36 APPLES AND PEACHES IN THE OZAEK REGION. 



In some instances twig-blight and blossom -blight have been somewhat severe, but, 

 as a rule, these difficulties have not caused serious loss. The fruit, however, appears 

 to be rather susceptible to injury from the curculio, and frequently the loss on account 

 of low-grade fruit caused by curculio stings is considerable, especially in orchards 

 that are not well maintained. 



Certain special adaptations have been noted. In one orchard near Neosho, Mo., 

 there has been some indication that it bears better on "prairie soil" than it does on 

 Clarksville stony loam. It is also claimed that the areas of the more extensive soil 

 types in this region which are most highly impregnated with iron oxid are preferable 

 for it than the soils which are less red in color. South of the. Arkansas River the 

 Grimes is seldom seen, but in the few instances where it has been observed it does 

 not appear to be as well adapted to the conditions as it does farther north, except at 

 the higher points. The fruit does not develop as well, and the texture and flavor 

 seem to deteriorate. Further observation, however, is necessary to verify these im- 

 pressions before unqualified statements relative thereto are warranted. 



The Grimes apple is usually harvested in the Ozark region during the last of August 

 and early in September and placed at once in cold storage either by the buyers or by 

 the growers themselves if they do not sell the fruit before it is picked. 



In future plantings in this region this variety will probably maintain its present 

 position in relative importance. Possibly, as consumers become better acquainted 

 with it and demand a variety of high dessert quality, even if it is not a "red apple, " 

 it may be grown profitably in larger quantities than at present. 

 Hastings Red. 



This is a variety of the Gano type; it closely resembles that variety and would 

 doubtless pass for it commercially. As in the case of several varieties of this type, 

 the Hastings Red appeared as a single tree in a block of apples which were all supposed 

 to be Ben Davis. The orchard in which this tree stoop! was located about half a mile 

 northwest of Gentry, Benton Co., Ark., and belonged to William Hastings. The 

 exact year in which attention was first directed to the tree, on account of the solid 

 pinkish red color of its fruit, is uncertain. Mr. H. Highfill, who propagated it soon 

 after it began bearing, states that it was probably during the years 1870 to 1875. The 

 point of particular interest in connection with this variety appears in Mr. Highfill' s 

 experience in propagating it, as related by him in conversation with one of the writers. 

 When the trees which he first propagated from the original one came into bearing, 

 the fruit of about half of them showed a noticeable tendency to stripe similar to the 

 Ben Davis, while the fruit produced by the others was solid pinkish red like the 

 original. He propagated from some of the trees bearing the solid colored fruit and, 

 so far as observed, these have all produced fruit colored like the parent, with no 

 tendency to stripe when fully colored. 



As is the case with several varieties of the Gano type, the source of the original tree 

 is unknown and must so remain. The stocks on which were grafted the trees composing 

 the orchard in which the original one stood may have been Ben Davis seedlings, and this 

 particular seedling may have been overlooked in grafting; or the scion may have failed 

 to grow while the stock continued to grow; or it may have been a case of bud variation 

 from Ben Davis. On account of the manner in which the Ben Davis characteristics 

 appeared in fruit from some of the trees which were grafted from the original, the 

 last possibility has some support. 



This variety does not at present occupy a prominent place as to commercial impor- 

 tance, though it has been planted in a considerable number of orchards, especially in 

 northwestern Arkansas. As a commercial sort, its value is probably not materially 

 different from Gano, which it closely resembles except in being a somewhat lighter 

 shade of red in color. The claim is sometimes made that it is more juicy and of better 

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