Ontario Fruit Explorers

["Biz Storms" <biz.storms@sympatico.ca>]

Hello to everyone and a question for Tom

I have just discovered a ripe Thornberry apple lying on the ground. 
Fortunately it was bagged which likely protected it from critters. There was 
very little pink inside, which I suspect is a heat thing. They are usually 
quite pink. I am going to save the seeds and follow Tom's method of 
germanating in the jar. 

Tom, should I refridgerate the seeds as of now? Keep them in a small envelope 
in the fridge? Let them store in a cool dark place? Sorry to ask again but my 
saved copy of your instructions is at home. 

Also, the Kidd's Orange are almost ripe. Hurray! I picked one of the eight or 
nine apples to check the seeds. They are 80% brown with just the tips left to 
turn. The apples are starting to colour up nicely as well. They already have 
a decent taste and you get the Cox's Orange flavour loud and clear. Although 
it's not as strong as a pure Cox. The trees have proven themselves to be 
reliable and strong growers with good solid branches. The leaders on all 
three trees put on 18 to 20 inches this summer with the branches training 
easily. I have put them on the list as being good candidates on which to 
graft like crazy to create "Frankentrees". 

Speaking of red flesh apples - I recall someone mentioning that they  have a 
Baskatang Crab. Is it truly pink or red fleshed? I was chatting with someone 
at the US Genebank a while back, and they mentioned that they thought that 
Baskatang was one of a small handfull of varieties that has two genetic 
markers for red flesh. Just trying to expand my collection of red flesh 
varieties. :-) 

Must dash to catch a few more hours of decent weather to complete the final 
push for grafting. A great weekend to everyone. 

Cheers. Bizmark. 
Sent via BlackBerry on the Bell Mobility network