Bi4-Unntt«r Farming, Saturday, Fabniary 5, 1994 LEESPORT (Berks Co.) One of the most common occur rences in Pennsylvania is when an owner moves into a new house or farm and discovers the previous owner was a hobbyist tree fruit grower. The new owner is im mediately interested in trying to learn what the fruit varieties are named. The new owner makes a trip to the local county extension office with a specimen of the fruit and asks the county staff the varie ty name of the fruit. Most county offices can tell the difference be tween the tree fruits. The problem is they cannot often give the varie ty name. If they are lucky, they can send it to the land grant insti tution (in our case Penn State Uni versity) to see if they can identify the variety. The problem is there are more than 6,000 named apple varieties, 3,000 peach varieties and an equal number of pear, cher ry and plum varieties. Compound ing this problem is all fruits can be propagated by seed resulting in offspring that most often does not look anything like the parents. This is analogous to that which oc curs with human beings; children do not look exactly like their par ents. There are no keys to unlock the answer. Remember, there is no known taxonomic key for fruit. We can get as far as knowing the TERMINALS ' _______ WIV. < GROUND FENCE ► PET'GARD ! r ( Model PG-50) I 110-20-V A.C. ! model Operation 1 "PET GAR 0“ I ELECTRIC FENCER t To protect garden, M9<i'?tiuBiinucn Wl FMH SMILL ANIMAL OWIAfIC ShfUbS frOO! SITISII IWTT>U.IN»O3IU DAY J-*,--. i mhsac. *wa ructt animal carnage. SiSar. Delivers a mild but effective shock to MtuaßToawct deter small ani -1 IsSl I 1 liruil 1 mals. Continuous . vjcn«u:». voltage non- pulsing. Complies _ electric safety JA code. For indoor Charges up to installation. Vt mile of fence - - SALES AND SERVICE ' PEgUBA BATTERIES 1038 N. Ronks Rd, Ronks, PA 17572 717-687-0880 DMHbutor h Warranty Station For Parmak Identify Apples And Other difference between apples, pears, peaches, etc., but nothing keys out varieties based on fruit character istics. Most identifications are done by looking at pictures or reading descriptions out of the old textbooks, which is extremely time consuming. One of the most common series of books utilized to help in identifying old apples is a series produced by the New York Experiment Station. Back in the early 1900 s, they published a series called The Fruits of New York. These were separate vol umes on apples, pears, peaches, cherries, plums, and small fruits. Each subject-bode contained de tailed descriptions of the many fruit cultivars of the time as well as colored plates of many of the fruit These books are now collec tors’ items but you may still be able to locate copies in the larger university or college libraries. You may also find older tree fruit textbooks in old book stores that may contain pictures and descrip tions of fruit varieties. Another re cent book for apple varieties pub lished in England is The Apple Book by Rosanne Sanders. Pomo na Book Exchange is a company that specializes in finding old rare horticultural textbooks and may have copies of some of these books. Their address is: 953 High way, 552, Rockton PO, Ontario, LOR IXO, Canada, or call (519) 621-8897. One final source of information when trying to identify old fruit cultivars are three nurseries that specialize in propagating antique or classic fruit varieties. Each has their own catalog that lists des criptions of some of the older fruit varieties. Their addresses arc list ed below: Bear Creek Nursery, PO Box 411, Northport WA 99157. Lawson’s Nursery, Rl 1 Box 294, Ball Ground, GA 30107. Southmeadow Fruit Gardens, Lakeside MI 49116. The following are meant to be tips in collecting fruit samples be fore sending them to someone to attempt to identify. 1. One fruit does' not make a sample! No two apples or other fruit on a tree will look exactly the same. Many times the difference be tween two varieties is so small that it may not be readily apparent on all fruit. To have a chance of suc cess you need a minimum of five LONG WHEELBASE BOBCAT SKID-STEER LOADER Farmers Have Higher Expectations %.•** * If your jobs require more out of a Skid-Steer loader than you’re accustomed to, the 7753 Bobcat is the loader for you. This lift and carry machine has the reach and lift height to get your load up and over to where you want it, quickly. Features: • 7 mph travel speed • 46 hp liquid-cooled Kubota diesel engine • 1700 lbs. rated operating capacity; Quick loader cycle time • Transversely mounted engine • The BOSS" (Bobcat Operation Sensing System) that alerts operator of malfunctions * Push button auxiliary hydraulic controls • Dual path cooling system. See These Dealers For A Demonstration... Chmibfibum. PA CLUGSTON AG & TURF, INC. Hanovar. PA 717-263-4103 FINCH SERVICES 717-632-2345 Hormi Grow PA NO TS« I> I « L ‘ BK ”bObCQS 717-734-3682 Fruit Varieties to six apples or specimens of good fruit. 2. Collect fruit in good condi tion. Many of the samples received for identifications are so covered with disease damage and insect stings that it is impossible to even tell what color the fruit is. Fruit shape and form are one of the identifying characteristics be tween varieties. Size is also im portant. If the tree you collect the sample from is overloaded with fruit, then the natural size of the variety is masked. It is nearly im possible to identify misshapen fruit or specimens covered with diseases. Fruit from a neglected tree or one not properly cared for is impossible to identify until healthy-looking fruit is produced. At the same time, do not polish the fruit, especially apples and -•?**% Lebanon. PA EVERGREEN TRACTOR CO. 717-272-4641 1-800-441-4450 MHBnbuni. PA BS 4 8 REPAIR 717-966-3756 GetMOOOv!n'& with Milkshakes! Mill Ml. PA DUNKLE & GRIEB 717-726-3115 Munoz. PA BEST LINE LEASING, INC. 717-546-8422 800-321-2378 plums. Both fruit can exhibit a waxy covering called bloom that is used in determining the variety. In peaches, the amount of fuzz on the fruit can help eliminate some varieties. 3. Act like Sherlock Holmes. Provide as much information about the tree from which the fruit was picked. How old is the tree? Did they order the tree from a nur sery and, if so, which one? Is the tree growing along an old fence row? (Most trees growing there or close to'a country road are chance seedlings with no name.) When docs the fruit ripen? (Time of ripening can help narrow down the choices.) Do you have any idea what variety the fruit is? (It is a lot easier to rule out a known variety than to start from scratch.) -Robert M. Craiiweller, PSU Associate Professor, Horticulture N—dmara. PA CLUGSTON FARM EQUIPMENT 717-573-2250 Qtwrwilli. PA GRUMELLI’S FARM SERV. 717-786-7318 Igwamk-EA S.P.E. INC. 717-265-4440 W«»l Lmm. PA CLARKLIFT SERVICES 215-670-2950 B«thl«hin. PA 215-868-1481
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers