Arkansas Black
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Arkansas Black
Origin / History
Arkansas Black originated in Benton County, Arkansas. Beach, following Stinson, says it bore its first fruit about 1870, and he finds the first description of it in Van Deman, 1886. Beach holds it distinct from the Arkansas or Mammoth Blacktwig. Lowther says it has sometimes been called the Arkansas, but the two are unlike and "should not be identified with each other." The Arkansas belongs to the Winesap family, and though both originated in Arkansas, they are differently colored and of different quality.
A beautiful apple. Beach calls it "one of the most beautiful of apples." Lowther calls it "the most deeply colored, most polished and most beautiful of the apples grown in this country." Hedrick calls it "a beautiful dark red, late-keeping apple of very good quality." Its unproductiveness tells against it for planting. Beach finds the tree unproductive and "not desirable for general planting." Budd and Hansen say it was "considered promising by some, but recently has proven too shy a bearer for profit." Hedrick calls the trees "so unproductive as to make the variety hardly worth planting, even for home use," and says it is profitably grown only in the South and Southwest. Stark Bros. call it "valuable only in favored localities." They recommend planting King David, "far superior," in its stead.
Tree
Tree moderately vigorous; branches long, slender. Form upright spreading, rather open. Wood dark (Budd and Hansen). Twigs short, stout; internodes short. Bark dark reddish-brown, mottled with scarf-skin, pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small to below medium, round. Buds large, broad, acute, appressed, pubescent. Leaves medium in size.
A young bearer (Stark Bros.), but not a heavy one (Lowther). It reaches its perfection in the Pecos Valley of New Mexico, where the Hon. Parker Earle thinks well of it. In the North, East, and central West it scabs badly and is a poor bearer (Stark Bros.). Stark Bros. also report that Mr. Turner, a Wenatchee orchardist whose apple crop had been averaging $2,000 per acre, told Jas. Irvine, editor of "The Fruit-Grower," and Mr. W. P. Stark that the Arkansas Black was the only "loafer" in his orchard.
Fruit
Size: Rather below medium to rather large, most authors giving medium; pretty uniform in size and shape. Beach found it medium or below, rarely large, as grown where he observed it. Lowther gives medium or rather below medium in the Middle or Eastern States but medium or above medium in the Pacific Northwest, and Stark Bros. alone call it rather large.
Form: Round or nearly round, regular, sometimes slightly conical (Thomas, Stark Bros.). Lowther calls it slightly elongated.
Stem: Medium.
Cavity: Acute, small to medium, regular, shallow or not deep, sometimes lipped, russeted or partly russeted.
Calyx: Small or rather small, closed. Calyx tube conical, approaching funnel-form; stamens marginal (Beach).
Basin: Shallow to very shallow; obtuse, slightly furrowed, faintly corrugated (Beach).
Skin: Smooth, glossy, somewhat waxy, highly polished. Ground yellow, generally covered with lively red or deep crimson, deepening on the exposed side to purplish-red or almost black. Budd and Hansen describe the surface as solid dark red to black, and Stark Bros. as dark red, almost black. Prevailing effect bright very dark red (Beach).
Dots: Small, light-colored, inconspicuous.
Flesh and flavor: Flesh yellow to very yellow, decidedly tinged with yellow; firm to very firm, solid, crisp. Fine-grained or rather fine-grained, though Stark Bros. call it "rather coarse." Juicy to moderately juicy. Flavor subacid, sprightly (Beach), rich (Thomas).
Quality "very good" (Thomas; Budd and Hansen; Hedrick, "of very good quality"); Beach gives "good to very good." Lowther differs, saying "it is not a good apple for dessert purposes," but allows this "may be a little overstated, inasmuch as the apple is so late in maturing that it is seldom offered for sale in its proper season."
Core and seeds: Core medium to small, abaxile, closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels concave, roundish, emarginate. Seeds plump, rather short, obtuse, moderately dark brown (Beach).
Season
A good keeper, late-keeping. The recorded season runs from December into May. Most authors give winter or late winter, Beach specifying December to April or later. Beach adds that in cold storage it keeps well through the storage season. Lowther, quoting the season as "December to April," finds it "never fit for use until April" and gives its proper season as April to May.
Uses
A market and exhibition apple. It commands a good price in market (Beach). Lowther says it sells for good prices and looks well on exhibition. He calls it desirable on account of its dark red color, solid flesh, and superior keeping and shipping qualities.
