ABSTRACT

Less than twenty years ago you could drive through the villages of Germany or France around September-October and still find a plethora of regionally-adapted apples: some were good for baking in pies, others for making cider or sauce, yet others for eating right off the tree. But consumption alone did not make the variety. Certain types favoured high altitudes, others were less resistant to the cold. Some kept exceptionally well in the attic or cellar, while others had fruit that matured unevenly over several months.