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.

— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)

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.

— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)

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.

— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)

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.

— J.L. Budd & N.E. Hansen, American Horticultural Manual, Part II: Systematic Pomology (1914)

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.

— U.P. Hedrick, Cyclopedia of Hardy Fruits (1922)

Arkansas Black is recorded under two entries. The first was contributed by Fred Sturn, Yakima, Washington, with station accession number AP-H-207, and is held at the Agricultural Research Service, Irrigation Experiment Station, Prosser, Washington (WaP). The second entry originated from Benton Co., Ark. 1945, and is held at the Agricultural Experiment Station, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon (OrC).

— H.H. Fisher (USDA ARS), A Survey of Apple Clones in the United States (1963)