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labruscagrape - [OFEX] Ancient Apples

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Subject: Ontario Fruit Explorers

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  • From: "Thomas Olenio" <tolenio@sentex.net>
  • To: "labruscagrape@lists.ibiblio.org" <labruscagrape@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [OFEX] Ancient Apples
  • Date: Thu, 07 Apr 2005 21:55:13 -0400

Hello All,

[Long, boring back alleys of ancient apples]

Biz, I am not sure if you are interested in ancient apples, but I have some information. If I learn more I will write.

Columella (who died around 70AD wrote an agricutural text that survived till modern times. It was translated into three volumes. I have already read the third volume, am currently reading the second, and awaiting the first.

It is very interesting how things do not change that much.

One interesting thing was that grapes and elm trees were companian plants. The tree was trained to take the vine, and the vine was intended to match the tree in height and arms for every branch of the elm. They must have needed monkeys to do the harvest.

Back to apples...

Lucius Iunius Moderatus Columella was a Roman author of the first century AD. He was born in 4 AD in Gades in Hispania Baetica. After a career in the army (he was tribune in Syria in 35 AD), he took up farming. His 'Rei rusticae libri' in twelve volumes has been completely preserved and forms our most important source on Roman agriculture, together with the works of Cato the Elder, who may have provided Columella's inspiration. A smaller book on trees (Liber de arboris) has been preserved as well.

Gaius Plinius Secundus, (23 - 79) better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient author and scientist of some importance who wrote Naturalis Historia. He was killed by poison gas from the Vesuvius erruption.

According to Columella these were the superb apples of the time;

1) Scaudian vamed after a someone named Scaudius
2) Matian named after C. Matius (favorite of Augustus)
3) Globe-apple (Orbiculata?)
4) Cestine bamed after Cestius
5) Pelusian from Pelusium in north Egypt
6) Amerian from Ameria in Umbria
7) Syrian
8) Honey-apple (Melimela)

Pliny wrote this... (now I have to read Pliny) Tom

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/holland/pliny15.html#b45a

"A number of apples there are besides that have immortalized their first founders and inventors, who brought them into name, & caused them to be known abroad in the world; as if therin they had performed some worthy deed beneficiall unto all mankind. In which regard, why should I thinke much to rehearse and reckon them up particularly by name? for if I be not much deceived, thereby will appeare the singular wit that some men emploied in graffing trees; and how there is not so small a matter, so it be well & cunningly done, but it is able to get honor to the first author, yea and to eternize his name for ever. From hence it commeth, that our best apples take their denominations, of Matius, Cestius, Manlius, and Claudius.45 As for the Quince-apples (which come of a Quince graffed upon an apple stocke) they are called Appiana, of one Appius who was of the Claudian house, and first devised and practised that feat. These apples carrie the smell with them of Quinces: they beare in quantitie the bignesse of the Claudian46 apples, and are of colour red. Now least any man should thinke, that this fruit came into credit by reason onely of partiall favour, for that the first inventor was a man descended from so auncient and noble a familie, let him but thinke of the apples Sceptiana, which are in as great request as they, for their passing roundnesse; and they bear the name of one Sceptius their first inventor, who was no better than the son of a slave lately enfranchised. Cato maketh mention of apples called Quiriana,47 as also of Scantiana, which he saith the manner is to put up in vessels, and so to keepe them. But of all others, the last that were adopted and tooke name of their patrons and inventors, be Pertisia: little though they be, yet are they passing sweet and pleasant to be eaten.

Other apple there are that have ennobled the countries from whence they came, and caried their names, to wit, Camerina48 and Græcula. All the rest tooke name, either upon some occasion or propertie that they have: to wit of brotherhood, as the twin-apples Gemella, which hang one to another by couples, and never are found single, but alwaies grow double: of their colour, as the Serica,49 which for their fresh hew be so called: of kinred and affinitie, as the Melapia, for their resemblance and participation of apples and Peares togither; as a man would say, Peare-apples, or Pom-poires: of their hastie ripenesse, as the Mustea, [i. hastie-apples;] which now of their sweet tast of hony, are called Melimela, [i. hony-apples:] also of their exquisite roundnesse, like a ball, as the Orbiculata, [i. the round-apples.] That these apples came first from their native countrey Epirus, appeareth by the Greeks who call them Epirotica. Againe, some there be that take their denomination of their forme, resembling womens paps or breasts, as namely, Orthomastica, [i. the Brest-apples.] Others, for that their condition is to have no pepins or seed within them, be called of the Belgians, Spadoma,50 as one would say, Guelded-apples. As for the Melofolia, [i. the Leafe-apples] they be so called because they have one leaf and otherwhile twaine breaking foorth of their side in the very mids. The ragged apples Pannucea take this name, for that of all others they soonest be riveld. The Puffes named Pulmonea, are hoven foolishly, and swell I cannot tell how, with little or nothing in them. Some in colour resemble bloud, they are so red, because at first they were graffed upon a mulberry. But all apples ordinarily are red on that side that regardeth the sunne

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