You sound like an expert (no sarc), so please allow me to broaden my education if you will, there's quite a bit you said that suggests stuff I'm unaware of. >

You sound like an expert (no sarc), so please allow me to broaden my education if you will, there's quite a bit you said that suggests stuff I'm unaware of. > It needs to be shippable without bruising. I thought all apples bruised easily, are there degrees of bruisability? (on reflection, comparing a quince and a pear to an apple, I suppose that makes sense). > It needs to take well to grafting. Interesting - some don't? I'd not have guessed that, I just unthinkingly assumed they'd all be about the same. (I knew a guy who told me his dad had grafted a pineapple to an orange tree. He was very young). > It needs to be resistant to pests and diseases, Very good point. Hadn't considered it. If it managed in hedgerows there's hope though. > thrive well on the kinds of fertilizers readily available to farmers. I just assumed (again) that all fertilisers were much the same, P, N, Ph etc with a few trace elements added so what kinds of fertilisers? or are you distinguishing that from what I'd call manures-types? > It needs to grow well in orchards. Some don't?? > It needs to be easy for pickers to pick. Excellent point. > It needs to grow fairly regular shapes and not look too ugly. Sigh. Thank you, supermarkets, for this silliness.