This tree produces 40 different types of fruit
http://sciencealert.com.au/news/20142107-25892.html
Award-winning artist Sam Van Aken has grown a hybridised fruit tree that produces 40 different varieties of stone fruit each year.
In 2008, Van Aken learned that an orchard at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station was about to be shut down due to a lack of funding. This single orchard grew a great number of heirloom, antique, and native varieties of stone fruit, and some of these were 150 to 200 years old. To lose this orchard would render many of these rare and old varieties of fruit extinct, so to preserve them, Van Aken bought the orchard, and spent the following years figuring out how to graft parts of the trees onto a single fruit tree.
Working with a pool of over 250 varieties of stone fruit, Van Aken developed a timeline of when each of them blossom in relationship to each other and started grafting a few onto a working tree’s root structure. Once the working tree was about two years old, Van Aken used a technique called chip grafting to add more varieties on as separate branches. This technique involves taking a sliver off a fruit tree that includes the bud, and inserting that into an incision in the working tree. It's then taped into place, and left to sit and heal over winter. If all goes well, the branch will be pruned back to encourage it to grow as a normal branch on the working tree.
(snip)
Aken’s Tree of 40 Fruit looks like a normal tree for most of the year, but in spring it reveals a stunning patchwork of pink, white, red and purple blossoms, which turn into an array of plums, peaches, apricots, nectarines, cherries and almonds during the summer months, all of which are rare and unique varieties.
Not only is it a beautiful specimen, but it’s also helping to preserve the diversity of the world’s stone fruit. Stone fruits are selected for commercial growing based first and foremost on how long they keep, then how large they grow, then how they look, and lastly how they taste. This means that there are thousands of stone fruit varieties in the world, but only a very select few are considered commercially viable, even if they aren't the best tasting, or most nutritious ones.
Kudos to Van Aken.
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That's a risky proposition, we need a dozen of these, or more, to exist in as many different cities or states.
PS: I've got seedlings started from my 12 foot diameter volunteer mater plant of last summer!
But I may have started them too late in the season, we'll see!
I thought the same thing... 
My Great Uncle Manual was a whiz at it with grape vines. He produced a plum tree with four varieties, and a wonderful tree that was half lemon, and half orange - split right down the middle. I suspect he would have enjoyed a tree with forty varieties.
Today, materials for grafts have become a bit more advanced than twine though.
This stuff works great:
... that's why I said "dayam."
to take my own photo of it. 
I thought it had an almost mystical beauty about it.
Thanks for the link, littlemissmartypants.
Peace to you.
Very cool!
But beautiful tree
Peace to you.
in so many parts of the world this summer, it was truly refreshing to gaze upon this wondrous tree. It lifted my spirits, and I thank you for posting it, Uncle Joe.
in the spring.
I look forward to seeing a real pic next spring or the year after.
Thanks for the thanks, niyad and peace to you.
Thanks Uncle Joe, great OP.Peace to you.
I thought for sure it would be something Big Agriculture was doing with genetically modified foods or something equally questionable. I had been avoiding clicking to the thread earlier too, for that reason.
What a nice surprise to see it's something as beautiful and purposeful as this. Thank you for the thread and the link. It's great! I love this. K&R.
Peace to you, Jamastiene.
