This section is from the book "The Fruit Manual: Containing The Descriptions And Synonyms Of The Fruits And Fruit Trees Of Great Britain", by Robert Hogg. Also available from Amazon: The Fruit Manual.
Fruit, small, two inches wide, and the same in height; roundish ovate, and narrowing towards the eye, where it is angular. Skin, greenish yellow on the shaded side, but bright red next the sun, striped all over with darker red, and strewed with grey russety dots. Eye, half open, and prominent, with long, broad, erect segments, surrounded with a number of puckered knobs. Stamens, median; tube, funnel-shaped. Stalk, short and thick, about half an inch long, inserted in a small and shallow cavity. Flesh, greenish white, brisk, juicy, and vinous, with a pleasant and very refreshing flavour. Cells, roundish ovate or obovate; axile, closed.
A first-rate early dessert apple; it is ripe in the beginning of August, but does not keep long, being very liable to become mealy. To have it in perfection, it is well to gather it a few days before it ripens on the tree, and thereby secure its juicy and vinous flavour.
The tree does not attain a large size, being rather a small grower. It is a good bearer, more so than the Joaneting, and is quite hardy, except in light soils, when it is liable to canker. It is well adapted for growing as dwarfs, either for potting or being trained as an espalier, when grafted on the doucin and pomme paradis stock.
This is a very old English apple. It is without doubt the Margaret of Rea, Worlidge, ay, and all our early pomologists except Miller; Mr. Lindley, however, is of a different opinion, for he believes the Margaret of Miller to be identical with that of Kay. That this variety is the Margaret of Rea, his description is sufficient evidence. "The Margaret or Magdelen Apple is a fair and beautiful fruit, yellow, and thick striped with red, early ripe, of a delicate taste, sweet flavour, and best eaten off the tree." Ray gives no description of it, but it is only reasonable to suppose that it is this variety he refers to, seeing it is the Margaret of all authors both immediately preceding and subsequent to him. And indeed in no instance is that of Miller noticed by any English author but himself anterior to Mr. Lindley.
Margaret. See Madeleine. Marget. See Margaret,
Fruit, small, two inches and an eighth wide, and the same in height; conical, distinctly five-sided, with acute angles on the side, which terminate at the crown in five prominent ridges. Skin, orange, streaked with deep red, and covered on one side with patches of russet. Eye, small and closed, compressed as it were between the angles of the basin. Stamens, median; tube, deep, conical. Stalk, half an inch long, slender, and rather deeply inserted in a round and russety cavity. Flesh, yellow, firm, juicy, rich, and sugary, with a powerful and delicious aromatic flavour. Cells, roundish ovate; axile.
The tree is quite hardy, and generally an abundant bearer, except in seasons when the bloom is injured by frosts, to which it is liable. It is of a small and slender habit of growth, and is well adapted for growing as dwarfs or espaliers when grafted on the paradise stock.
There seems to be no record of this variety before the publication of the Pomona Londinensis, although it was known for many years previously. Rogers says he saw a tree of it growing as an espalier in the garden at Sheen, which was planted by Sir William Temple. I find it was cultivated to a considerable extent in the Brompton Park Nursery so early as 1750; it must therefore have been well known at that period, but I cannot discover any trace of its origin. It may have been introduced from the Continent by George London, who was for 6ome years in the gardens at Versailles under De La Quintinye, and afterwards in partnership with Henry Wise as proprietor of the Brompton Park Nursery, as the name seems to indicate more of French than English origin.
Marguerite. See Margaret.