VARIETIES OF APPLES. 31 



the fruit being small and very susceptible to the scab fungus, and the tree, though 

 fairly vigorous, is unproductive. As these same characteristics have been observed to 

 a greater or less extent in some other sections of the country, it is apparent that this 

 variety should be planted only sparingly until its value has been demonstrated. In 

 some sections of the country, however, it has become of considerable commercial 

 importance. 

 Baldwin. 



Though one of the most important winter sorts in the North, the Baldwin apple is 

 relatively unimportant in these regions. It is widely distributed throughout them in 

 the older orchards, but especially in the Virginia portions. The tree is rather irregular 

 in bearing in most of these orchards and the fruit frequently drops badly, particularly 

 at the lower elevations. In the mountain orchards, fruit of exceptionally fine ap- 

 pearance for the variety is often produced . Its behavior in typical Piedmont and Blue 

 Ridge locations is indicated as follows: 



On Porters black loam at elevations of 1.500 to 2.500 feet, probably also on Porters 

 sandy loam at similar elevations, fruit of high quality for the variety and of excellent 

 appearance, which may be expected to keep until the holidays under favorable 

 conditions is produced. Good fruit is produced on Porters clay at 1.500 feet elevation , 

 but it does not have the keeping qualities of that from higher altitudes. In other 

 sections, particularly in Bedford County. Va.. it is growing to some extent on other 

 types of soil, such as Cecil clay. Cecil sandy loam, and Murrill clay loam, with an 

 elevation of 1.000 feet or less. Under these conditions it matures as early as September 

 and frequently rots and drops before it is ripe. The fruit from such locations is inferior 

 in flavor and appearance in comparison with that from mountain orchards. These 

 characteristics appear in some degree in all the Piedmont soils and elevations from 

 Virginia to Georgia, but a few growers who have the Baldwin apple in mountain or- 

 chards, particularly those in the northern portion of the Blue Ridge region, find it 

 fairly satisfactory for local markets. There are other varieties, however, which are 

 more reliable and better adapted to these conditions. 

 Ben Davis. 



There are few varieties of fruit as widely distributed in as many sections of the 

 country as the Ben Davis apple is. and in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge regions it is 

 one of the comparatively small number of varieties which has attained a recognized 

 commercial importance. The tree has no conspicuous faults; it begins to bear moder- 

 ately early, usually producing considerably by the time it reaches 6 or 7 years of age ; 

 the crops are produced mainly in alternate years. The fruit when well grown is very 

 attractive in appearance and is valuable for its keeping and shipping qualities, but 

 is notoriously poor in dessert quality. 



In general, it may be said that this variety is well adapted to the conditions in these 

 regions, aside from those at the highest elevations, though there are some apparent 

 exceptions to this, which are probably due to local influences. In the Georgia and 

 South Carolina portions of the Piedmont region and extending to an elevation of 

 perhaps 1.400 or 1.500 feet some excellent results have been obtained with it where the 

 trees have been given moderately high culture and thoroughly sprayed. Fruit grown 

 under these conditions, however, should be marketed by the holidays, as it may be 

 expected to deteriorate rapidly if held later than this. Grown under conditions of 

 neglect in the southern Piedmont, the fruit is likely to drop prematurely and often 

 fails to color properly even when it remains on the trees until a comparatively late date. 

 On the other hand, it is of interest to note that where it is grown in Xorth Carolina at 

 elevations exceeding about 3,000 feet the fruit develops characteristics similar to those 

 which appear when it is grown in northern latitudes, the characteristics being quite 

 different from those developed in sections to which the variety is well adapted. The 

 elevations at which these characteristics become apparent naturally depends largely 

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