40 



BULLETIN 1189, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



orchard where but few trees can be planted. In the Gulf Coastal Plaim, 

 region of Tennessee it begins to ripen about the middle of July and in West 

 Virginia and the northern part of the East Tennessee Valley region in early 

 August. 



For the home orchard this variety is regarded as desirable in all the regions 

 of this area. 

 Jonathan. Synonym : Saxon. 



The Jonathan has been planted extensively during recent years in all parts 

 of this area. It has some bad faults, but more excellent qualities. 



The tree is subject to blight, sometimes quite seriously so. As with all 

 varieties, the blight is less severe in West Virginia than in Kentucky and Ten- 

 nessee. Its foliage is more susceptible to cedar rust than that of the York 

 Imperial or Rome Beauty, and where cedar trees abound this disease is some- 

 times serious. The fruit is subject to the " Jonathan spot," which develops 

 on the surface of the fruit after picking, making it unattractive in market. 



On the other hand, the tree is one of the earliest to bear, being better in 

 this respect than the Stayman Winesap, York Imperial, Rome Beauty, Winesap, 

 and many others. It is fully equal to the Ben Davis and Gano in this early- 

 bearing quality. (Fig. 23.) The trees are vigorous, rather open and spreading 

 in shape, and long lived. It is one of the most productive varieties, old trees of 



it in northern West 

 Virginia being said to 

 surpass all other vari- 

 eties in this respect. 

 The fruit is medium to 

 large in size, uniform 

 in shape, and very 

 highly colored with 

 bright red. Its desert 

 quality is very good to 

 best in this area. Its 

 season in Tennessee is 

 September. In Ken- 

 tucky it may be kept for 

 the fall trade. In 

 West Virginia, though 

 usually picked before 

 October 1, it may be 

 kept in cold storage till 

 Christmas or later. 

 The merits of this 

 variety are probably sufficient to place it as one of the leading varieties for its 

 season throughout all regions of this area. (Fig. 24.) 

 Kaighn. 



The Kaighn is found in a few commercial orchards of northern West Vir- 

 ginia. The tree is somewhat subject to blight, is very upright in habit of 

 growth, becoming spreading and open after coming into bearing. It is reported 

 as relatively unproductive. The fruit is large, shaped much like the Black 

 Gilliflower, deep red in color, uniform and smooth, and of good dessert quality. 

 Its season in northern West Virginia extends till Christmas. It is not con- 

 sidered a promising variety in this area. 

 King David. 



The King David has been planted in recent years in most parts of this area. 

 Like the Jonathan, it has serious faults and many excellent qualities. Its 

 faults seem at present to be more serious than those of the Jonathan. Chief 

 among them is the poor keeping quality of the fruit as it is commonly handled. 

 Several orchardists have reported that the flesh turns brown at the core and 

 that this browning spreads toward the surface in cold storage. Earlier picking 

 than usual has helped in some cases to overcome this trouble. When kept for 

 any considerable length of time it is inclined to wilt, as a result of too much 

 evaporation of moisture from the skin. As ordinarily kept in common storage 

 it soon loses its crispness, becoming mealy and somewhat dry. In northern 

 Alabama it is subject to a spotting of the skin which hinders its sale in the 

 market. 



The tree is one of the earliest varieties to come into bearing. Orchards 

 were visited where it bore some fruit when 3 or 4 years old and had continued 



Fig. 23. — An Orchard of Jonathan apples at Tennessee 

 Ridge, Tenn., in the Interior Low Plateau region. These 

 trees bore a good crop in 1913 when photographed. They 

 were then 8 years old. 



