<B>Apples, ho!</B> <P> When Papa decides to pull up roots and move from Iowa to Oregon, he can't bear to leave his precious apple trees behind. Or his peaches, plums, grapes, cherries, and pears. Oh, and he takes his family along too. But the trail is cruel -- first there's a river to cross that's wider than Texas...and then there are hailstones as big as plums...and there's even a drought, sure to crisp the cherries. Those poor pippins! Luckily Delicious (the nonedible apple of Daddy's eye) is strong -- as young 'uns raised on apples <I>are</I> -- and won't let anything stop her father's darling saps from tasting the sweet Oregon soil. <P> Here's a hilarious tall tale -- from the team that brought you <I>Fannie in the Kitchen</I> -- that's loosely based on the life of a real fruiting pioneer. <P> <B>Apple Facts</B> <P> <B>More than</B> 7,500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world. <P> About 2,500 varieties grow in the United States. <P> The apple variety <B>Delicious</B> is the most widely grown in the United States. <P> Apples are part of the <B>rose</B> family. <P> The science of fruit growing is called pomology. <P> Fresh apples <B>float.</B> That's because <B>25</B> percent of their volume is air. <P> Cut an apple in half, across the core, and you'll see a <B>star</B> shape. <P> It takes apple trees <B>four to five years</B> to produce their first fruit. <P> It takes about <B>thirty-six apples</B> to make <B>one gallon</B> of apple cider.