North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Ginda Fisher <list@ginda.us>]

My husband's uncle died this winter, leaving his "house in the country" (the 
Catskills) to my husband. I would like to try to rescue a seedling apple tree 
that the uncle planted as a youth. It has no commercial value, since the 
fruits all ripen at different times, and only keep for a few hours after 
dropping from the tree. But the fruits (when fresh) are very tasty, and the 
tree has sentimental value.

It's a large mature tree, and there's no way I can possibly dig it up, and no 
way to transport it, and no place to plant it, even if I miraculously did dig 
it up. I would like to retrieve some of it and graft it onto an apple tree in 
my back yard. But the timing is awkward (I think.) The will hasn't been 
probated, and once it is probated, my husband plans to sell the property. The 
only time I know I can get there and have legal access is in May. On the 
other hand, I suppose I could remove as much of the tree as I want in May.

Any advice?