Pomologists Bite Off More Than They Can Chew With 200-Year-Old Apple Mystery

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 1-30-2007 | Richard Savill

[blam]

Pomologists bite off more than they can chew with 200-year-old apple mystery

By Richard Savill
Last Updated: 2:01am GMT 30/01/2007

The identity of an apple variety that has been growing in Dorset for 200 years has left fruit specialists baffled.

For generations, the family of Diana Toms has affectionately referred to the fruit as Granfer's Apple, after her great, great grandfather who planted the tree in 1803.

The family has asked pomologists to help establish the cooking apple's identity but they have so far been unable to solve the mystery.

Mrs Toms, 83, said: "I am rather pleased it is baffling all these people. If nobody knows what it is then it should be officially called Granfer's Apple. I would like that."

Mrs Toms' great, great grandfather, Isaac Bugler, grew the tree in an orchard attached to the family home in the village of Beaminster, Dorset. Mrs Toms said: "When I was a child I learnt to catch by standing under the tree. My father would climb up and drop the apples down to me. It is a wonderful cooking apple and my family has used it in cakes and pies for years and years. But if you like a sharp and crisp taste, then the apple is equally good for eating."

Mrs Toms called in specialists at the Symondsbury Apple Day in Dorset but they could not identify it. David Squirrell, of the Symondsbury Apple Project, said: "Its appearance doesn't match up with any other variety. There are lots of things about it, the shape, closed eye and length of stalk. "It might be a new variety that nobody knows about but it is probably an old one that was forgotten about many, many years ago. A completely new variety is very, very rare."

[panaxanax]

"I just think women deserve more respect."

Since the beginning of time, women have tried to make themselves more attractive to catch the eye of a man. That's the way it's always been and always will be, thank goodness! If looking at a pretty girl is a sin, then EVERY male on the face of this earth is doomed to go directly to hell.

"Are women only sex objects?" Of course not.

[panaxanax]

If you can't find anything in Chicago, try Wells and Wade Co. in Wenatchee, WA. They used to carry 100's of different cultivars of apples.

[panaxanax]

I have a 2 volume set entitled "The Apples of New York" (published in 1905 by the State of New York-Dept. of Agriculture) that I use regularly to identify wild apple trees here in NY. Since most of the apple trees in the U.S. came over with the immigrants as sprouts/cuttings and then moved west with the settlers, these books may help you identify your heirloom apple trees. They're not cheap books, I paid $150 for the set and have seen copies go for as high as $350.00. They are full of cross section lithographs and give the history of origin for 100's of apples types. Try ABE (American Book Exchange). Good luck.

[HairOfTheDog]

In almost a decade of posting, I am determined to get banned tonight. Stupid moralistic pieces of sh?t. My goal. We'll see if I make it.

So children, that's why I got myself banned on a hijacked apple thread.... :~)

[ecurbh]

Are women only sex objects?

Heck no! There's the cooking and the cleaning too.

[HairOfTheDog]

~blinks at her husband~


I* have no response to that :~)

[HairOfTheDog]

I gotta tell you, you can sure hijack a thread :~)

[bluefish]

And don't accuse me of being a feminist or women's lib-er.

LOL. Of course not.

We know those who insist woment remain wrappped in burlap sacks from head to foot (Burkas) as you do don't believe in feminism or women's lib.

As an adherant to Fundamentalist Muslim sensibilities, why would you fear accusations of being into the liberation of women from oppression?

[tlb]

If the scientists are serious about identifying the apple, I'd recommend they take core samples.

[tlb]

I guess it evens out. Some think the cheerleader has no place on an apple thread, while others think apples and cheerleaders have a peel.

[american_ranger]

Disregard the old foggies on FR. Your posting was fine. Some of these old farts want their kids to grow up to be gay. Your picture was in good taste and simply displayed the beauty of women.

[null and void]

You mean they aren't? < /JOKE>

[null and void]

It was the apple that made Adam tell, and it was an apple that made William Tell.

[null and void]

If the scientists are serious about identifying the apple, I'd recommend they take core samples.

*groan*

[Tokra]

I see your pompomologist, your pomodorologist and your pompadourologist and raise the stakes to ...

...pomeranianologist.

[Charlespg]

NICE APPLES !

[SlowBoat407]

Mesdames et monsieurs, je donne a vous...

Pompidouology!

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam. A real slice of history.

"It might be a new variety that nobody knows about but it is probably an old one that was forgotten about many, many years ago."

IMHO, the latter. The rest of the variety croaked out (or were bulldozed) long, long ago.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[MozarkDawg]

I also like southern Italian food, making me a pomodorologist.

(Pomo d’oro, literally apple of gold, a tomato: tomato being, in fact, old slang for a girl, so we’ve come full circle).

Sometimes you make me laugh, sometimes just a smile. And THEN there are posts like these ... GENIUS!!

[ElkGroveDan]

ROTFL: (and choking)