240 State Horticiiltunil Society. 



sports, or bud varieties, which are dift'eient from the variety on 

 which they were produced. For example, the nectarine is a bud 

 sport from the peach. Occasionally a peach tree produces a branch 

 which bears the hairless nectarine and when buds from such a branch 

 are used for propagating they often retain the characters of the necta- 

 rine. The difference between the red and yellow Gravenstein apples 

 is only a case of bud variation from tlie same original seedling and 

 the same thing may be said to be true of the red or striped strain of the 

 Red Astrachan and other varieties In which bud variation has oc- 

 curred. A bud variation which reproduces distinct varietal characters 

 is as distinctly a variety as is a seedling variety. 



For this reason the committee secured fruit from the Black Ben 

 Davis trees in the Bain orchard and also from other younger trees of 

 the same variety growing in the vicinity of Lincoln. Fruit was se- 

 lected from old and young trees in difil'ercnt orchards in order to 

 fairly represent the variety as grown under different conditions. 

 F'ruit was also secured from the Gano trees to compare with the 

 former variety. In order to fairly test the keeping qualities of Black 

 Ben Davis fruit from Ben Davis trees was secured from the Bain 

 orchard where they were growing under conditions comparable with 

 those of Black Ben Davis. It is generally admitted by fruit growers 

 that the Ben Davis and Gano are much alike as to keeping qualities. 

 Twigs were also secured from the same trees so a study of their char- 

 acters might be made. Each member of the committee took portions 

 of these specimens and kept a part of them in cold storage and a part 

 of each in ordinary cellars, so as to observe them at different times 

 during the winter. 



Some of the points of difference which different fruit growers 

 have from time to time stated to exist between Black Ben Davis and 

 Gano are that the former possessed a more yellow flesh, was firmer 

 and a better keeper and possessed a more sprightly flavor, especially 

 toward spring than did Gano. Some have also suggested that there 

 was a slight difference in the shape and that the former might be of 

 higher color. After a careful comparison of the apples once each 

 month during winter and spring the committee are unable to find any 

 difference between Gano and Black Ben Davis. Black Ben Davis 

 differed no more from Gano than did the individual specimens of , 

 each sort differ among themselves. Both Ben -Davis and Gano kept 

 as well as did Black Ben Davis. So far as the committe could see 

 Black Ben Da^'is and Gano were of the same color of flesh, of the 

 same flavor and of identical varietal character throughout. In each 

 variety certain specimens kept better than others and the firmer 



