FRUITS LN WEST VIRGINIA. KENTUCKY. AND TENNESSEE. 



31 



region or the York Imperial in the Virginia Valley and Ridge region. Figure 

 21 shows an orchard of this variety at the time of blossoming. It is some- 

 what subject to twig and blossom blight, and its foliage is subject to leaf-spot. 



The fruit is usually well colored at maturity in all parts of this area, 

 becoming highly colored at the higher altitudes on poor soils in West Virginia. 

 It is always poor to fair in dessert quality, but is among the best cooking 

 apples when well grown. It is sometimes picked in August in the Gulf Coastal 

 Plains and the Interior Low Plateau regions of Tennessee and Kentucky to be 

 shipped as a cooking apple, in order to prevent the loss of the crop from apple 

 blotch and the black and bitter rots, to which it is very subject. 



Because the Ben Davis tree is especially subject to San Jose scale, to the 

 Illinois or blister canker, and its foliage to leaf-spot, while the fruit is among 

 the most susceptible to the apple-blotch fungus, sooty fungus, and to black 

 and bitter rots, it should not be planted in any region of Tennessee or Ken- 

 tucky. 



In West Virginia it is less subject to the diseases enumerated above, though 

 at the lower altitudes in river valleys it is frequently subject to severe attacks 















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Fig. 21. — Orchard of Ben Davis apples in bloom at Gerrardstown, W. Va.. in the Virginia 



Valley and Ridcre region. 



of apple blotch. In northern West Virginia and at the higher elevations in 

 other parts of that State, orchards sprayed in the usual manner are regular 

 bearers of clean fruit, and it is classed as one of the profitable varieties. How- 

 ever, it is being planted very little in any region of this State at present, as 

 other varieties of better dessert quality are found to be more desirable. 

 Benoni. 



The Benoni is grown slightly in Kentucky and West Virginia. The tree 

 is an upright, dense grower, usually productive, tending to bear in alternate 

 years. The leaves are very subject to cedar rust. The fruit is generally small, 

 for the tree tends to overbear when a crop sets. As a rule the fruit is well 

 colored with bright-red stripes and ripens just after Early Harvest. In the 

 Gulf Coastal Plains region of Tennessee it ripens during the first half of July. 



Commercially it is not considered the equal of other varieties of the same 

 season that are more commonly grown. In various places in Kentucky and 

 West Virginia it bears well, but is reported as undesirable for market because 

 of the small size of the fruit. It is desirable, however, for home use because 

 of its higti dessert quality. 



