From the 1600s, when the first colonists brought apples from Europe, up through the early 1900s, an estimated 17,000 named varieties of apples were cultivated in North America. Most of those apples are lost and possibly extinct today. This is the account of apple historians and enthusiasts who are canvassing old orchards and forgotten homesteads of the Inland Northwest in search of the rare and heritage apples that still survive. It's a quest that combines diligent detective work with fascinating historical and horticultural research--and a passion for apples. So far these apple detectives have tracked down and documented nearly 30 formerly lost apple cultivars, or varieties. Lost Apples dips deep into regional history and tells of the continuing search and the successes so far. It is beautifully illustrated with more than 50 classic color apple portraits painted by artists for the United States Department of Agriculture Division of Pomology from the late 1800s to early 1900s. It also includes an appendix of more than 1,600 known cultivars documented in historical records of the region. The quest continues ... discoveries await!