236 State Horficnifitral Society. 



REPORT OF COAIAJITTEE ON BLACK BEN DAVIS AND 



GANO. 



December lo, 1903. 

 To the ^lissouri State Horticultural Society : 



Gentlemen. — Your committee appointed to investigate the origin 

 and characteristics of the Black Ben Davis and Gano apples respect- 

 fully beg' leave to report as follows : 



Inasmuch as some horticulturists are positive in their opinions 

 that Black Ben Davis and Gano are two distinct varieties and others 

 were equally positive that they are one and the same variety, the 

 committee decided to secure all possible data concerning the origin 

 of Black Ben Davis and Gano, to visit bearing orchards where the 

 trees and fruit could be compared and to secure fruit that couM be 

 kept in storage and compared from I'me to time during the winter 

 and spring. 



A letter was addressed to the introducers of Black Ben Davis, 

 asking for data concerning the origin of this variety and the location 

 of the trees from which they secured theii' scions, in order that the 

 committee might visit these trees. This request v/as promptly re- 

 sponded to by the introducers. One of the leading members of their 

 firm accompanied the committee to the Arkansas orchard from w^hich 

 they secured their Black Ben Davis scions. Every possible effort 

 was made by them to put the committee m possession of the neces- 

 sary facts and materials for the investigation and they co-operated 

 with the committee throughout with enthusiastic zeal to facilitate a 

 thorough and impartial investigation. 



It was found that the nine trees from which the Black Ben Davis 

 scions were secured were growing on the farm of Mr. John Bain of 

 Lincoln, Ark. These nine trees were propagated in 1883 by Mr. G. 

 L. Guthrie, now of Pauls Valley, Ind. Ter., but who in 1883 lived on 

 the Bain farm wdiere nine trees now stand. 'Sir. Guthrie secured his 

 scions from a tree v/hich grew on the old Parson Black farm, near 

 Lincoln, Ark., and which was occupied and owned by John Rea^-an 

 at the time when the scions were taken but which now belongs to 

 Nathan Thomas. 



The next step was to find out if possible where the trees came 

 from on the old Parson Black place, from which Mr. Guthrie secured 

 his scions for propagating the nine trees which furnished the scions 



