FRUITS IN WEST VIRGINIA, KENTUCKY, AND TENNESSEE. 33 



and it keeps fairly well. It deserves to be tested further by fruit growers 

 of West Virginia. Where seen it ranked close to Grimes Golden in desirable 

 qualities. In Ohio the tree is reported as late in coming into bearing arid that 

 the fruit is easily bruised. 

 Champlain. . 



The Champlain apple has proved to be a profitable variety in Hardin County, 

 Ky.. where it ripens about July 10 to 15, soon after the Yellow Transparent. 



The tree is large, upright, and productive. The fruit is medium to large 

 in size and a beautiful yellow in color. The flesh is tender, juicy, and very 

 good in dessert quality. Its season is early to mid-July; it has been one of 

 the most regular bearers ' and one of the most desirable of its season in 

 Hardin County, Ky. Although it is easily bruised and must be handled with 

 extra care, it is worthy of testing in the Interior Low Plateau region of 

 Kentucky. 

 Chenango. 



The Chenango variety is grown to some extent throughout all the regions in 

 this area. 



The tree bears well. The fruit is medium sized, oblong conic in shape, and 

 colored with very attractive red stripes. The flesh is tender and juicy and 

 good to very good in dessert quality. Its season is early summer. The fruit 

 is too tender to make it a desirable commercial variety and it ripens through 

 a long season. It is, however, one of the best of its season for home use. 

 Chicago. 



The Chicago apple is grown to some extent in all parts of the area. 



The tree is a very open, spreading grower. In West Virginia on poor soils 

 it has so far proved unproductive, though the trees have been healthy, and 

 the fruit produced is attractive in color, as high in dessert quality as the 

 Delicious, and superior to that variety in keeping qualities. In the East Ten- 

 nessee Valley region on rich soil it was observed to be bearing well. The 

 fruit is medium to large in size, oblate, and usually entirely covered with 

 a dark attractive red. The flesh is firm, juicy, and almost sweet in flavor. 

 Its season in the East Tennessee Valley region is late fall and in the Virginia 

 Valley and Ridge "region of West Virginia, October to March. It deserves to be 

 tested further because of its high dessert quality and attractive color. 

 Claibourne. Synonyms: Benham, Broicn, Nat Ewing. 



The Claibourne variety was found on the Lock farm in an Indian village in 

 Lee County, Va., and has been distributed to some extent in the surrounding 

 country (70). 



In a letter dated November 25, 1915, T. G. Fulkerson, of Claiborne County, 

 Tenn.. says: " I first heard the name Benham 15 or 18 years back and suppose 

 the Benhams that live 20 or 25 miles east, in Lee County, got the apples in some 

 way and the nurseryman Hale got the grafts and named it." 



The tree is upright, resembling that of the Horse. The fruit is large, of a 

 clear yellow, sometimes with a bronzing on the side, subacid, fine-grained, and 

 very good in quality. In the northern part of the East Tennessee Valley region 

 apples in good condition were picked from a tree of this variety on August 

 19 and other specimens were still green, while the first apples were reported to 

 have ripened about June 25. 



It is a desirable variety for home orchards in that region because of its 

 long ripening season and its good dessert quality. 

 Coffman. 



The Coffman variety, which originated at Curve, Tenn., on the place of 

 W. L. Coffman (63, 1909, p. 377), is grown to a slight extent in the Gulf 

 Coastal Plains region. The farm on which the variety originated was bought 

 by' Mr. Coffman in 1883 from the widow of a Mr. Keltner. At that time there 

 were six or eight old apple trees growing on the site where an orchard of 

 about 2 acres formerly stood. In it grew three or four trees of the 

 Coffman apple, only one tree of which was living at the time Mr. Coffman 

 purchased the place. This one tree was partially decayed at that time and died 

 about 1900. There are at present no trees of this variety in the vicinity. Mr. 

 Coffman's son states that the apples ripened through a period of seven weeks, 

 a habit somewhat characteristic of the Red June, of which it is supposed to 

 be a seedling. 



In an article in the Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture for 1909 

 the tree is described as a vigorous and upright grower and regularly pro- 



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