Over in the UW-Madison’s botany department, staff are watching, waiting and hoping for blooms. On Newton’s Apple Tree.
The tree, a sprig grafted from the tree that dropped an apple on Sir Isaac Newton and inspired his deep thoughts on gravity, was planted in the Botanical Garden near Chamberlin Hall in 2001.
It was a gift from congressman James Sensenbrenner, a UW-Madison Law School graduate. The National Institute of Standards and Technology gave it to Sensenbrenner for his service as chairman of the House Committee on Science.
Two years ago, a few blooms became apples, but some students snatched the forbidden fruit before it could be officially harvested, says Mo Fayyez, garden director. (Check out his amazing planting database at www.botany.wisc.edu.)
“We were planning to make a Newton Apple Pie and give it to the chancellor or the congressman,” says Fayyez. Last year’s bad weather meant no pollination. This year, the warm streak in April might have done the trick. He’s crossing his fingers.
Imagine what that pie might fetch on eBay.