North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Brungardt, Sam" <Sam.Brungardt@state.mn.us>]

Duchess of Oldenburg is the cultivar upon which Peter Gideon of
Excelsior, Minn., founded the state's apple industry.  Certainly not as
popular as it once was, but some growers still produce a limited amount
of this cultivar. -- Sam Brungardt, St. Paul, Minn.
-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Donna &/or Kieran
Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 9:28 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] What's in an apple name?


There actually is a Duchess apple, but I doubt most Minnesotans have
heard 
of it.  It sounds like a name you might give to your favorite anything,
it's 
a name to evoke fond feelings.  I think if you gave a familiar name from
one 
thing to another, that second thing might sell better because of the
feeling 
of familiarity.  My husband says best not use a name like "Edsel"
though, 
some words evoke the notion of failure.  Japanese and Chinese are worse 
languages than English for words with bad connotations, but I'm sure we
can 
think of plenty of bad selling names.  "Grumpy" apples wouldn't sell
well. 
I have to wonder about "Sourpuss" because people who like sour apples
but 
can't find any sour enough might at least sample it.  It's an amusing
word, 
and if it became bandied about as having to do with the apples some
people 
adore while others despise, it could become popular and become a word we

regard with some fondness.   One sour apple thrown into a pie or other
dish 
can make all the difference to the flavor, so now you come across
recipes 
calling specifically for Granny Smith's.
    Parkland might have started selling well if you'd called it
Scrumptious, 
Sops o Wine, hmmm, how about some good potential apple names that
haven't 
been used?  the thing is, that now your false "Duchess" has acquired a
bit 
of a following and you'd best stick with it.  This is how confusion
reigns 
in the world of variety names.   Jim, you may want to start propagating
some 
trees to sell, if it isn't patented, to satisfy those who want their own

trees.  If it is patented, didn't they just make it easy to pay up?
Donna 

_______________________________________________
nafex mailing list 
nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Reproduction of list messages or archives is not allowed.
This includes distribution on other email lists or reproduction on web
sites. Permission to reproduce is NEVER granted, so don't claim you have
permission!

**YOU MUST BE SUBSCRIBED TO POST!**
Posts from email addresses that are not subscribed are discarded. No
exceptions.  
----
To subscribe or unsubscribe, go to the bottom of this page (also can be
used to change other email options):
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex

File attachments are NOT stripped by this list.
TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM COMPUTER VIRUSES!
Please do not send binary files.
Use plain text ONLY in emails!

NAFEX web site:   http://www.nafex.org/