North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lflj@bellsouth.net>]

On 11/11/2012 3:46 PM, Douglas Hinds wrote:

> > > > That isn't to take away from Johnny. He was an apple authority and went
> > > around the country helping folks and propagated popular varieties by grafting.
> > Actually, according to Pollan's book, Johny thought grafting was devil's
> > work and that God wanted trees to grow just as they were from seed.
> God and Johnny aren't the only ones.  Count me in on that two.
>
> How important is it to me?  I left the USA due to the relative dearth of
> fruit from seedling trees there in 1974 and I still don't eat fruit from
> trees that _aren't_  on their own roots.  In fact, fruit from seedling
> trees is the principle staple food of my diet and at 70, I have not yet
> begun to go downhill.
>
> An article explaining the reasons why was published in the *1973
> California Rare Fruit Growers Yearbook* (the year before I left).  Steve
> Diver asked for for a copy and I e-mailed it to him about 12 years ago.
> (If Steve is on nafex I'd appreciate being sent a copy, since I don't
> have it on hand at this time.  And if not, Lawrence - I assume you have
> his current contact data, and I hope you can do me the favor of sending
> this on to him).

I will forward this to him. Here is his contact info from the sanet list:

Steve Diver
steved@IPA.NET
http://www.agri-synergy.com

> Grafting is unnecessary and creates more problems than it solves.
> Logically, those subscribing to organic, biological, alternative,
> sustainable and ecological (as well as permaculture and biodynamic)
> agriculture would recognize the importance of respecting and maintaining
> the integrity of the individual organism as a fundamental and
> unalterable principle, yet no movement (that I'm aware of) has taken up
> the cause and I think I (along with other sympathetic individuals and
> groups) need to do something about that.  (It's on the agenda we've
> established with CUCBA, our local Agricultural, Biological,
> Environmental and Animal Sciences Faculty) <www.cucba.udg.mx> and as
> time and funding permit, we will be moving ahead with it.
>
> That's all for now, but I can elaborate further if this post generates
> any interest to that effect.
>
> Douglas Hinds,