The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-04-09
APPLES.

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had the widest and most mystical his
tory. All the different kinds of apple
trees now in cultivation are mere varie-
ties of the one species which in its wild
state is known as the crab tree. This
plant is found in woods and waysides in
most of the temperate parts OF the north
ern hemisphere. Our present varieties
of apples. from the king to the golden
sweet, are the result of patient culture
devoted to specific ends, which shows
what elasticity lies buried in nature and
only awaits the genius of man or the
favor of fate. The historian Pliny tells
US that the Romans cultivated twenty
two varieties of the apple, but we who
live to-day have probably the benefit of
1000 kinds. In the United States there
are nearly one million of acres devoted
TO the apple and about 1000 varieties
cultivated, and new varieties are being
continually developed and are generally
propagated by grating. A farmer in
Ulster County, New York, devotes 200
acres to one kind of apple-the Newton
pippin. This orchard is picked every
wear by hand, the fruit is carefully
barreled, and the whole crop goes to
the English market.
Among the Druids the apple tree was
reverenced, because it was supposed,
with the exception of the oak, to be the
only tree upon which the mistletoe
grew, and great attention was paid to
its cultivation among the Britons.
Many old ballads, setting forth the
great value and worth of apples, have
outlived the custom which gave them
birth, and furnish proof of the estima-
ton with which the apple was regarded.
The wassail-bowl, which was drunk on
festive occasions in England, was COM
pounded of apples bruised in white wine,
or ales richly spiced. On all great feast
ings apples were considered as indis-
pensable and were brought forth in
abundance. Much of the merriment at
such times was connected with the Gus
tom of ''bobbing for apples" as it was
called. The Druids used, on particular
occasions, to bless apples and distribute
them as safeguards against all evil. So
from the earliest ages, and among diff
ferent nations, this fruit has been re-
garded as an especial favorite.
u
fruit, which appeared on earth about
the same time as man, and has followed
him in his migration around the globe,
became the name for sheep, and all
manner of wealth, as in Rome the flock,
pecns, became PecuntG, or money.
Theophrastus enumerates it as among
the more civilized fruits (urbanioreS).
Tacitus says it was the favorite fruit of
the ancient Germans, and shriveled
apple is among the recoveries from the
lake dwellings of Switzerland Aphro-
dite bears it in her hand as well as Eve.
The serpent guards it; the dragon
watches it. 1t is celebrated by Solomon;
it is the healing fruit of Arabian tales
Ulysses longs for it in the gardens of
Alcmous; Tantalus grasps vainly for it
in Hades. In the Prose Edda it is
written, ''Iduna keeps in box apples
which the gods, when they feel old age
approaching, have only to taste to be-
come young again. 1t is in this manner
that they viii be kept in renovated
youth until Raynarok'' the general
destruction. Azrael, the angel of death,
accomplished his mission by holding it
to the nostril, and in the Northern folk
lore "Snowdrop" is tempted to her
death by an apple, half of which an old
crone has poisoned, but RECEIVERS life
when the apple falls from her lips The
golden bird seeks the golden apples in
the kings garden in many Morse
story; and when the tree bears no more,
Frau Bertha reveals to her favorite
that it is because mouse gnaws at the
trees root. Indeed, the kind mother
goddess is sometimes personifed as an
apple tree. But oftener the apple is
the tempter in Northern mythology
also, and sometimes makes the nose
grow so that the sacred pear alone can
bring 1t again to moderate size
There is an ancient tradition concern
ing some Theban youths who attempted
to offer sacrifice to Hercules. In en-
deavoring to cross the river Asopus
with the sheep they brought as a sacri-
flee. they found that the stream had
overflowed its banks to such an extent
that it was impossible to cross with the
animals. Remembering that the name
of an apple in their language was the
same as that of sheep. they took an
apple, and inserting four sticks for legs,
offered that as a substitute. Ever aft
erward the apple was favorite offering
at the affairs of Hercules.
Apples have an excellent effect upon
the whole physical system, feeding the
brain as well as adding to the flesh. The
activity it gives the blood is fairly con-
tagious. We suspect that good many
of the shrewd sayings of our wise fore
fathers, which survive orally in every
neighborhood, owe their spur and
sparkle to the juicy apple, or the juice
which came from it, which was the om-
nipresent drink. Apples will cool of
the feverish condition of the system.
They will also prevent constipation and
correct tendency to acidity, which
produces rheumatism. Every break
fast and tea table should have plate of
them. A ripe raw apple is digested in
an hour and half
The old-fashioned "apple-cutn is now
among the things that were. 1t was
fine picture. There sat 1.-THE head of
the house, or his hired man, in his
shirtsleeyes, astride the chair and apple
lparer, forking on the fruit, which he
turned quickly around with his right
hand while holding the knife on with
his left. The peeled and danudod .,,,1a,