| Syn. |
Ben Davies |
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| variously believed: Kentucky, Tennesee, or Virginia (?) |
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| "The Ben Davis reigns over a much greater extent of country than does the Baldwin. It is unquestionably the leading commercial sort and the most popular apple grown south of the Baldwin region. Generally speaking, it is the most important variety known in the apple districts of the vast territory which stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific between parallels 32 and 42. It is preeminently successful in the Virginias, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and portions of adjoining states. " In the more elevated and more northern portions of New York ~it is not usually regarded with favor, but in Southeastern New York the planting of it for commercial purposes has extended until, in many sections, it now ranks in importance next to Baldwin and Rhode Island Greening. It is grown to a considerable extent in various other harts of the state, but in many cases less successfully 'because too often the seasons are less favorable to the best development of the fruit. Some find it acceptable for home use after the Baldwin season has closed, but here it is generally regarded as not enough in quality for home use. It is often criticised disparagingly on the joint of quality. When grown in the South or Southwest, at its best it is but of second rate quality, and questionably in most portions of New York state the seasons are usually too short to mature the variety properly. When grown in a South, the period when it is at its best is comparatively short. As fruited in New York, it ripens later and keeps later than when grown farther south. It often keeps here in ordinary storage till Way, and in cold storage till June, or often till July. In the Ben Davis belt the fruit becomes large and handsomely colored, but in many portions of New York state it does not range much above medium in size and color. The fruit is thick-skinned, does not show bruises easily, and presents a good appearance in the package after being handled and shipped in the ordinary way. " Nurserymen like it because of its free-growing habit and the ease and rapidity with which trees of marketable size can be grown. In the orchard the tree is very hardy, healthy and vigorous. Although it does not appear to be as long-lived as Baldwin, it comes into bearing at an early age, and usually bears annually and abundantly. Often. it makes a good growth, even while bearing good crops. The top is rather dense, and in pruning, particularly in the case of young trees, especial care should be taken to keep it open and spreading so as to give the best possible opportunity for the fruit to color well. Its habit of blossoming late in the spring is an advantage in some regions because the weather is then more apt to be favorable during the pollinating period, and the result is that Ben Davis in such cases often bears good crops, when with other varieties there is more or less of a crop failure. |
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| Date: pre-Civil War |
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| Parentage: unknown |
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| Harvest: October |
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| Season: January-June |
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Unter der Rubrik 