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labruscagrape - Re: [OFEX] Apple seeds for germinating

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  • From: "Biz Storms" <biz.storms@sympatico.ca>
  • To: "'Ontario Fruit Explorers'" <labruscagrape@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [OFEX] Apple seeds for germinating
  • Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 07:53:37 -0400

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the seed storage and germination directions. There are quite a
number of red flesh varieties that are on my list to see what develops from
their seeds.

Also, a friend introduced me to a tree on their property that has pink flesh
in the outer 25% of the apple, with drifts or veins of pink running through
the remainder of the flesh. The taste is also stunning. We're talking in the
family of Ashmead's Kernel or a Karmaigne de Sonnaville, but with a little
more sweetness. I just about plotzed! They saved me one of the two apples,
from the tree that is struggling to stay afloat, yet not likely to last much
longer. We found enough decent budwood to take some for grafting on the
weekend, and also have extra left over to grab as scionwood once dormant.

When driving back from their place, I stopped and tasted a few wild apples
alongside and close to the road. I stumbled over a one that is fairly small,
red streaks on green, with stunning white flesh, and a clean tangy taste.
( Start with a Snow, make it smaller with lots less red, have the flesh a
little more dense with a good crisp snap, and make it a little more spicy
like a Grimes Golden. ) I just need to find out who owns the property, or at
least a local resident, to see if they have any info about the tree.

Of course, there were dozens of other trees that were visible alongside the
road, but one only has so much time.

One quick question about the fridge storage. Can you use small film
canisters, baggies or even mini Tupperware containers, or, does it have to
be a glass container? If it's glass, those one portion jam jars from
restaurants or hotels could come in very handy.

Still on the subject of seeds, I'd also love to have some of the Annurca
seeds if you have extra. Same with the Baskatang Crab. ( I went back and
found the saved emails from Joe on the espalier thread. Hi Joe. )

FYI - The best surprise in tasting ripe apples for the past week - is the
Silken. Some small, with pale yellow skin and reddish freckles, the taste
was rather like a fruit cocktail, with an amazing aftertaste. Nice clean
crisp flesh, fairly light in colour, although not white.

My prediction for best tasting apple next week is the Kidd's Orange.

Cheers to all. Bizmark.

-----Original Message-----
From: labruscagrape-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:labruscagrape-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Olenio
Sent: 08 September 2006 15:01
To: Ontario Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [OFEX] Apple seeds for germinating

On Fri, 08 Sep 2006 15:02:49 -0400, Biz Storms <biz.storms@sympatico.ca>
wrote:


> 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.

Hi,

1) clean off fruit pulp

2) sterilze in bleach solution (10%, quick dip)

3) air dry (dead dry - 1 week)

4) put into glass bottle and store in fridge

5) in late January move into jar with moist peat moss
(when you want to start germination)

6) in about 60-90 dasys, as soon as you see first root breaking
through, pot that seed up. Pot each seed as their root
emerges.

7) Plant them out

Seeds (apple) stored this way have sprouted after TEN years in the fridge.

I have a friend sending me some Annurca (Melannura) apple seeds. Since it
is an ANCIENT variety, I am hoping it is somewhat true to parent. My plan
is to grow a seedling, and then graft the seedling to a dwarfing rootstock.

Later,
Tom

Melannurca (Campania Annurca Apple)

This apple is medium-small, flattish or rounded with a streaked red skin
and a peculiar rusty area where the stalk is. The flesh is juicy, firm,
crispy, sweet, pleasantly acidulous and fragrant with an excellent
flavour. It can come as no surprise that the Annurca is defined as the
"queen of apples" for its many qualities. It is only found in Campania, in
fact, it is an authentic and everlasting symbol of regional apple farming
and continues to be, now as in the past, its jewel in the crown. It is an
ancient variety of apple and can even be recognised in some Pompeiian
frescoes at the Casa dei Cervi in Herculaneum.

The original area of this tasty fruit is the Piiteolane countryside, which
used to be famous for its fertility. It is precisely the fact that it
comes from Pozzuoli, once said to be where Hell was situated, that Pliny
the Elder, the great Roman naturalist from the first century AD, called
this apple "Mala Orcula", because it was produced around the "Orco" (the
hereafter). From here the names "anorcola" and "annorcola" were
subsequently used for local apples until 1876, when the name "annurca"
appeared officially for the first time. The Annurca is cultivated in all
the provinces of Campania, although there are particularly suitable
traditional areas where most of the production is concentrated: the
Giuglianese-Flegrea (in the province of Navies), the Maddalonese, the
Aversana and the Teanese (in the province of Caserta), the Caudma-Telesina
Valleys and the Tabiirno (in the province of Benevento). The Annurca forms
about 60% of regional and 5% of national apple production, with an average
of 60,000 tonnes of produce per year, and is harvested in October. What
makes this apple special, apart from its ancient tradition, are the
specific techniques used to produce it. One of the aspects that more than
anything enhances the typicalness of this "queen of apples" is the way the
apples are left on the ground in the apple field to redden. The Annurca is
mostly green when harvested and its characteristic red colour is the
result of the sun s rays and the able hands that periodically turn the
apples laid out on specially prepared terrain, exposing the green part of
the fruit to the sun little by little. This treatment can last from 20-50
days. In ancient times the Annurca apples were arranged on "cannutoli",
layers of hemp, that now have been replaced with other materials such as
pine needles or, more often, wood shavings. The apple fields are also
protected with anti-hailstone nets which also provide shade, to protect
the fruit from direct sunliglit that would damage it irreversibly. The
organofeptic quality of this apple, that can legitimately be considered
organic in every respect, has so far been particularly appreciated by
consumers in Campania and Lazio, and is gradually conquering other
markets, thanks to its entrance into large-scale retail trade. The two
ecotypes, the classic Annurca and its direct descendant the Southern Red
Annurca, its natural mutant given the pomological characteristics they
have in common, have been unified under the title of Melannurca Campana
IGP (Campania Annurca Apple), for which we are awaiting final registration
with the EU, albeit with two distinct varietal indications. The Annurca is
good as well as healthy, being rich in interesting dietetic and
nutritional qualities: a veritable concentration of vitamins, organic
acids and mineral elements, especially potassium and magnesium to help the
organism function properly. There are many ways to eat this delicious
fruit, as the main ingredient for ice creams, cakes and liqueurs.




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