The Apple tree for the most part is neyther very high, great or straight, but rather vsually boweth and spreadeth (although in some places it groweth fairer and straighter then in others) hauing long and great armes or boughes, and from them smaller branches, whereon doe grow somewhat broade, and long greene leaues, nicked about the edges: the flowers are large and white, with blush coloured sides, consisting of fiue leaues: the fruit (as I said) is of diuers formes, colours and tastes, and likewise of a very variable durabilitie; for some must be eaten presently after they are gathered, and they are for the most part the earliest ripe; others will abide longer vpon the trees, before they bee fit to be gathered; some also will be so hard when others are gathered, that they will not be fit to be eaten, for one, two or three months after they bee gathered; and some will abide good but one, two or three moneths, and no more; and some will be best, after a quarter or halfe a yeares lying, vnto the end of that yeare or the next.
The Paradise or dwarfe Apple tree groweth nothing so high as the former, and many times not much higher then a man may reach, hauing leaues and flowers altogether like the other, the fruit is a faire yellow Apple, and reasonable great, but very light and spongy or loose, and of a bitterish sweet taste, nothing pleasant. And these faults also are incident vnto this tree, that both bodie and branches are much subiect vnto cancker, which will quickely eate it round, and kill it; besides it will haue many bunches, or tuberous swellings in many places, which grow as it were scabby or rough, and will soone cause it to perish: the roote sendeth forth many shootes and suckers, whereby it may be much increased. But this benefit may be had of it, to recompence the former faults, That being a dwarfe Tree, whatsoeuer fruit shall be grafted on it, will keepe the graft low like vnto it selfe, and yet beare fruit reasonable well. And this is a pretty way to haue Pippins, Pomewaters, or any other sort of Apples (as I haue, had my selfe, and also seene with others) growing low, that if any will, they may make a hedge rowe of these low fruits, planted in an Orchard all along by a walke side: but take this Caueat, if you will auoide the danger of the cancker and knots, which spoile the tree, to graft it hard vnto the ground, that therby you may giue as little of the nature of the stock thereunto as possibly you can, which wil vndoubtedly help it very much.
The kindes or sorts of Apples.
The Summer pippin is a very good apple first ripe, and therefore to bee first spent, because it will not abide so long as the other.
The French pippin is also a good fruit and yellow.
The Golding pippin is the greatest and best of all sorts of pippins.
The Russet pippin is as good an apple as most of the other sorts of pippins.
The spotted pippin is the most durable pippin of all the other sorts.
The ordinary yellow pippin is like the other, and as good; for indeed I know no sort of pippins but are excellent good well rellished fruites.
The great pearemaine differeth little either in taste or durabilitie from the pippin, and therefore next vnto it is accounted the best of all apples.