Subtypes / Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Beach's references include Van Deman (U. S. Agr. Rpt., 1885, with colored plate and figure) and Bailey (An. Hort., 1892). They also include Stinson (Ark. Sta. Bul. 43, 1896; 49, 1898; 60, 1899), Kan. Sta. Bul. 106 (1902), Budd-Hansen (1903), Powell and Fulton (U. S. B. P. I. Bul. 48, 1903), and Thomas (1897 and 1903). Thomas illustrates the variety (Fig. 477). Lowther's entry carries a photograph by Maxted. The Stark Bros. entry is marked "CS."
Book Sources
Described in 5 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 46 catalogs (1890–1936) from Arkansas, California, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington
- William H. Moon Co. , Morrisville, Bucks County , Pennsylvania — 1890
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- Rogers Nursery Co. , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1893
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- The Salem Nursery (John A. Francis , Proprietor), Salem , Virginia — 1897
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- Reading Nursery , Jacob W. Manning, Proprietor, Reading , Massachusetts — 1898
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1899
- Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Brown Brothers Co. , Continental Nurseries, Rochester, NY (also operated from Toronto, Canada) — 1901
- Mountain Grove Nurseries (Tippin & Moore , Proprietors; Geo. T. Tippin, J. W. Tippin, J. C. Moore), Mountain Grove , Missouri — 1901
- Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
- Pacific Nursery Company (W. O. Hudson & A. D. Hudson) , Tangent , Oregon — 1903
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Russellville, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1903
- Phoenix Nursery Company (W. E. Rossney , President; Sidney Tuttle, Vice-President), Bloomington , Illinois — 1904
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1906
- J.B. Pilkington , Portland , Oregon — 1907
- Russellville Nursery Co. , Montavilla Station, Portland, OR (three miles east of Portland, one mile from Montavilla car line) — 1907
- Carlton Nursery Co. , Carlton , Oregon — 1909
- Milton Nursery Co. (A. Miller & Sons , Proprietors), Milton , Oregon — 1909
- Wm. J. Corse (successor to Robert Sinclair / Sinclair Nurseries) , Baltimore , Maryland — 1909
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- Hood River Valley Nursery Co. , Hood River , Oregon — 1910
- Island Nurseries & Fruit Farm , Vashon (Vashon Island) , Washington — 1910
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1910
- Galbraith Nursery Co. (DeWitt Hansen , Pres.-Mgr.), Fairbury , Nebraska — 1911
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1911
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- J. B. Pilkington , Nurseryman, Portland, OR (nurseries near Newberg, forty miles from Portland) — 1913
- Ornamental & Fruit Nursery Company , Wapato, County of Yakima , Washington — 1915
- Union Nurseries , J.B. Weaver & Sons, Union , Oregon — 1915
- Holsinger Bros. Nurseries (Holsinger Brothers Nursery) , Rosedale , Kansas — 1916
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1918
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
- Fresno Nursery Co. , Fresno , California — 1924
- Columbia & Okanogan Nursery Co. , Wenatchee , Washington — 1925
- Hudson's Wholesale Nurseries , Tangent , Oregon — 1936
- North-Western Nurseries , Walla Walla , Washington
View original book sources (6)
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Arkansas Black. Medium, slightly conical, regular, smooth, glossy; yellow, generally covered with deep crimson, small light-colored dots; basin shallow; eye small, closed; cavity shallow, russeted; stem medium; flesh very yellow, fine-grained, firm, juicy, sub-acid, rich, very good. Late winter. Arkansas. Fig. 477.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)ARKANSAS BLACK.
References. 1. Van Deman, U. S. Agr. Rpt., 1885:268. col. pl. & fig. 2. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:234. 3. Stinson, Ark. Sta. Bul., 43:103. 1896. 4. Ib. Bul., 49:7. 1898. 5. Ib. Bul., 60:126. 1899. 6. Kan. Sta. Bul., 106:51. 1902. 7. Budd-Hansen, 1903:40. 8. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:36. 1903. 9. Thomas, 1897:272. fig. Ib., 1903:322, 690, 708.
Synonyms. Arkansas Black Twig (9). Mammoth Black Twig (9) but erroneously.
The Arkansas Black is one of the most beautiful of apples. It is a good keeper and commands a good price in market. The color is a lively red deepening on the exposed side to purplish-red or nearly black. The tree is unproductive and not desirable for general planting.
Arkansas Black is distinct from the Arkansas or Mammoth Blacktwig.
Historical. According to Stinson (4) the Arkansas Black originated in Benton county, Arkansas, and bore its first fruit about 1870. The first description of it which I find, is that given by Van Deman (1) in 1886.
Tree.
Tree moderately vigorous; branches long, slender. Form upright spreading, rather open. Twigs short, stout; internodes short. Bark dark reddish-brown, mottled with scarf-skin, pubescent. Lenticels scattering, small to below medium, round. Buds large, broad, acute, appressed, pubescent. Leaves medium in size.
