THE APPLE. 



305 



Pippin was raised at Ribston Park^ Yorkshire, 

 from a pippin brought from Prance. The ori- 

 ginal tree, which produced this last sort, was 

 standing in 1831, and probably still remains. 

 Philips, who published his poem, Cider," in 

 1706, enumerates many sorts, some of which are 

 still in cultivation ; others have been superseded 

 by more valuable kinds, or at least their names 

 are rarely heard. Among these last is — 



" John- Apple, whose wither'd rind, intrencht 



With many a furrow, aptly represents 

 Decrepit age," 



and is no doubt the " Apple- John " of Shak- 

 speare. 



The Apple-tree is not remarkable for size or 

 longevity, but is stated to be larger and more 

 productive in North America than in Europe. 



Darwin relates that in South America the 

 Apple-tree attains great perfection. The town 

 of Valdivia," he says, is situated on the low 

 banks of a river, and is so completely buried in a 

 wood of Apple-trees, that the streets are merely 

 paths in an orchard. I have never seen any coun- 

 try where Apple-trees appeared to thrive so well 

 as in this damp part of South America. On the 

 borders of the roads there were many young trees 

 evidently self-sown. In Chiloe the inhabitants 

 possess a marvellously short method of making an 

 orchard. At the lowest part of almost every 

 branch, small conical, brown, wrinkled points 

 project ; these are always ready to change into 

 roots, as may sometimes be seen where any mud 

 has been accidentally splashed against the tree. 

 A branch as thick as a man's thigh is chosen in 



