Hippolyte Lacaille (1834 - ca1905)

Research carried out by the artist/author Pascal Levaillant highlighted the work of Hippolyte Lacaille (1834_1905/6), an important arboriculturist in the Pays de Caux in the 18th century. together with other nursery plant experts, such as Legrand, and who became a distinguished master nurseryman and sower developing different varieties of cider apple trees.

Lacaille’s career was dedicated to the cultivation of the apple tree. From 1866 he worked as a nurseryman and later as a nurseryman and horticulturist in Frichemesnil. On top of his professional activities he was also a local councillor in Frichemesnil from 1884 to 1904.

His major contribution lies in his book, published in 1886, ‘The cultivation of apple trees, pastures and fences’, a technical work written for cultivators in cider-apple producing areas. In it he shares his experience and advocates multiplication through seeding (preferring plants from the Eure and Somme departments) and severely criticises the excessive pruning carried out in Normandy. The book explores the sowing, growing, grafting, care production, harvest and titling of cider apples as well as the use of pomace as a fertiliser. The book had a profound impact on cultivation procedures at the time. He also introduced new varieties of apples from his own seeding, and contributed, with others like Legrand, to the propagation of the best apples for the cider press. His work, and that of other nurserymen, was essential to the regeneration of elite varieties  of apple including about a third of those today classified by the French Association of Pomology. Most notably, he produced the Frequin-Lacaille apple.

His expertise and achievements were widely recognised. He was an active member of horticultural and pomology associations and was an  honorary member of the Central Horticultural Society of Lower Normandy.