The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1904-03-15
Horticultural Notes
By F. WALDEN.

ticulturalists. Sometimes when they
are settled, or seem to be, they will
not stay settled. The Missouri Horti-
cultural Society has been wrestling
with the question whether the Gano
and the Black Ben Davis are two dis
tinct apples. After the mountain Ia
bored the mouse came forth, and 1T
was settled that they are one and the
same apple. But the Arkansas Horti-
cultural Society was not satisfied and
they labored with the question. The
mountain again brought forth mouse,
but on it's sides could be plainly read
''The Gano and the Black Ben Davis
are two distinct apples and the colored
Ben is the better of the two" So
now you have it. If you happen to be
in Arkansas you must say 1.-The Black
Ben Davis and the Gano," but if in
Missouri, "the Black Ben Davis, which
is the Gano." The Arkansas society
seems to have the pest of the argu-
ment for there is where the Black
Ben originated and witnesses were in
troduced to prove that it had dis
tinct origin and should not be con-
founded with the Gano, which hap
pened to first open it's eyes in Mis-
souri,. The same child cannot be born
in two different states, but twins
might be- So at present l stand with
Arkansas and say that they are twins
or first cousins. But why all this dis
cussion? The great nursery firm OF
Stark Bros. is exploiting Black Ben
Davis as a distinct variety, and pre-
sumably are making money out OF it.
We read in the good book how GER
tain city was in an uprOar for about
the space of two hours" because GER
tain silversmiths said that "this Ora'
craft is in danger to be set at nought."
All, there it is; touch mans business
and he will howl. l believe that Stark
Bros. and the Arkansas Horticultural
Society are in the right. But when
the momentous question is settled in
their favor it amounts to fully as much
as the difference between tweedle-dum
and tweedle-dee.
The tendency at the present time is
to try to raise high priced apples. 1t
is thought that only in that way can
money be made at the business. That
by no means follows. I candidly be-
OpiSNNooioi
growers of the. United States we're
properly interviewed it would be found
that they have made their greatest
money from the low priced apples.
Fred Wellhouse, of Kansas, is known
as the apple king Of the world. He
started in the business a poor man
and now is very wealthy. He has
nearly two thousand acres in bearing
apple orchards. To say that he has
made a success of the business goes
without saying. But his apples are
almost exclusively the cheaper vari-
cites. The Ben Davis and Missouri
Pippin are his principal sorts. The
testimony of all well informed apple
growers is that the Ben Davis has been
the great money maker. The chief
reason for this is the fact that it is
such an enormous bearer and also
is a long keeper. Twelve years ago,
when the writer began to plant his
orchards in the Yakima valley, the cry
was heard from all sides: Don't
plant the Ben Davis" But the old, dis
carded CD Ben was planted, and up
to the present time this is my testi-
mony: Acre for acre and tree for
tree the Ben has made me twice as
much money as any other variety