224 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Smith Cider, R. Beauty and R. Astrlchan, all thrifty. Astrlchan never bears more tharE' 

 froml to 12 apples at a time. R. Beauty bears young, overbears worse than Janiton. s^ 

 Cider always O. K. , but no keeper. Mo. Pip. scabby, water core and useless, but it is good 

 40 rods away on poor land. M. Blush is much inferior to Porter every way every year. W. 

 Twig Is about equal to B. Davis, a slower grower and bearer and hardier, but fruit culls 

 bad often on account of bitter root. I plant 99 per cent B. Davis. If I am not mistaken in. 

 variety, the Gilpin does well here in one orchard. 



If it Is not asking too much of you, will you make a few suggestions which will be an. 

 Improvement on the following: I propose to plant 200 trees standard Seckel or Tyson pear, 

 in rich, deep black side hill soil, then top butt or graft thereon some of the new varieties— 

 not Kelfer or Garber. How would Early Margaret, etc., do? I would like early bearers, etc.,. 

 not coming In competition with Kelfer, Garber, or say Cal. pears, if such exist. 



I have Garber and Kelfer, but I believe there is room for the best fruits remaining. 



Yours truly, 



E. L. Williams. 



To the Missouri State Horticultural Society : 



A letter was read at Trenton from A. Nelson, of Lebanon, Mo. , in which he said that 

 the Ben Davis apple originated in Kentucky nearly one hundred years ago, and was known 

 as the Kentucky Red Streak. 



The Ben Davis, or New York Pippin, originated in Howard county, Mo., about five 

 miles south of Glasgow, and was known as the Hutchinson Pippin, or New York Pippin. 

 My father lived on a farm adjoining this Hutchinson farm, on which the apple grew, sa 

 that I know these to be facts. My father and I grafted of this tree about sixty-five years 

 ago. I am now in my seventy-fifth year. My only purpose in telling this is to give a true 

 history of the apple. It went by the name of New York Pippin, or Hutchinson Pippin, and- 

 we grafted that apple on down to the present time. 



The New York Pippin , Ben Davis and Kentucky Ued are all different varieties, but 

 close akin. The New York is the largest and finest apple. It can be distinguished by its- 

 having warts on the stem end of the apple or on the twigs. 



Absolcm McCrarx. 



Origin of the Ben Davis. 



The Ben Davis apple was brought originally from North Carolina 

 along with a lot of other seedling apples. The Davis family moved to 

 Kentucky and set the original Davis orchard in Butler county. The 

 Hill family moved to Illinois and took along some grafts from the 

 Kentucky orchard. The apple proving valuable, the question naturally 

 came up as to what the apple should be named, and the answer came^ 

 "Ben Davis," for it was Ben Davis who brought the seedling sprout 

 from North Carolina. 



This apple is no doubt planted over a wider section of the country 

 than is any other variety. A part of the original orchard is still m 

 bearing condition. — Farm and Garden. 



Origin of the Ben Davis Apple. 



Editor Eural World : I have seen in the Rural World several 

 attempts to give the origin of the Ben Davis apple. I cannot give the 

 origin, but I can give the history of it in Southern Illinois from "away 



