OLD FRUIT VARIETIES
If you take an interest in old fruit varieties you'll soon find out that the determination of fruits is a major problem. Books with good illustrations and detailed descriptions of the fruit grown in The Netherlands in the past centuries can only be found in Antique Book shops. They are rare and very expensive.
The most important publications are:
- "Nederlandse Fruitrassen" [Dutch Fruit Varieties], published by the Nederlandse Heidemaatschappij (1942).
- "De Nederlandse Boomgaard" [The Dutch Orchard], published by the Vereniging tot Regeling en Verbetering van de Vruchtsoorten [Association for Certification and Improvement of Fruit Varieties] (1868).
- "Pomologie of Kennisse der Vruchten" [Pomology or Knowledge of the Fruits] by Johann Hermann Knoop (1740 and later years).
For many years the Noordelijke Pomologische Vereniging [Northern Pomological Society - NPV] has used photo copies to make these publications available to a larger audience. However, the quality of these copies was insufficient in comparison with the original illustrations.
With the digital graphical techniques improving and equipment becoming less expensive, I decided to save the illustrations in high resolution computer images. Soon after that the plan was conceived to produce an interactive CD-Rom containing a complete book. During the National Fruit Exposition of 1998 a trial version containing 15 varieties from "Nederlandsche Fruitsoorten" was demonstrated. The interest shown for the project was such that I decided to continue. Since then many copies of NPV's first CD-Rom have found their way to old fruit-enthousiasts and I many times heard the question: "When can we expect one of the other books?" That question has been answered: you are watching the result and I hope this CD-Rom will give you much pleasure.
Since the production of the "Fruitsoorten" CD-Rom computers and software improved again. This "Boomgaard" CD took advantage of that. Using newer programmes improved the resolution of the illustrations considerably.
While working in the NPV's orchard Frits.P.Doornenbal offered to translate "The Dutch Orchard" in English. This suggestion was very much appreciated and through his efforts the CD-Rom will be accessible to our colleagues abroad.
When making a users-version of antique books one has to find a compromise between two extremes:
- One point of view requires a close copy of the original. The antique scent of the original should not be lost.
- On the opposite end is the opinion that the user needs easy access and an optimal presentation of the required information.
The fact alone that the shape of the book is "portrait" format and your screen is "landscape", required choices to be made and adaptation of the lay-out. Nevertheless, I have tried to do the old book justice by keeping the decorative initials on every page, and I added the illustrations in their original form. The list of subscribers from 1872 has been left out.
For their contribution to this production I would like to mention:
- Terra College (Frederiksoord, The Netherlands) for making available their copy of "De Nederlandsche Boomgaard" for reproduction.
- A3 Lagerwerf from Netherlads Creative Services (Nunspeet, The Netherlands) for his help in making this CD-Rom Mac-compatible.
- Everybody who assisted me by reading and reporting errors.
Coen M.Ballintijn, Paterswolde, juli 2000.