Tull apple quest

[Merle Hawggard]

When I started my orchard I had envisioned a few trees, probably end of the year sales I could pick up cheap.
Then I began to read about all the apples we had that originated in my home state so I thought if I'm feeding deer and myself, they may as well be Arkansas varieties along with any others I would add over the years.
Where I graft mine to standard sized rootstock, my plan is to also insure these varieties are around for future generations to enjoy, deer and human.
I search for old descriptions on Google and found lots of old books and journals with interesting stories.
Last fall I did a search on an apple listed as extinct, the Tull apple, and surprisingly found a book on the history of Sheridan Co with a picture of the Tull apple alive and well by Roy Wilson.
I got in touch with Mr Wilson and it turns out he was the same Roy Wilson listed in the Tull story in Old Southern Apples by Lee Calhoun.
Yesterday I made the 3 and a half hour drive down to Sheridan Ark to meet with Mr Wilson and after treating me to an awesome catfish lunch in Prattsville we drove to 5 different trees that descendants of the Tull family have kept going by sharing root sprouts over the years.

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[Merle Hawggard]

Here I am at the same tree in Mr Wilson's book.

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[Merle Hawggard]

A big thank you is due to Roy Wilson, Pete and Shirley Coppock, Cynthia Dunn, and Virgie Duvall and her son Joe for taking time out of their day to share their stories and scion wood from the remaining Tull trees!

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[Merle Hawggard]

Joe had even marked the two Tull trees in his orchard in case we came by and he wasn't home.
Tull is said to be a relatively disease free apple for the south so it should make a great addition to my wildlife orchard.
I'll report on how it does over the years.

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[Native Hunter]

That's just awesome Merle. It sounds like you had a great day and got to meet some salt of the earth folks. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Turkey Creek]

Very cool. That had to have been a very neat experience.

I am in the process of trying to finalize a deal to regraft close to 100 antique apples that are in a historical orchard in our state. Not that any of those trees are near extinction as a variety, but the history of the site and orchard are cool!

 

[Merle Hawggard]

Very cool. That had to have been a very neat experience.

I am in the process of trying to finalize a deal to regraft close to 100 antique apples that are in a historical orchard in our state. Not that any of those trees are near extinction as a variety, but the history of the site and orchard are cool!

That will be awesome if you're able to work that out TC.
I did have a great time yesterday. Mr Wilson had no idea an article he wrote for local paper in 1979 would end up in a book about apples years later.
He even led me to a close to 100 year old pear tree he knew of so I could get cuttings.
If it's survived that long with our fire blight troubles, it's worth a try.

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[Neahawg]

That brings us to likely two thought to be extinct Arkansas apples this year!

 

[Neahawg]

Possible Arkansas Beauty apple.

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[Neahawg]

USDA water color of Tull from 1882.

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[HawgPharm]

You likely passed right by my house Merle. I live north of Sheridan. I'm glad you found this variety and hope it lives on. My grandparents had a few apple and pear trees on their place when I was young. It is no longer in the family, but I want to go and see if any are still alive to get scions. Those trees would be pretty old now.


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[Turkey Creek]

There isnt anything as more rewarding as preserving history in my opinion. I regret that the old apple trees on one of our families homesteads all died out before I ever even knew what grafting was. I would have saved them for history sake regardless of the variety. Those trees were big and old way back in the early 1980s.

 

[Merle Hawggard]

There isnt anything as more rewarding as preserving history in my opinion. I regret that the old apple trees on one of our families homesteads all died out before I ever even knew what grafting was. I would have saved them for history sake regardless of the variety. Those trees were big and old way back in the early 1980s.

Hate to hear they're gone TC. There are still several home varieties I'd love to add, but sadly they may be gone as well.
I'm still on the hunt though!

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[Merle Hawggard]

You likely passed right by my house Merle. I live north of Sheridan. I'm glad you found this variety and hope it lives on. My grandparents had a few apple and pear trees on their place when I was young. It is no longer in the family, but I want to go and see if any are still alive to get scions. Those trees would be pretty old now.


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Does anyone still know the history behind those trees?
If one turned out to be Highfill Blue you would forever be my hero lol!


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[Chainsaw]

Have nothing to add but am enjoying the path of this thread.

 

[Sam]

Very cool project! Cant wait to see your results!!

 

[HawgPharm]

Does anyone still know the history behind those trees?
If one turned out to be Highfill Blue you would forever be my hero lol!


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I have no idea what variety they are/were at this point. I remember there were 4 of them. They would have to be 60-70 years old if still alive. My mother told me that my grandmother used them for baking. The next time I am down I will try to go by and see if they are still there and possibly get scions.


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[Merle Hawggard]

I have no idea what variety they are/were at this point. I remember there were 4 of them. They would have to be 60-70 years old if still alive. My mother told me that my grandmother used them for baking. The next time I am down I will try to go by and see if they are still there and possibly get scions.


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That would be great. Worth saving regardless of what they turn out to be since they've shown how long they can live with minimal care.

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[Fish]

Wasnt until i read old southern apples that i realized what old trees meant to folks. It can sure get in your blood. Thanks for sharing. Maybe you will have scion wood to share someday.

 

[Fish]

I tracked down the Yates persimmon original tree, which was found not far from where i live. I knocked on a trailer door and asked a young lady if i could have a look at the persimmon trees in her front yard. She had no idea what she had out there. Persimmons the size of hen eggs.