By 1875 over 14,000 varieties were available by mail order to the home orchardist.  People grew their own food and were particular about the taste and quality of apples, and had specific uses for different varieties.  The advent of refrigerated shipping enabled apples to be grown in one part of the country economically and shipped to a different part.  People started buying their apples at the store instead of growing them, and the rich selection of apple varieties was whittled down to just a few that suited the grower and shipper instead of the consumer.

By the late 1980's things were getting desperate in the apple world.  Thousands of varieties were lost from cultivation as the old trees and the old people who knew them died out.  A few forward-looking individuals realized this and set out to save as many of the old varieties as they could, combing the back roads and farmhouses for old trees and old folks who could identify the variety.

The result is that currently 3,000 to 4,000 apples are available in some form in the United States.  Of these only about a dozen are widely grown commercially, and again are chosen for their marketing and shipping qualities (taste is often last).  If you want the best-tasting apples, you will still have to grow them yourself.  We'll show you how.