Which would you plant?

[FB.]

Well, the final decision was made yesterday.

The First and Last was planted, but the others lost out.
As these are being planted around the sides of my garden, I had to negotiate with "the Mrs" as to which would be planted and where.
She dislikes the look of many of the old varieties, and so the modern variety "Jupiter" got the second spot and "Worcester Pearmain" got the third spot. Both of those varieties have quite attractive fruits.

My garden collection consists of (in clockwise rotation):

D'Arcy Spice MM111
Court Pendu Plat M25
Discovery MM111
Worcester Pearmain M25
Coeur de Boeuf MM111
D'Arcy Spice M25
Spartan M25
Hambledon Deux Ans MM111
Jupiter M25
Tydeman's Late Orange MM111
Milton Wonder MM111
Crawley Beauty M25
First and Last MM111

The trees are spaced at about 8-12ft (depending on variety, rootstock, growth habit, and the soil depth/quality in the various planting locations). The soil is shallow and poor, and rainfall is low - so they will not get anywhere near the size indicated by "the books": most of their energy will go into growing enormous roots with a small tree on top.

[Mell]

The trees are young and the First and Last in particular has very very slender shoots (not more than 5-6mm). I'd prefer not to chop at it this winter as trees struggle here, but by all means keep in touch and I'll send you some scions once the tree is growing strongly.

Ok I understand that ! Where did you source it from initially Berewode ?

[FB.]

Ok I understand that ! Where did you source it from initially Berewode ?

The only suppliers where I have heard of them having First & Last are (or were):
Bernwode, Brogdale and Scott's.
Mine is of Bernwode origin.

[Mell]

The only suppliers where I have heard of them having First & Last are (or were):
Bernwode, Brogdale and Scott's.
Mine is of Bernwode origin.

Brogdale state no longer in collection, Scotts is no more So Bernwode & you ! do take care of it seems it is mega rare now !

[FB.]

Brogdale state no longer in collection, Scotts is no more So Bernwode & you ! do take care of it seems it is mega rare now !

Yes, very rare - and is why I decided to plant it.
It's a little bit of a gamble since information on the variety is quite scarce, so I don't know how it will perform, but if it was popular 100+ years ago as a long-keeping dual-purpose apple, then it may still have some value today.
I suspect that it has an awful lot of genes that have been lost due to the inbreeding of apples in the last century (especially the focus on Cox's Orange).

My First and Last has been planted in a better location than many of my other trees, so it has a reasonable chance. It's on the tough 111 roots, so that boosts its chances.

Regarding First & Last, I have extracts from the following:

"The Fruit Manual" - Hogg, 1884
Bernwode catalogue (I believe extracted from Hogg)
"Directory of Apple Cultivars" - Crawford, 2001

Bernwode claim that F&L is named because of a long ripening season "some ripening early while others were later".
However, a passing stranger suggested to me that it's name is actually because the apples were among the first to appear in the Brighton markets each autumn, but also among the last apples still in a saleable condition the following spring - on account of their long keeping properties (Sept-May according to Hogg).

Do you have any further info or sources on this apparently ultra-rare variety?


ps
Out of curiosity, are there any really rare apple varieties out there that you think are truly worth saving - and I mean worth removing an existing tree to make room for it?

[Mell]

will look soon, bit manic here right now

[shirlthegirl43]

I love the sound of that weeping apple tree! I think I need to get you down in spring to identify the old apple trees at the orchard I know FB. It would take a spot of wangling to get you in there as it is now all fenced off by the refinery company - I think they would like to bulldoze the lot! but the mansion is a listed building.

I would love to put a proper apple tree in our garden to show the blooming crab trees how it is supposed to be done