"Sue & Bob Hobden" wrote:

Gary, while we are talking apples, is it true they don't grow "cooking
apple" trees like Bramley and Arthur Turner in the US?

No.... cooking apples are certainly grown and available: "Granny Smith"
and "Greening" come to mind, but I'm sure there are more.

The bigger problem is that the emphasis is on productivity, storage life,
and above all, appearance at the market. These are NOT the same as good
taste! I don't know if it ever made it across the pond, but I learned last
summer (at the Seed Saver's Exchange annual campout/meeting in Iowa) about
a marvelous book: "Apples and Man," which is about just that, with mention
of old varieties in disfavor for market reasons. A bonus was that I had
met the author some years ago. I found the book at one of the online used
booksellers. I've got some scionwood awaiting the ascent of sap in the old
trees on a boundary wall (The old farmers had to put the stones
_somewhere_!) to have a try. All I know so far is that the new grafting
knife is really, really sharp. And that cuts from it, being very cleanly
made, heal quickly!

Spring has arrived in the colonies, and not a moment too soon!


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at www.albany.net/~gwoods
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1200' elevation. NY WO G