415 
from the Hagloe crab. There are actually trees which pro¬ 
duce this valuable fruit, to be sold by all our nurserymen. 
This is one of the cider varieties, which the English seem to 
value most. 
With a view to be sure of my authority, I wrote to Mr. 
Bellamy himself; that worthy man, at the same time that he 
blended with his answer to a stranger, that obliging affability 
which is the characteristic of true philanthropy, has given 
such a solution to my questions, as leaves me no room to wish 
for any thing more. The following extract from his corres-' 
pondence proves it. It may also be seen from this short 
sketch of his process for managing cider, that it plainly rests 
on the same grounds as that which I now venture to offer to 
the public. 
“The Hagloe crab, (saysMr. Bellamy),which my grandfa¬ 
ther raised, has very well succeeded in strong and sandy 
grounds, though better in the latter; but it does not now 
grow so well as it used to do in the counties of Hereford and 
Glocester, the young trees lately grafted being subject to 
’canker.* The situations most exposed to the sun suit it 
best. It does not acquire a considerable size; it is not high, 
but thick and bushy at top. It has a very fine appearance. 
Altogether, it cannot be considered as fruitful, though I have 
known instances in very good years, when it has bore plenti¬ 
fully enough. I am inclined to think, that it does not come 
to its perfection in less than twenty-five or thirty years. Its 
blossom is weak, and while it is young- it produces but little. 
The apple has a mean appearance, is oblong, and about as big 
as the common crab, though a little bigger in favourable 
years It is a late fruit, hardly fit to puli down before the 
enu of November, and which should then be well gathered, and 
kept very dry. It is for the most part ready for grinding by 
Christmas. The colour of this apple is yellowish, and has 
often a few black spots. It is not pleasant to the taste, and is 
in some sort sour before it is fully ripe. Its rind is thick and 
tough ; its pulp clear, rather dry and stringy, and it is full of 
seeds, which have nothing particular. I attribute the fra¬ 
grance of the liquor produced from it, especially to the big¬ 
ness of the core, perhaps modified by the thickness of the rind. 
The nature of its pulp requires a much greater quantity than 
is commonly put to make a given measure cf cider. It should 
be quite ripe before grinding, and be particularly well ground. 
This latter circumstance is indispensable on account of the 
thickness of the rind, as I have said, and the bigness of the 
core. When the fruit is ground, it has a very deep colour, al¬ 
most that of blood. The Hagloe crab by itself is excellent, 
and very good also when mixed with all the other good late 
* In a former part of this work, I have indicated how to cure this dis¬ 
order. By operating on a new variety, such as the Hagloe crab, there 
would bo so much the more chance of succeeding. 
3 fruits. 
I 
