the seed of the
New-town pippin, imported from North America. When this tree began
to bear, its fruit, though without any external beauty, proved
remarkably good, and had a peculiar quality, namely, a melting
softness in eating, so that it might be said almost to dissolve in
the mouth. The late Mr. Lee, of Hammersmith, often had grafts of
this tree, and he sold the plant so raised first with the name of
Ord's apple, and subsequently with the name of New-town pippin. . . .
.

"This seedling tree," continues Mr. Salisbury, "is now (1817) of
large dimensions, its trunk being four feet four inches round at a
yard above the ground; but it has of late years been very unhealthy,
and scarcely borne any fruit worth gathering, its roots having, no
doubt, penetrated into a stratum of unfavourable soil."

Mrs. Anne Simpson sowed some pippins from this remarkable tree,--

"And two of the healthiest seedlings of this second generation were
planted out to remain in the kitchen-garden, which are now (1817)
about twenty years old. One of these trees began to bear fruit very
soon, which is not unlike that of its parent in shape, with a thin
skin; and, being a very good apple, grafts of it have been
distributed about the metropolis with the name of _Simpson's pippin_.
The other seedling of the second generation was several years longer
in bearing fruit; and, when it did, the apples were quite of a
different shape, being long, with a thick skin and poor flavour, and
so numerous as to be all very small. Of late years, however, they
have gradually improved so much in flavour, as to become a remarkably
spirited, juicy apple, attaining a good size, which has probably been
promoted by thinning them, though a full crop has always been left
upon the tree; and they are now greatly esteemed by all who taste
them."

This apple is in perfection for eating from Christmas to the middle of
March. The skin is thick, and always of a green colour while on the
tree, but tinged with copper-coloured red, and several darker spots on
the sunny side; after the fruit has been gathered some time, the green
colour changes to a yellowish cast. It may be mentioned that, before the
death of the late Lord Ravensworth, the house was inhabited by those
celebrated artistes, Madame Grisi and Signor Mario.

On the opposite side of the road to Lord Rave