North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[David.Maxwell@dal.ca]

Simon de Rasilly established one of the earliest French settlements in the New World at the mouth of the LaHave River in Nova Scotia, in 1632.  He planted apple trees - varieties unknown.  The museum personnel at the site want to re-establish an orchard of varieties he could have brought.  I have been working since 2003 to get scions through the National Germplasm Repository, but things aren't looking hopeful.  Do any Canadian members, just by chance, have any of the following: Api Noir,  Belle Fille,  Calville Rose,  Calville Rouge d'hiver,  Chataignier,  Coeur de Boeuf,  Court Pendu,  Double Rose,  Drap d'Or,  Fenouillet Gris (Pomme d'Anis) (note: this *not* Pomme d'Api),  Patte de Loup,  Pigeonet Blanc,  Pomme Glac, Pomme-Poire,  Rambour d'Ete (syn. R.  Blanc, Notre Dame),  Rambour d'Hiver, Rateau,  Reinette Blanche,   Reinette Musquee,   Rose de Beranger,  Royal Russe.

All these date from prior to 1630.

(It is not practical to try to get wood from the States or elsewhere - all Malus wood has to be virus indexed to import, and nobody is going to have virus indexed an apple grown since the 1600's.  It probably isn't totally ridiculous - the entire fruit industry in Ontario was threatened a few years back by somebody who brought scion wood across the border and introduced plum pox virus in the Niagara peninsula.)