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Marcher Apple Network APPLES & PEARS AFALAU A PÊR Volume 2 No 5 Non-members £2 Autumn 2011 Thomas Andrew Knight, FRS 1759–1838 President, Horticultural Society, 1811 Reviving the old varieties of apples and pears in the marcher counties www.marcherapple.net www.marcherapple.net Apples & Pears Autumn 2011 Apples &www.marcherapple.net Pears Autumn 2011 HYITO MAN members don’t need reminding that orchards are worth celebrating as a vital part of the heritage of this part of the UK. But that’s not to belittle the excellent Herefordshire Year In The Orchard project being organised by Herefordshire Council. There is plenty of publicity around, with leaflets in libraries and museums and the excellent web site www.yearintheorchard.org is a handy link to see what’s on locally. Having benefitted myself from the tree-planting 2 cherry and 2 quince varieties, on either grants available when setting up my orchard M25 or M6 rootstocks) are being offered at some years ago, I was delighted to see that a discount prices. ‘Fruit Tree Initiative’ is being continued under HYITO whereby selected fruit trees (7 apple, Editor Which apple ? As 2011 is the ‘Herefordshire Year in the The designer has chosen names of apples beginning of the 20th Century. Now it can Orchard’ it seems very appropriate that the to symbolise various aspects or attributes be found in orchards throughout the West Hereford Cathedral Close Project should of the Cathedral (the mother church of the Country. Perhaps Bramley has been chosen incorporate in the pavement leading up to area), the diocese of Hereford, the city and because its name is recognised universally for the West Door of the cathedral, a mosaic county and the occupations of some of its its qualities as a sturdy grower and an excellent featuring an apple tree bearing 12 varieties inhabitants. Mother, Chorister Boy, Gloria cooking apple. It also travels well! of apple. The Dean, Michael Tavinor, and his Mundi, Ten Commandments, Rev. W. Wilks, helpers must be congratulated for bringing are apple variety names chosen for their However, what of the only apple of the 12 with together so many symbols of Hereford city and association with Hereford Cathedral. St. the prefix “Herefordshire”? Herefordshire county in this creative enterprise. The mosaic Lawrence and Shropshire Pippin (better known Costard is no longer in cultivation and early is to be unveiled on October 15th – which day as King of the Pippins) are names to bring in in 2011 it was suggested to the project promises to be exceedingly busy in the apple the northern extent of the Hereford diocese, managers that an apple which is still in events calendar for our area this year. which stretches as far as Ludlow. St.Cecilia, the existence might be substituted. Herefordshire patron saint of music together with Chorister Quoining was proposed as an alternative as it The Apple Tree Carol (Jesus Christ the Apple Boy, recalls the sounds enjoyed within the can still be found in old orchards around the Tree) which inspired the idea, demonstrates cathedral walls and the link with the Three county and young trees are readily available to the project’s wide influences. The design has an Choirs Festival. St. Cecilia is an apple raised in those who would like to grow a local dessert apple tree within a circle of stones which will be neighbouring Monmouthshire. apple. So at the moment we are waiting to engraved, “The Tree of Life my soul hath seen, hear whether MAN’s suggestion has been Laden with fruit and always green; The trees of Cider, the traditional liquor from Herefordshire taken up. nature fruitless be Compared with Christ the apples, is remembered by Foxwhelp and apple tree”: words written in 1784 by Joshua Bulmer’s Norman. The pomologist Thomas Whatever the outcome, the mosaic packed Smith of New Hampshire, USA. Herefordshire Andrew Knight believed Foxwhelp to be a with wide-reaching significance, will be a lovely Council has an apple as its motif, for orchards native of Herefordshire. Another source says addition to the Cathedral Close. Much care has are an integral part of its landscape, past it was found growing near a fox’s earth in the been taken in the choice of materials – Forest and present and, with cider-making surging Forest of Dean. In either case it was known and of Dean sandstone, hard-wearing granite and forward, of its future too. valued in the 17th Century by Herefordshire colourful porphyry having been selected for the cider-makers for blending and giving strength 12 apples. At the beginning of the 21st Century There is much to ponder as various links to the brew. Bulmer’s Norman was found to the pavement with its visionary mosaic will dawn on an observer studying the design. In be a vigorous