thirty-third bienniar SESSION 
6i 
Other reasons why we have been reducing our acreage of Ben Davis; 
the trees are getting old; they are more or less diseased, and they are 
planted in solid blocks —that is the main trouble. Almost any variety, ani 
especially the Ben Davis, needs to be cross-pollinated with other varieties 
to be a success, especially on the off years, and that is when we need 
winter apples. If we had no Ben Davis on the place I believe we would 
plant some; not as large a proportion as we did years ago, — for we did not 
know any better then. As a matter of fact, we in our section find the early 
varieties of apples more profitable than the late ones. The high-grade 
quality of these bring us quicker money with less spraying. With them we 
get away from the blotch and the bitter rot and those other troubles which 
we have with our late varieties. 
Question: I would like to know if this name Ben Davis is not a western 
name? I live in the Quaker region of Massachusetts, and know that about 
1850 an apple was introduced into our section as Philadelphia Pippin* 
which is exactly identical with Ben Davis; and I am of the opinion that 
it was a Philadelphia Pippin until it got out West where perhaps it was 
renamed Ben Davis. Of course I do not know, I only surmise. Is there any 
evidence to that effect? 
President Goodman: The Ben Davis you know has fifteen or twenty 
synonyms. Pomologists have been trying for a long time to simplify varietal 
names, and Ben Davis is the correct name for that variety now, although 
we have had it brought to the Department here, and at our State experiment 
stations, under very, very different names. Kentucky (!) is the home of the 
Ben Davis. Any other question? 
Mr. Perrine: Of course I do not take this question very seriously 
myself. The Ben Davis name is all right. The only thing, as suggested in 
my paper, is that the prejudice against the Ben Davis is due mostly to the 
fact that they have tried to grow it where it ought not to be grown. 
President Goodman: Out in the Central West you would have about forty 
men on their feet at once defending the Ben Davis. What is the matter 
with you men — you do not like the Ben Davis? 
Question: Would like to ask the gentleman, if the Ben Davis snitts 
you so well and is such a good apple to market, then why not grow &33 l 
you can get of it? In Massachusetts we can grow McIntosh or Baldwin,, 
either one with much better success than Ben Davis, and so we plant them, 
Mr. Perrine: I intimated in my paper that we do not grow enough 
Ben Davis; we cannot get enough of the high-grade quality. If we have 
that quality of Ben Davis, we have no trouble to get big money for them 
every year. 
Question: Did I not understand you to say that if you were setting 
a new orchard you would not set to Ben Davis? 
Mr. Perrine: I would not set it entirely to Ben Davis; I think I zm 
correct in the statement that it is not well to grow simply one variety; 
you need other varieties for cross-pollination. Recent investigations indi- 
cate that we need a grouping of two or three or four varieties for best results. 
President Goodman: Is there any one here who has had experience 
in the cross-pollination or mixing of varieties? 
