Apples are

as old as Eve, but more tempting than ever.

Dozens of

different varieties from Granny Smith to Golden Delicious

are headed toward local markets and stores for eating and

cooking enjoyment as fall harvest time approaches.

Georgia mountain apples will be ripe and ready to go in

early October, according to a spokesman at Harp's Farm.

There are

plenty of staple varieties like the Red Delicious and

Rome Beauty available at food stores now, and they can be

put to use in ways you never thought of. When the English

colonists arrived on America's shores, they brought apple

seeds with them, eventually harvesting the fruit for

food, drink and even medicinal purposes. Their apple tips

are as fruitful today as they were then.

* An apple

in a sack of potatoes will prevent them from sprouting.

* An apple

placed in a container with brown sugar will help keep it

moist.

* An apple

in the cookie jar will keep cookies moist.

* Add lemon

juice to an apple recipe if the apples lack tartness.

* No

toothbrush? Eating a raw apple after a meal can rid your

mouth of more than 95 percent of the bacteria linked to

tooth decay.

An

abundance of tales and legends surround the apple, along

with good advice. Everyone has heard the claim that

"an apple a day keeps the doctor away." King

Solomon declared the apple to be a healing fruit and the

wisdom persists today. They've been around for centuries,

and carbonized remains of apples have been discovered in

prehistoric lakes in the Iron Age and the Stone Age.

Apples have flourished around the world, and today, the

annual crop in the United States exceeds 145 million

bushels.

What are

the qualities of some of the most familiar apples? Granny

Smith apples are tart and crisp. They are excellent for

salads and for eating right off the tree. Their

"tang" is tweaked when baked and sauteed.

Red

Delicious are mild, sweet and juicy. They rank as the

number one snacking apple. The Red Delicious are good

fresh, in salads or on mixed fruit trays.

One of the

best cooking apples around is the Rome Beauty. Their best

flavor is aroused with a little sugar or honey. Romes

maintain their shape and rich flavor when cooked, making

them a good choice for baked apples.

Golden

Delicious apples have a rich, mellow flavor and a tender

skin. They are considered the best "all

purpose" apple because their shape and taste do not

suffer during baking or cooking. Goldens also are

considered the best apple for making cider