Practical Pomology: A Field Guide, a new book guide for identifying and describing apples is now available to pre-order on Kickstarter. The 150-page book explains how to differentiate between seedling and grafted trees, how to recognize and name the various features of the apple, and includes anatomical photographs of the thirty-four varieties (Saint Lawrence shown below) that most commonly grow in historic orchards. The books is extensively illustrated with photos an drawings.
Practical Pomology has been written by Sean Turley, a Portland-based apple author, historian, photographer, cidermaker, forager and the creator of The Righteous Russet instagram account. Turley worked extensively with Maine’s preeminent apple expert John Bunker on writing the book, as well as with designers, artists, and photographers to bring the subject to life.
Apples are everywhere; so are books about apples. But despite the extraordinary quantity and quality of tomes about pomes, no text has ever been printed that provides a comprehensive, systematic approach to describing and identifying historic varieties of apples—let alone one that condenses the foundational work by pomologists over the last couple of centuries into a simple-to-follow, practical resource for the expert and novice alike.
Practical Pomology: A Field Guide aims to fill that void. Across its pages, you will be taught how to recognize and differentiate between seedling and grafted trees; describe and classify the anatomical features of the apple; and identify and distinguish among the varieties most commonly found in historic orchards. It is a resource that can be pulled off the shelf when deciphering descriptions of lost varieties in antiquated texts and a portable manual you can toss in your backpack when heading out into the field. Whether you are new to pomology or an old hand at describing and identifying pomes, this book should prove to be an indispensable resource.
You can pre-order your copy of Practical Pomology on Kickstarter now through December 14th. The book is expected to go to print in early January and be shipped to customers in mid-March.