grower, useful as a stembuilder, provide Hereford with a wonderful heirloom. the mosaic the tree’s roots are connected to after Bulmer had imported it as un-named the circle of the universe. In the structure of propagating material from Normandy at the Chris Porter its branches the Cross of Christ, the Crown of Thorns, and even the architecture of the cathedral, may be discerned, and there are 12 What’s on? apples on the branches – 12 different varieties A list of regional apple events is included with this issue of the which represent the 12 Apostles. newsletter but note that www.marcherapple.net/diary.htm So what of these 12 apples? Each is named, but their selection must have been difficult! contains the most up to date information 2 Apples & Pears Autumn 2011 Apples & Pears Autumn 2011 Notes from the Chairman Writing these notes for the Newsletter in boxes have been made with the children of yuletide. The Marcher Apple Network will be the last days of June, as always, puts me in Cwmdu Primary School for the copse and a supporting some of these events and details a dilemma. With a year to look back on and number of wildlife surveys have been carried of the programme can be obtained from www. perhaps a look at the future with so many out. We have also added to our equipment yearintheorchard.org. events, meetings and developments, some list to help with orchard maintenance. We selection is necessary. However, any gaps are are very grateful to Environment Wales for My thanks, as always, to our hard working usually filled by my committee colleagues. their support. committee and membership for continuing support. We hope to see as many members We are unlikely to cap, this year, the event of Our ‘Forward Planning’ meetings are still as possible at our next AGM in December 2010, the publication of our ‘Welsh Marches continuing where we try to look at the ‘bigger 2011 and we look forward to meeting member Pomona’. I can record steady sales from picture’ about what we do, where we want volunteers at some of our events. various outlets and some bookshops have to go and how best to go about it. We have requested second or third batches for sale and also improved our calendar arrangements Peter Austerfield display. Our CDs ‘The Hereforshire Pomona’ to help us look further ahead when planning and ‘Vintage Fruit’ are still selling, with stocks our activities. of the first now getting fairly low. We are considering a further pressing this year. Our Mentioning the calendar brings me to some Miscellany ‘Apples of the Welsh Marches’ remains the future events. This autumn promises to be one most successful publication and is now in of the busiest yet. As well as running our regular l Good news from the Brogdale Horticultural its third printing. All these publications are a events there is also the Herefordshire Year in Trust that Defra have agreed to the tribute to the authors, illustrators, software the Orchard (HYITO). This Council-backed repropagation of the national apple and graphic designers who produce them and programme celebrates, among other things, collection. The graftwood has now bee cut to committee members who steer such works the bicentenary of the publication of Thomas and despatched to a professional nursery to the final product. This year is the first time Andrew Knight’s ‘Pomona Herefordiensis’ in (not in the UK, unfortunately) for grafting in about a decade that we haven’t had a major 1811, the same year as he became President onto M9 rootstock. project in hand. Perhaps we deserve a well of what was to become the RHS. Two hundred l An interesting snippet on grafting: we learn earned rest but it would not surprise me if one years later we have another Herefordian, that both Tom Adams (see Apples & Pears of our number came up with a new idea. Elizabeth Banks, as the President. There Vol 2, No. 3) and Cormac Griffiths (Irish Seed is a programme of events throughout the Savers) have both successfully grafted pears As a committee we are aware that we can year, from blossom time to harvest and to onto hawthorn. always improve our skills and knowledge to help us run the Network more efficiently. Over the year a number of committee members have attended short training courses run by the Marcher Apple Network Accounts Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations for year ended 31.07.10 (PAVO), ranging from Management Skills to EXPENDITURE INCOME Funding and Report Writing. We will continue Events 30.73 Subscriptions 1216.00 to explore any courses which might bring Library & equipment 1256.99 Life members 400.00 benefits to our work. Orchard maintenance & equipment 1196.36 Apple IDs 749.00 Purchase of trees 283.50 Bank interest 174.26 Donations & Gift Aid 111.37 At the AGM in December we were fortunate that Committee admin.