Hello...
I read the recent Oregonian story about the oldest apple tree in Oregon, which got me thinking about our own historic tree, and I decided to try to pursue some clarity in the story. Many years ago my parents were close friends with Mr. and Mrs Campbell, who still lived on the old Dosch place. I believe that Mrs Cambell (Margurite?) was the remaining child of her father, the forester. She knew my interest in trees, even at a young age, and gave me many interseting saplings for my the grounds in my first house. The most intersting was a grafted apple, which as I recall was started by her friend Mr. McGraw on a semi-dwarf rootstock, and with a scion from the oldest apple tree in the state. I thought for many years that she said it came from a tree at the Bybee House, but that may be confusion. That was in 1975, and I have since moved, with the tree, to another location. My obvious question is whether anyone can provide insights as to whether this tree may have been started from the Dosch Apple. The skin of the fruit is very yellow, with tiny black spects. The fruit itself is quite mealy (not crisp), and is large.
Thank you in advance for any information
Lans… I wanted to post or link to the article, but The Oregonian is pretty clever at hiding such things… Here’s the photo:
“Oregon's oldest apple tree is located in a cul de sac in Dosch Estates at 4700 SW Campbell Ct. in Portland.â€
Amazing – and the first I’ve heard of this tree! It’s great to see the support work, obviously necessary to keep it from doing the splits. I’m a bit surprised not to see any ‘fine pruning’ having taken place; to keep the ‘stems’ stocky, as opposed to leggy. But I suspect there’s plenty of scion wood to be had! …But if the apple isn’t all that great…
A couple years ago I followed up an article in the Hillsboro Argus describing a Gravenstein apple tree likely originating from the Henderson Luelling nursery, propagating and selling the first grafted apple trees brought to Oregon. It was a treat to have personally gathered the scions, distribute nearly all of them at our HOS Scion Exchange, graft up several ‘new trees’ for the current owner, one for the Argus reporter, and quite a few for those showing up in my line at our event. Gravensteins are one of my favorite apples, definitely the best of early apples; but if this Dosch Apple were desirable, there appears plenty of opportunity to gather scion wood from the tree above.
OK – back to your question Lans; you said: “...I recall was started by her friend Mr. McGraw on a semi-dwarf rootstock†– Would that have been Larry McGraw, of Portland, Oregon, founder of the Home Orchard Society? http://www.homeorchardsociety.org/article/28/ The timing would have been right. …I’ve sent out a request for some ‘help’ on your question… as I’ve never been to the Bybee-Howell Territorial Park orchard. [url:32w4gimf]http://www.metro-region.org/index.cfm/go/by.web/id/152[/url:32w4gimf] My assumption is that if ‘our’ Larry McGraw had anything to do with your tree it most likely came from the original.
I met and spoke with Larry (Mr. McGraw) only once; it was my first year grafting at our societies yearly event, around 13 year years ago. He watched me do a ‘whip & tongue’ graft, then told me ‘that was the best of all grafts.’
Anyway, let’s see if anyone else checks in, assuming those who would know follow our forum~
Lans,
It sounds like your tree was grafted by Larry McGraw from a scion of the Dosch tree. Your description fits the variety Yellow Bellflower, which is what the Dosch tree is. 1975 was around the time Larry and the Campbell's figured out how old the tree was, that is was planted between 1850 and 1854. And therefore had to have come from the Lewelling nursery, who's stock was brought by covered wagon in 1847.
There were/are some very old apple trees at Bybee-Howell Park and on the niehboring property. The biggest Baldwin tree that I'm aware of was cut down this winter (it may have been as old as the Dosch tree) and last year they took out the Bailey Sweet that was just as old.
In 1974 Larry (Mr. McGraw) planted an orchard of the old homestead days fruit varieties at Bybee-Howell Park, so that may be where the confusion crept in.
The supports (designed by our friend Wayne Huffstutter)were installed under the Dosch tree in '76 by HOS. Three of those members (Gary Blackburn, Marion Dunlap and Bill Robinson) were present at the Heritage Tree Cerimony on April 8th.
Shaun (thanks!) says: “Your description fits the variety Yellow Bellflower, which is what the Dosch tree is.†– that at least explains my not having heard of a ‘Dosch apple.’
So here’s a YELLOW BELLFLOWER:
“Discovered in New Jersey in the mid-1700's. Long time favorite pie and sauce apple, also excellent fresh and for making hard cider. Elongated, cone-shaped, often lopsided fruits vary in size from small to very large, have attractive, lemon-yellow skin. Pale, creamy yellow flesh is firm, crisp, aromatic and juicy, with a rich flavor. For winter dessert use, the fruit may be picked while still tart; it mellows in storage, reaching peak flavor and acid-sugar balance after a few months. Vigorous, spreading tree with mid-season bloom. Ripens mid-Sept.â€
And: “The supports (designed by our friend Wayne Huffstutter)were installed under the Dosch tree in '76 by HOS. Three of those members (Gary Blackburn, Marion Dunlap and Bill Robinson) were present at the Heritage Tree Ceremony on April 8th.†--- wow… What a group -- makes me proud to be a member! Little did I know, when I was graduating from high school, HOS members were preserving history for our future’s.
Thanks again, Shaun {HOS VP}, and take care of yourself – one day you’ll be the ol guy everyone will go to for this kind of information (and he should last folks … he’s younger than me 
" title="Wink" /> )!
...And great question, Lans.
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