 

 small and more curious than pretty. A cross 

 between Toringo and a double form of spectabilis 

 has given Tenorei carnea pleno of nurseries. 



The number of these is 



Fruiting Crabs. . r • i i 



growing fast with the 

 newer kinds from America, where the 

 Crab is much grown for its hardiness, 

 and much has been done to improve it 

 by crossing with the smaller orchard 

 varieties. Some of the best English Crabs 

 were raised in the same way many years 

 ago by crossing with the Devonshire 

 Quarrendeii, and fine trees from this 

 strain may still be seen in old Kentish 

 gardens . Of those grown in this country 

 the following are the best: — The Dart- 

 mouth Crab and John Downie are now 

 well known, both of fine colour, good 

 natural habit, and growing well quite 

 into the north. The Dartmouth has 

 large fruits of intense crimson with a 

 plum-like bloom, and so many that the 

 trees are often weighed down, yohn 

 Downie is of graceful yet sturdy growth, 

 with large fruits of orange-yellow red- 

 dening in the sun and clustered most 

 prettily along the stems ; cut branches 

 are fine for decoration and, as this kind 

 flowers late, the crop is seldom spoiled 

 by frost. As in all Crabs, these need little 

 pruning (whether as dwarfs or standards) 

 after the head is well formed, the best 

 fruits coming upon shoots of two years. 

 The Fairy Crab,\)ke a miniature Apple, 

 is larger than most in its fruits of lemon- 

 colour prettily flushed, for which birds 

 have such a liking as often to spoil the 

 crop if left too long ; very pretty and 

 free, whether as bushes or standards. 

 The Cherry Apple or Scarlet Siberian 

 Crab is grown in several varieties with 



fruits early, late, and of different sizes. 

 Cherry-like, they are borne in clusters 

 upon long stalks during September,with 

 juicy flesh and pleasant acid flavour; the 

 trees are of pretty open form, but liable 

 to mildew. The best variety is Cheals 

 Scarlet Siberian, with fruits of fine co- 

 lour and very numerous, upon a tree of 

 upright growth and better foliage. The 

 'Tartarian or Yellow Siberian Crab 

 makes a pretty tree with medium fruits 

 of light yellow and good in contrast ; 

 these two Siberian forms gave the start 

 for all the garden varieties. The Ora?ige 

 Crab, raised by Saltmarsh of Colchester, 

 bears bright yellow fruits larger than the 

 Siberian, while the new Oblong Crab is 

 a form of this with long-shaped scented 

 fruits of good flavour. 7ranspare?2t is 

 an old kind making a fine tree, with 

 fruits of clear yellow flushing in the 

 sun, of translucent flesh and pleasant fla- 

 vour. Transceitdent is a newer American 

 tree of fine appearance, with large red 

 and yellow fruits. Montreal Beauty (or 

 Ma?n?noth Crab) is one of the older 

 American kinds, as is also Coral, a 

 pretty tree in form and in fruit — these 

 of medium size with a strong quince 

 smell. Useful as a later sort is the Lady 

 \ Crab, with reddish fruits of good size 

 and quality speckled with white dots; 

 still later is Chicago, with yellow fruits 

 striped with rose upon the sunny side. 

 Other pretty kinds are Paul 's Imperial, 

 raised at Waltham ; and Malakovna, a 

 little known variety very good in dwarf 

 form, with large fruits of bright scarlet. 

 There are a number of new American 

 kinds, but so far they do not seem to have 

 won a good character inthis country .-B. 



