n. The fruit of a rosaceous tree, Pyrus Malus, a native probably of central Asia.n. The tree itself, Pyrus Malus.n. A name popularly given to various fruits or trees having little or nothing in common with the apple.n. Figuratively, some fruitless thing; something which disappoints one's hopes or frustrates one's desires.n. Hence— Something very important, precious, or dear.To give the form of an apple to.To grow into the form of an apple.To gather apples.n. and The apple thrives under a very wide range of conditions, and in practically all temperate regions. In North America the chief regions in which it is produced commercially are the Eastern Canadian region, comprising parts of Ontario, Quebec, and the maritime provinces; the New England and New York region; the Piedmont region of Virginia; the Michigan-Ohio region; the prairie-plains region, from Indiana and Illinois to Missouri and Kansas, in which the Ben Davis variety is the leading factor; the Ozark region, comprising part of Missouri and Arkansas, often known as “the land of the big red apple”; and the rapidly developing regions of the Rocky Mountain States and the Coast States. In all these sections there are certain dominant varieties, which are usually less successful in other localities. As a country grows older, it usually, happens that the list of desirable apples increases in length, because of the choosing of varieties to suit special localities and special needs. It is impossible to give lists of varieties for planting in all parts of the country, either for market or home use. The number of varieties of apples runs into the thousands. A generation and more ago, the great emphasis in apple-growing was placed on varieties, and the old fruit-books testify to the great development of systematic pomology. The choice of varieties is not less important now; but other subjects have greatly increased in importance with the rise of commercial fruit-growing, such as the necessity and means of tilling the soil, fertilization and cover-cropping, the combating of insects and diseases (especially by means of spraying), and revised methods of handling, storing, and marketing. The result is the transfer of the emphasis to scientific and commercial questions. The apple has been generally referred to the rosaceous genus Pyrus, although some recent authors reinstate the old genus Malus. Under the former genus it is known as Pyrus Malus; under the latter as Malus Malus. The nearest generic allies are the pears, comprising the typical genus Pyrus. The pears are distinguished, among other things, by having the styles free to the base; the apples by having the styles more or less united below. The species Malus Malus has run into almost numberless forms under the influence of long domestication. These forms are distinguished not only by differences in fruit, but by habit of tree and marked botanical characteristics. Thus the bloomless apple (see seedless apple) has more or less diclinous flowers, and it was early described as a distinct species under the name of Pyrus dioica. There are many forms of dwarf apple-trees, the best-known of which is the paradise or garden-apple. On this and similar stocks any variety of apple may be grafted or budded if very small or dwarf trees are desired. There are apple-trees with variegated foliage, others with double flowers, and others with a weeping or drooping habit. In China and Japan there is a double-flowered and showy-flowered apple of a very closely allied but apparently distinct species, Malus spectabilis. See also crab-apple.
