Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1852-07-02
Origin Of the Apple Tree.

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At the present time, owing to the lack
Of works or books of very early date on
the subject Of agriculture and horticulture,
it is very difficult to trace the origin OF
many of the fruits which we now have iC
abundance. By origin we mean the coun-
try in which they were first found and ap-
propriated to the necessities or luxuries Of
mankind.
1t is generally supposed that it va, first
found in Palestine, it being mentioned in
the scriptures, and the Bible being one Of
the most ancient Of books, and recording
Transactions in that region, incidentally
mentions many things of the kind.
James Grigcr, of Norwich, England, in
a communication to the London uorticul-
tural Magazine, on classical fruits, observes
that the apple i. mentioned in holy writ,
but l am inclined, says he, TO believe tia.
our apple is not the tree alluded to in the
sacred text.
In Canaan and the surrounding country
it is almost worthless, and is by no means
entitled to the praise bestowed upon that
tree by the spirit of inspiration. The in
habitants Of Egypt and Palestine import
their apple. from Damascus, their own
orchards producing no fruits fit for use.
1t i. impossible, therefore, he continues,
that tree whose fruit was represented TO
be delicious and comforting could be found
in the "crab or vildirg," whose fruit, ac-
corling to Pliny, had many foul and
shrewd curse given it" on account CT its
sourne,s. Besides, the apples of the
Scriptures are clsssed with the vine and
fig tree, palm and pomegranate, as furnish
ing grateful repa,t, and the failure of
which wa. reckoned serious calamity, an
unquestionable proof, he thinks, that we
must look elsewhere fer the resi- apple Of
the holy land.
In Patrick's commentary, it is thought
that the word Thepwheem. translated ap-
pies, denotes any species of fruit emitting
e f-ag-aEt cdor but this deinitoc is too
vague TO be useful. The term occurs in
six passages of Scripture, and in them all
is given as an appropriate title to one of
the noblest tr,ss in the garden Of nat-re.
" As the apple tree among the tree. Of the
wood, SC is my beloved among the sons;
sat dcwn under bis shadow with great
dslight, and his fruit was sweet to my
taste" Mr.. G. thinks that these passages
refer to the citron or orange trees. Mr.
6. does not pretend to designate the native
country of the apple, and Of course the
subject is still in doubt, or rather becomes
still more uncertain by his remarks. This,
20 be sure, is OF 10 great consequence,
except a. matter of curiosity, and the
natural desire which every one has to be
informed Of facts ir these things.
1t is thought By some that cur present
stock of apples originated from the crab
apple, by means of cultivation ard crossing
one with another, and as the crab apple is
Indigenous to Europe, that Europe is,
therefore, the native place of this valuable
fruit. Downing, in his " Fruits and fruit
trees of America says: "The species Of
crab from which all our sorts Of apples
have originated, is wild in most paris of
Europe" He then goes on to state tha,
there are indeed two or three kinds of
wild crab growing in this country, Amer
ica.) Sweet scented and wild fruit, about
an inch in diameter, grows in many parts
of the United States; and the wild crab
Of Oregon, (Pyrw rirutaris,) bearing a
reddish yellow fruit about the size Of &
cherry, which the Chinook Indians Use as
an article Of food yet nose Of our culti-
waited apples have been raised from this
native crab, but from seeds Of the species
brought here by the colonists of Europe.
Now it is somewhat predetermined to us
whether our present cultivated apple did
indeed originate from the crab. Cultivate
a crab apple itself as much as you please
and it yields nothing more than crab ap-
pies. Suppose you take the several species
of wild crab apples found native, and cul-
tivate them in an orchard by themselves,
you might get varietie. of crab apples
only. You would by planting the seeds
obtain crab apples Of different coiors, &c,
but We doubt if you would get anything