Freak Apple May Earn A Fortune

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30206, 10 August 1963, Page 12

Freak Apple May Earn A Fortune

(New Zealand Press Association) NAPIER, August 9. A Napier couple, Mr and Mrs C. Roberts, are about to make a fortune from an apple seedling—grown purely by chance —in their garden in Nelson crescent. Delicious red eating apples produced by the freak seedling have been heralded as a discovery of world-wide importance by exjiert orchard ists. They say the apples are destined to become a top seller on the international market because of their lateness, colour and quality.

Already, the “golden" apple has earned Mr and Mrs Roberts a 10.000-dollar contract with the world's largest orchard ists. Stark Bros., of Missouri.

They have just signed the contract Which gives Stark Bros, the right to grow the apple commercially in the Unified States, Canada, and Mexico.

But they stand to earn much more yet. The contract gives them rights in the marketing of the apple by Stark Bros.’ agents in many other countries.

Stark Bros, are now using dormant buds flown from Nlapier to propagate the seedling on thousands of acres in Oklahoma and Missouri orchards. The firm will market the apple as soon as pocssible in the United States, and introduce it under sub-licences to other countries where plant patients exist.

In the opinion of the director of the Fruit Research Station at Havelock North. Dr. D McKenzie, the apple “is the best variety ever produced in New Zealand, and I th.nk it will become one of the top three or four inlternational varieties.”

Yet the seedling began growing in the humblest of circumstances, Mr and 'Mrs Roberts said today. About 10 years ago when Mr and Mrs Roberts moved to Napier from Te Kuitii. they noticed the small seedling growing at the bottom of their garden. Then, about 1957. the seedling bore fruit. Mr and Mrs

Roberts were impressed by the colour, taste and by the way the apple hung on the tree.

Orchardists agreed ft was a tasty apple but thought little more of it. Then a friend, Mr W. Borck. a horticulturist, took a sample to Dr. McKenzie in 1958. Dr. McKenzie was impressed, and after tests over a number of years he declared it was an important discovery.

“We were told we had a seedling which had everything," said Mr Roberts "It was a late grower, which is most important: it resisted diseases and pests: it was red. which is a big selling point; it was juicy—all in all, a fine commercial proposition.” The Fruitgrowers’ Federation offered Mr and Mrs Roberts £lOO for the New Zealand rights to grow the apple and to dispose of the rights overseas, the profits to be shared equally, but no agreement was reached. Colour slides and samples were sent to Stark Bros Last December, the firm's secretary, Mr Paul Stark, jun., an expert pomotogurt, flew to Napier to see the seedling and discuss the contract for the American rigtilts. Mr and Mrs Roberts are now negotiating with a leading orchardist in Palmerston North for the release of the apple in New Zealand, where there is no plant patent. But they are still baffled as to how the money-spinning seedling grew in their garden.