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How were apples used?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

March 31, 2003

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John Gerard (1597) did not believe apples (Malus sylvestris Miller or M. pumila Miller) were good for one's health; when Thomas Johnson revised The Herbal in 1633, he added nothing to change that opinion. "The Latine name Malus reacheth far among the old Writers..." Malus means bad or evil, the name coming from the story of Eden. "All Apples be of a temperature cold and moist, and have joined with them a certaine excrementall or superfluous moisture...."

Goldrush Apple Tree Keeps Its Fantastic Flavor All Winter! — U.S. Patent No. 9392

One of the best tasting apples ever! Keeps in the refrigerator until June of the year following harvest. Retains crisp texture and, like a fine wine, Goldrush flavor gets even better with time.

Exceptional for fresh eating, out of this world for pies and cider!

Quick to bear, good disease resistance. A real winner! Zones: 5 - 8 (-10° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Fruit & Nut Trees!]

Gerard divided apples into three types: "Sweet Apples", "Soure Apples", and "Harsh or Austere Apples"; the last group avoided completely for "they ingender grosse bloud, and great store of winde (flatulence), and often bring the Collicke (abdominal cramps or spasms)." Apples were best served cooked. "Rosted Apples are alwaies better than the raw, the harm whereof is mended by the fire and may also be corrected by adding unto them seeds or spices."

Gerard believed apples were best used as poultices. "Apples are good for all inflammations or hot swellings, but especially for such as are in their beginning, if the same be outwardly applied. The leaves of the tree do coole and binde, and be also counted good for inflammations...."

Apples were used to improve one's appearance. "There is likewise made an ointment with the pulpe of Apples and Swines grease and Rose water, which is used to beautifie the face and take away the roughnesse of the skin, which is called in shops Pomatum: of the Apples whereof it is made."

Apples, he felt, prevented scarring from smallpox, a disease thought hiding in the body as a poison. "Apples cut in pieces, and distilled with a quantitie of Camphere (camphor) and butter-milke, take away the markes and scarres gotten by the small pockes, being washed therewith...provided that you give unto the patient a little milk and Saffron, or milk and mithridate (an antidote made of dogtooth violets) to drinke, to expel to the extreme parts that venome which may lie hid, and a yet not seene."

The Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb has posted a photograph of Malus sylvestris Miller, the native apple of southwestern Asia and Europe. To view the photograph, click on the link:

http://hrast.sumfak.hr/~botanika/projekt00237/Malussylvestris.htm

killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~

Crabapple Tree, Hewes

Henry Fields Seed and Nursery®

Virginia crab! One of Thomas Jefferson's favorites! Tree is incredibly productive, vigorous and disease tolerant. Fruit is large and ripens early in September. Zone 3 to 7 Click here - $20 off at Henry Fields Seed and Nursery! [Click here for more Fruit Trees!] [All On Sale Today!]

Delicious Deals Apple Deal

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

What a great deal!

Save $5.40! You get 1 each of:

Standard Deluxe Red: American’s favorite for eating fresh! Red-striped to solid red fruits with heart like shape are wonderfully crisp and well- delicious! Nears early, ripens in mid-Sept. and keep up to 6 months.

Golden Delicious: Folks plant this one for flavor-yellow skin; crisp texture and sweetly tangy taste make for a tempting snack. One of the best pollinator for other varieties-so much so that its actually called a “rooster” tree! Ripens mid September to October.

Zones: 5 - 8 (-10° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Fruit & Nut Trees!]

Carefree Apple Combo

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

The Best of the Best!

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Sundance Standard Deluxe: "Popping" crisp--one of the finest apples we've ever tasted. Unique, refreshing, sweet-lemon flavor! Excellent resistance to scab and cedar apple rust. Matures late September.

Red-Luscious Standard Deluxe: Unlike most apples, which ripen all at once, Redfree ripens over 2 weeks, starting mid-August. Great for drying, also very good fresh. Highly resistant to scab, cedar apple rust.

Zones: 5 - 8 (-10° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Fruit & Nut Trees!]

Apples All Winter Collection

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Dessert Apples with Fantastic Flavor!

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Fuji: One of the most popular dessert apples, Fuji has mild sweet flavor and fine-textured, juicy and stays crisp both at room temperature and refrigerated. Ripens mid- Oct.

Goldrush: One of the best tasting apples ever! Like a fine wine, Goldrush gets even better with time. Tastes great at October harvest, mellows to a sweet, rich delight by Thanksgiving. Quick to bear, good disease resistance. A real winner!

Zones: 5 - 8 (-10° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Fruit & Nut Trees!]

Season Long Collection

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

The World's Favorite Apples!

Save $11.35! Get one each of:

Granny Smith Standard Deluxe: Crunchy fresh, soft and juicy cooked. By late October skin is still green, but flavor is at its peak. Stores 6 months in cold storage. Zones: 5 - 9 (-10° F.)

McIntoch Standard Deluxe: Round, red, mildly tart fruit. Gives applesauce and cider a spicy kick, bakes up juicy and tender. Ripens in mid-September. Zones: 4 - 6 (-20° F.)

Yellow Transparent Standard Deluxe: One of the first to ripen! Clear-skinned yellow fruit is ready by late August. Is it famous for its large fruit size, good looks and fabulous flavor? Or its adaptability, hardiness and vigor? You be the judge! Zones: 4 - 8 (-20° F.)

Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Fruit & Nut Trees!]

William's Pride Apple Tree

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Our Largest Early Apple

U.S. Patent No. 6268. An all-around wonderful apple! Has very firm texture, intense sweet-tart flavor. Resistant to all major diseases. Great for fresh eating, pies, cider. Matures in early July.

Zones: 5 - 8 (-10° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Fruit & Nut Trees!]

Comments: It is juicy, sweet-tart with firm flesh. Another one from Purdue's disease resistant breeding program. This cultivar has the can show symptoms of bitter-pit on the fruit (a disorder associated with calcium deficiency in the soil)The use of our Quick-Cal (pelletized Calcium) is highly recommended with this cultivar to help correct the problem.

Nova Spy Apple Tree

Gurney's Seed and Nursery®

Superior to Other "Spy" Varieties

Standard size starts bearing in just 3 years--old Northern Spy takes 10 plus years! Wonderful, vanilla-like flavor. Large fruit is good fresh and in pies. One of the best for cider. Matures mid-October.

Zones: 5 - 7 (-10° F.) Click here - $20 off your first order at Gurneys! [Fruit & Nut Trees!]

Comments: Nova Spy was introduced in 1995 from Nova Scotia. This tree is best described as a disease resistant version of the Northern Spy. However, unlike the NorthernSpy this one bears much quicker. It has slightly better fruit size and more complexity of flavor. (rich vanilla-like)