July, 1975

On a recent tour through Central Europe, slanted to horticulture and horticultural literature, the writer discovered a rather unique "Pomological Trail" in southwestern Germany. Running from Gammelshausen to Boll in the eastern foothills of the Black Forest, this trail had recently been established by these rural communities with the assistance of regional government and horticultural extension service.

The area is one of mixed farming where fruit growing is practised in the valleys and on gentle hillsides. I found a few large orchard operations but most farms are quite mixed with the orchard portion rarely exceeding 10 acres. In recent years and under pressure from other EEC countries many full-time farmers but part-time orchardists have been looking for guidance to greater orchard returns. Thus the Pomological Trail helps to fill a widespread basic need in extension training in addition to its attraction to city-folk, tourists and backyard gardeners.

The plantings along the trail are grouped by botanical and practical criteria. Apart from rose species, material of pomological or related interest demonstrated is restricted to that grown in or congenial to the area. In addition minimal maintenance and relative unattractiveness to fruit pilferers had to be achieved. The emphasis therefore, is on rootstocks, species and subspecies, seedling types and some standard varieties with wild roses added as a botanical and aesthetic concession.

The planted portion of the trail is less than a mile long, gently climbing and easy to walk. Comprehensive botanical information is given on large glassed posters for each grouping, such as the Pomoidae. Individual plantings comprise from 3 to 12 specimens of a kind with markers spelling out details as to origin, hardiness, soil requirements, propagation, size, compatibility and effect, etc. While plantings of additional material are planned, the following are currently demonstrated:

A. Rosaceae - Pomoidae

1. Apple Seedling (Males sylvestris (L.) Mill.)

2. Apple Seedling (Bittenfelder)

3. M 1 (Apple Rootstock)

4. M 2 (Apple Rootstock)

5. M 4 (Apple Rootstock)

6. M 7 (Apple Rootstock)

7. M 9 (Apple Rootstock)

8. M 11(Apple Rootstock)

9. M 25(Apple Rootstock)

10. M 26 (Apple Rootstock)

11. MM 104 (Apple Rootstock)

12. MM 106 (Apple Rootstock)

13. MM 109 (Apple Rootstock)

14. MM 111 (Apple Rootstock)

15. A 2 (Apple Rootstock)

16. Siberian Crab Apple (Males baccata (L.) Bork.)

17. Plum leaved Crab Apple (Males prunifolia (Willd.) Bork.)

18. Common Apple Seedling (Malus pumila Mill.)

19. Pear Seedling (Pyrus communis L.)

20. Quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.)

21. White Beam Tree (Sorbus aria (L.) Crantz)

22. Rowan Tree (Sorbus aucuparia (L.) )

23. Rowan Tree (Sorbus aucuparia var. edulis Diek)

24. no common name (Sorbus intermedia (Ehrh.) Pers.)

25. White Service Tree (Sorbus terminalis (L.) Crantz)

26. Service Tree (Sorbus domestica L.)

27. no common name (Sorbus x hybrida L.)

28. June Berry (Amelanchier canadensis (L.) Med.)

29. Medlar (Mespilus germanica L.)

30. Hawthorn (Crataegus prunifolia (Lam.) Pers.)

31. Hawthorn (Crataegus collinea L.)

32. Cockspur Thorn (Crataegus crus-galli L.)

33. English Hawthorn (Crataegus Oxyacantha "Paul's scarlet")

34. English Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna Jacq.)

35. Firethorn (Pyracantha coccinea Roem. "Kasan")

B. Rosaceae - Amygdalaceae

36. Peach Seedling (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch)

37. Apricot Seedling (Prunus armeniaca L.)

38. Almond Seedling (Prunus communis Arcang.)

39. Mirabelle (Prunus domestica ssp. syriaca (Borkh.) Janchen)

40. Prune (Prunus domestica ssp. oeconomica "Schlat")

41. Reineclaude Plum (Prunus domestica ssp. italica (Borkh.) Gams)

42. Sloe/Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.)

43. Myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera ssp. myrobalana)

44. St. Julien Plum (Prunus domestica ssp. insititia var. juliana)

45. Ackerman Plum (Prunus Ackerman)

46. Brompton Plum (Prunus Brompton)

47. Mazzard Cherry (Prunus avium L.)

48. Mazzard Cherry (Prunus avium, F 12/1)

49. Mahaleb Cherry (Prunus mahaleb L.)

50. European Bird Cherry (Prunus padus L.)

51. Black Cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.)

52. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus L.)

53. Ground Cherry (Prunes fruticosa Pall.)

C. Juglandaceae, Cupuliferae and Corylaceae

54. English Walnut (Juglans regia L.)

55. Black Walnut (Juglans nigra L.)

56. Siebold Walnut (Juglans ailantifolia Carr. var. cordiformis(Mak.) Rehder)

57. Wing-Nut (pterocarya fraxinifolia (Lam.) Spach)

58. Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.)

59. Spanish Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.)

D. Saxifragaceae - Ribesiaceae, and Rosaceae - Rubeae

60. Golden Currant (Ribes aureum Pursh.)

61. Alpine Currant (Ribes alpinum L. "Schmidt")

62. American Black Currant (Ribes americanum Mill.)

63. Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus L.)

64. Blackberry (Rubes fruticosus L.)

65. European Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.)

66. Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius Maxim.)

Walking this pomological Trail was an absorbing and enjoyable experience.

Is there anything comparable in North America?

Would NAFEX sponsor a project of this useful nature?