MARCHER APPLE NETWORK
RHWYDWAITH AFALAU'R GORORAU

Highlights of 2001

The autumn shows in 2001 were well patronised and the MAN panel of identifiers was, as usual, kept busy until the approach of Christmas and beyond. Unusual apple finds have included Newland Sack and, possibly, Brith Mawr, an apple once popular in the South Wales area but of which we know little. The latter was exhibited at the Fruit Conference, 1934, and there is a brief description of it in the report of the conference, entitled Apples and Pears - Varieties and Cultivation in 1934. We would welcome any information on this dessert apple from members in South Wales, which could help us decide whether the fruit from the two locations we know is the genuine article. At our small nursery orchard at Westhope we knew we had an interesting variety but were unsure what it was. It has now been identified as Domino, an East Midlands codlin-type apple, grafted from the only specimen discovered in our region so far, growing at Shucknall, near Hereford. We also received a pear from the East Midlands which answers to the description of Bergamotte d'Automne - said to be one of the oldest pears in cultivation.