North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[LONGDISTSHTR <longdistshtr@InfoAve.Net>]

Lon suggests that I buy the list of NAFEX Members to find those in my
area to help me with selections in my immediate vicinity. Thanks Lon but
I have, and kept up with them for the last 12 years.  Some are fairly
close but not close enough.
Richard Moyer suggests I look at Clemson's selection. I have and most of
what they have is for the western part of the State. He also says
Reighard has been trialing unusual fruits in SC for years. Too bad but I
want decent USUAL fruits. Miller sticks to upstate SC and tells how
great they are there. I'm in the Pee Dee Region of the State. It is
unique in that it shares climate, soil and  growing conditions with no
other region of the State.  Notice that the 7&8 Zones are split right
through it.
I'm the only NAFEX member in it as far as I can determine.
My statement still stands that there just isn't much assistance
available.
Thanks Richard but you are about 200 miles from me and Clemson is about
the same. The fancy "trialers" are in a different world as far as I'm
concerned.  Note that Dr. Bullard's climate for figs is different from
mine as well as the soil. Givan suggested Chicago Hardy Fig for me
several years ago but his climate is different and it is a poor tasting
fig and a low producer here.
My area was fair for peaches, cotton and asparagus when I was a boy in
the '30s but only asparagus, some blueberries, some muscadines and some
figs will produce fairly well here now.  The ARS plum/apricot selection
just fed the insects.  It was supposed to bloom late, but beat my plums
blooming this year so the twenty I planted will be a fairly costly
firewood in a few years (if the borers don't destroy them). Of the
so-called Southern apples I had poor results with them. The best
producer is Centennial Crab. The rest either died or didn't produce.
Maybe the climate change or whatever just caught me right.  I don't know
but neighbors just keep right on planting trees with lousey results.
I grow 7 varieties of bamboo and  one Arundo Donax (African Corn Grass)
and they thrive well. Bamboo shoots galore every Spring.
Thanks for the info, boys but it doesn't apply here.
Doc Lisenby
Zone 7&8 SC