All apple trees are descended from the crab apple, which was likely the tree mentioned in the tree Ogham, as it grew wild in the British Isles and across much of Europe during the time of the Druids. The apple represents choice and the letter Q (Quert) in the druidic tree alphabet. The apple has long been a symbol of fruitfullness. The rhyme ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ probably comes from a Norse myth in which apples were given to the Gods to stave of old age. Apples were used to discover who a girl would marry ; the apple was peeled and the complete peel thrown over the shoulder, if it formed a letter then this was the initial of her future husbands name. ‘Wassailing’ – a ceremony to ensure a good apple crop is still performed in the West country usually on Twelfth night. The felling of an apple tree was unlucky and to leave the last apple on a tree meant a families death. The wood of the apple tree is good for both burning and carving, and poultice made from roasted for boiled apples removes burn marks from the skin, and eases inflamed eyes. It is also known to be good for the bowels and for sufferers of asthma and other lung ailments. The bark of apple trees or the fruits themselves have the power to transport a true-hearted seeker to the Other world. Burn the bark as an offering to the Good Folk on Midsummer’s night. Also used in Faery love spells.