The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-01-06
The Ben Davis Apple.

The tree is a good one, bears early,
annually and prolifically. The apple
is beautiful in shape, size and color.
1t is pre-eminently a good shipper and
lopg-keeper. For culinary purposes it
has no superior in the appearance,
palataoleness or utility of the finished
product. Cooked or uucooked it is, in
its season, agreeable and healthful. In
qualities of solid merit for al purposes
to which mankind applies it, except for
cider and the hypercritical taste at
dessert, it is superior to all other apples.
This renders it the favorite in CON-
MERGE and gives it the worlds verdict.
A few hundred people have for many
years debated its quality as a mere
leans and perhaps all apple using peo-
Pile elsewhere, either not knowing of
the discussion or caring nothing about
it, buy and use this apple when they
can get it.
The Ben Davis apple, like Grants
generalship, is often criticised, but al
ways triumphant. 1t is development
that meets a need as nothing else of its
kind has done. 1t has pleased the
worlds eye. 1t has convinced the
worlds judgment. 1t is beautiful, use
full, enduring. Its deficiencies cannot
contend against its merits. 1t is not TO
be judged by the palate alone. 1t suf.
fers il quality only in comparison with
very few other varieties inferior to it
in all other respects. Applying 10 it
the test of quality alone comparatively
few men-experts of overturned taste
have pronounced against it. But it sells
for the highest price in the spring. The
worlds judgment is against them. But,
they say, this is when all other apples
have persisted This statement, true
only to the extent that this apple out.
lasts all others, brings into prominence
one of its chief merits, namely, its fit
ness TO survive its rivals. A thing that
entirely succeeds is unassailable by fact
or logic. Pc sens engaged in special
ties become mentally overturned and
representative on their subjects, Be-
cause the Ben Davis is not the equal in
quality of half dozen varieties of
transcendent excellence in that res
pect, but otherwise deficient, a few
hundred men of acutely critical judg-
ment have rejected it.
Nature is bounteous in her super
eminent productions. Being over
exquisite they come in diminished
quantities and soon perish. The toll
ing millions waste No time in vain re-
grets over them, but cheerfully accept
natures Offering. It's only among the
select four hundred--mainly members
of horticultural societies and over
educated-that we hear Lamentations
over the depravity of the Ben Davis !;
and these haste n to buy it before it is
all taken in the second quarter of the
year. When it comes to the tug of war
the intellect is no match for the appe-
tite.
The Ben Davis will not down. 1t is
an established, accomplished fact. 1t
is intrenched in the good will and
sound judgment Of the practical mil
lions Late in the season the epicure
ceases his fight and Graves it, and the
mi lionaire finds it delight 1t is a
commoner and king. 1t viii never
surrender to criticism or denunciation.
When it falls it will fall before a rival
which nature shall produce, strong
where it is both strong and deficient.
Such rival has not yet Appeared
New England Homestead.