Ohiogrower:

A very large, stand-alone apple tree growing in a grazing field may have been a known, grafted variety, but it is equally likely that it was a chance seedling dropped by animals or the human hand. Seedling trees normally grow much larger than grafted trees (which are often on size-controlling rootstocks), which argues for a tree that grew up without human intervention, especially if it was not part of an orchard. A chance seedling is a unique, new variety, that may itself be reproduced by grafting, but if it is not it is the only one in the world.

It is the nature of apple trees that they do not reproduce true from seeds. They require cross-pollination from another apple tree, even a crab, and the resulting seedlings may be so different from the parent tree that they are not even recognizable. That is why apple trees grown to exactly reproduce their parent tree are all grafted. And that is also why gathering seeds from the fruit of your mystery tree would probably not have worked, although planting a root sucker might have done the job -- if indeed it is a seedling tree.

Childhood memories of fruit trees tend to be a little deceptive; the size and flavor of the fruit increases with each passing year. If you have never grown an apple in your own back yard, I suggest you try growing two or three. You may be surprised at how good a home grown apple, left to ripen on the tree, can be. Order in a few nursery catalogs, and look for big green apples of the type you prefer. But buy grafted trees on size-controlling rootstocks so you can more easily care for and pick the fruit. You can find many good mailorder nurseries with an online search.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I lived for 40 years in an old apple growing area that was gradually converting the old orchards to one acre homesites. Most of the old orchards were planted in Newtown Pippin apples that were grown mostly for the dried apple market. When you could find one of those trees with all the leaves dropped with lots of fruit hanging like ornaments in the month of December, the taste of the fruit would last in your memory forever. Al

I certainly have to agree with Al about the virtues of the Newtown Pippin apple (around here we call it the Albemarle Pippin after the Virginia county of that name). No dispute, however, that it originated on Long Island, NY.

It is a late, dense, highly flavored apple that keeps about as well in refrigeration as any I have seen. It also meets Ohiogrower's description of a green skinned apple, quite large if properly thinned. Whether or not is was the apple in the farm field, it would be an excellent choice. One of the best of the heirloom apples.

I only have one tree. Wish I had more, but the orchard is pretty well filled up.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

The primary animal seed spreader of apples are bears. Part of the reason why apples wild seedlings have taken a hit in the past is the limited bear population. It is interesting to note. I see quite a few random apple trees in fields and even in the woods when I go strolling.