Fruit.
Fruit as grown here is medium or below, rarely large, pretty uniform in size and shape. Form nearly round. Stem medium. Cavity acute, rather small, sometimes lipped, not deep, partly russeted. Calyx rather small, closed. Basin obtuse, very shallow, slightly furrowed, faintly corrugated.
Skin smooth, somewhat waxy; yellow covered with a lively red deepening to purplish-red or almost black on the exposed side. Dots small, inconspicuous. Prevailing effect bright very dark red.
Calyx tube conical, approaching funnel-form. Stamens marginal.
Core medium to small, abaxile, closed or partly open; core lines clasping. Carpels concave, roundish, emarginate. Seeds plump, rather short, obtuse, moderately dark brown.
Flesh decidedly tinged with yellow, very firm, rather fine-grained, crisp, moderately juicy, sprightly subacid, good to very good.
Season December to April or later. In cold storage (7) it keeps well through the storage season.
— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)Arkansas Black.—Origin, Benton County, Arkansas. Considered promising by some, but recently has proven too shy a bearer for profit. Tree of upright growth, wood dark.
Fruit medium, round; surface smooth, solid dark red to black; cavity regular, small to medium; basin shallow; flesh yellow, fine-grained, juicy; quality very good. Season, winter.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)Arkansas Black
The Arkansas Black has sometimes been called the Arkansas, but the two varieties are unlike, and should not be identified with each other. The Arkansas belongs to the Winesap family. Both originated
Arkansas Black. Photo by Maxted.
in Arkansas, but they are differently colored and of different quality. The Arkansas Black is the most deeply colored, most polished and most beautiful of the apples grown in this country. On account of its dark red color, its solid flesh and superior keeping and shipping qualities, it is desirable. It looks well on exhibition, and sells for good prices; yet it is not a good apple for dessert purposes nor is it a heavy bearer.
It originated in Benton county, Arkansas, about 1870; the first description is given by Van Deman in 1886.
Tree moderately vigorous; branches long, slender. Form upright, spreading, rather open. Twigs short, stout; internodes short. Bark dark reddish brown, mottled with scarf skin, pubescent. Fruit as grown in the Middle or Eastern states medium or rather below medium; but as grown in the Pacific Northwest, it is medium or above medium. Form nearly round, slightly elongated. Calyx tube conical, approaching funnel form. Stamens marginal.
Flesh decidedly tinged with yellow, very firm, rather fine grained, crisp, moderately juicy, sprightly subacid, and by some considered good to very good. In this particular we would differ somewhat from these statements. We have already said 'it is not a good apple for dessert purposes.' Perhaps this may be a little overstated, inasmuch as the apple is so late in maturing that it is seldom offered for sale in its proper season. Its season is said to be "December to April," but our observation is that it is never fit for use until April, and that its proper season is April to May.
— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)ARKANSAS BLACK. Arkansas Black Twig. Arkansas Black is a beautiful dark red, late-keeping apple of very good quality. Unfortunately, the trees are so unproductive as to make the variety hardly worth planting, even for home use. It is profitably grown only in the South and Southwest. The variety originated in Benton County, Arkansas, about 1870. Tree vigorous, upright-spreading, open; branches long, slender. Fruit medium or rarely large, uniform in size and shape, nearly round; cavity acute, small, sometimes lipped, partly russeted; calyx small, closed; basin obtuse, shallow, slightly furrowed, faintly corrugated; skin smooth, waxy, yellow covered with a lively red deepening to almost black on the exposed side; dots small, inconspicuous; calyx-tube conical; stamens marginal; core small, abaxile, closed or partly open; core-lines clasping; carpels concave, roundish, emarginate; seeds plump, short, obtuse, dark brown; flesh yellow, firm, fine-grained, crisp, juicy, sprightly subacid; good to very good; December to April or later.
— Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co., Stark Bros. Year Book (1910) (1910)Dark red—almost black, rather large, round (or slightly conical); sub-acid, rather coarse but a good keeper. Tree a young bearer—valuable only in favored localities—reaching its perfection in the Pecos Valley of New Mexico, where the Hon. Parker Earle thinks well of it. In the North, East and central West it scabs badly and is a poor bearer; King David is far superior, and we recommend that it be planted in its stead. Mr. Turner, a Wenatchee orchardist, whose apple crop has been averaging $2,000 per acre, stated to Jas. Irvine, Editor of "The Fruit-Grower," and our Mr. W. P. Stark, that the Arkansas Black was the only "loafer" in his orchard. CS