Ben Davis
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Origin & History
The origin of Ben Davis is not definitely known. It has been variously credited to Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia, and is supposed to have originated about the beginning of the nineteenth century. This view is supported by the fact that before the Civil War it had spread throughout the states of Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and following the routes of migration had been carried into Southern Indiana, Illinois, and pretty generally disseminated throughout Missouri and Arkansas. Downing reports that J. S. Downer of Kentucky wrote that old trees were found there from which suckers were taken by way of propagating. Warder (1867) notes that the apple was long cultivated by Yerry Aldrich in Bureau County, Illinois, and exhibited as New York Pippin, which name suggested an eastern origin, but that in other localities its relations pointed clearly to a Southern source. To J. S. Downer, Warder credits both the present name and confirmation of its identity under its several synonyms. Warder referred to it as a comparatively new sort in Ohio and the Northwest but common in the South and Southwest; during the last quarter of the nineteenth century it was disseminated extensively through all the apple-growing portions of the United States.
Ben Davis reigns over a much greater extent of country than the Baldwin. It is unquestionably the leading commercial sort and the most popular apple grown south of the Baldwin region. Generally speaking, it is the most important variety known in the apple districts of the vast territory stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific between parallels 32 and 42. It is preeminently successful in the Virginias, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and portions of adjoining states. In the more elevated and more northern portions of New York it is not usually regarded with favor, but in Southeastern New York the planting of it for commercial purposes extended until it ranked in importance next to Baldwin and Rhode Island Greening. Thomas (1903) called it "the leading commercial variety of America to-day." Its great popularity rests largely on its good keeping and shipping qualities, the vigor of the tree, and its regular heavy bearing. Warder notes that the fruit is modified somewhat by a cooler climate and will keep later than that grown in the South. Beach concurs, noting that as fruited in New York it ripens later and keeps later than when grown farther south.
Tree
Tree medium in size, rather rank-growing, especially when young, forming coarse strong wood which seldom breaks under heavy crops. Branches strong, with numerous rather short laterals and spurs, often inclined to bend or droop. Form upright becoming roundish, and in old trees rather spreading. Downing describes it as forming an erect round head. The tree is very hardy, healthy, and vigorous. Warder (1867) calls it "remarkably healthy and vigorous, an upright, rapid grower in the nursery," and notes that in the orchard the limbs are set very strongly, with the stems marked by little mammillar projections or knobs that are very characteristic.
Twigs long or very long, straight or slightly curved, moderately stout; internodes long. Bark bright, rather dark brownish-red, continuously mottled with fine, thin scarf-skin, pubescent. Downing describes the young wood as very dark reddish brown, slightly grayish. Warder describes the shoots as long, reddish brown, and smooth. Lenticels scattering, round, sometimes oblong, raised, of a clear straw color, moderately conspicuous. Buds medium to large or broad, obtuse, appressed, sunken in the bark, very sparingly pubescent. Leaves large, long, rather broad. Warder describes the foliage as large and dark green.
The top is rather dense, and in pruning, particularly in the case of young trees, especial care should be taken to keep it open and spreading so as to give the best possible opportunity for the fruit to color well. The tree comes into bearing at an early age and usually bears annually and abundantly. Often it makes a good growth even while bearing good crops. Elliott (1865) calls it a "constant and abundant bearer." Beach notes it does not appear to be as long-lived as Baldwin. Its habit of blossoming late in the spring is an advantage in some regions because the weather is then more apt to be favorable during the pollinating period, and the result is that Ben Davis in such cases often bears good crops when with other varieties there is more or less of a crop failure. Downing likewise notes this habit of blooming late in spring after late frosts.
Fruit
Size. Usually above medium to large. In the Ben Davis belt the fruit becomes large and handsomely colored, but in many portions of New York state it does not range much above medium in size and color.
Form. Roundish, varying from somewhat conic to somewhat oblong, broad, rounded at the base, often somewhat elliptical or slightly irregular, sides sometimes unequal; pretty uniform in shape and size. Warder describes it as variable in form, round, often apparently oblong, tapering to the eye, truncated, regular, sometimes inclined, "generally very true, as though turned in a lathe." Downing calls it roundish, truncated conical, often with sides unequal. Thomas describes it as roundish-ovate, slightly oblique, regular, smooth.
Stem. Medium to long, rather slender. Elliott alone describes the stem as short.
Cavity. Acute, moderately deep to deep, of medium width, nearly symmetrical, often partly russeted or with outspreading rays of thin greenish russet. Warder describes it as deep, acute, wavy, brown. Downing calls it narrow, deep, russeted. Elliott describes it as narrow, deep, and uneven.
Calyx. Medium, closed or sometimes partly open; lobes rather short, of medium width, acute. Warder describes the eye as large and open, with segments reflexed. Downing says partially open. Elliott says closed.
Basin. Abrupt, medium in width and depth, varying to shallow and narrow and rather obtuse, sometimes furrowed, usually oblique. Warder describes it as generally shallow, in large developed specimens deep, abrupt, always regular. Downing calls it wide, abrupt, slightly corrugated. Thomas says deep and wrinkled. Elliott describes it as angular.
Skin. Tough, waxy, bright, smooth, usually glossy, clear yellow or greenish, mottled and washed with bright red, striped and splashed with bright dark carmine. Dots inconspicuous, small, scattering, light, whitish or brown. Prevailing effect bright deep red or red striped. Warder describes the surface as smooth, often polished, yellow covered with mixed red, splashed bright red, with dots minute and scattered. Downing says yellowish, almost entirely overspread, splashed, and striped with two shades of red, and dotted sparsely with areola dots. The fruit is thick-skinned and does not show bruises easily, presenting a good appearance in the package after being handled and shipped in the ordinary way.
Calyx Tube. Varies from short and cone-shaped to rather wide and funnelform with rather long cylinder and frequently with fleshy projection of pistil point into its base. Stamens median to marginal (Beach).
Flesh & Flavor. Whitish, slightly tinged with yellow, firm, moderately coarse, not very crisp, somewhat aromatic, juicy, mildly subacid. Beach rates it good. Warder describes the flesh as whitish, breaking, tender, juicy, with flavor sub-acid, not rich, and quality "only good." Downing says white, tender, moderately juicy, pleasant, subacid, and rates it good to very good. Thomas calls it whitish, tender, with "a mild, good, but not rich, sub-acid flavor." Elliott describes it as white, sometimes tinged with red, mild sub-acid, pleasant flavor. In quality it is not first-rate, but when grown in the South or Southwest at its best it is but of second-rate quality, and in most portions of New York state the seasons are usually too short to mature the variety properly.
Core & Seeds. Core medium, axile, closed or partly open; core lines clasping when the tube is funnel-form, meeting or slightly clasping when it is cone-shaped. Warder describes the core as medium, regular, clasping the eye. Downing says medium to large. Carpels rather flat, roundish or inclined to obovate, very emarginate, mucronate. Seeds large, long, irregular, rather wide, plump, acute, dark brown.
Season
December to June, varying by region and storage method. Warder gives December and January and longer. Downing gives December to March. Beach and Lowther give January to June. Beach notes it often keeps in ordinary storage till May, and in cold storage till June or often till July. In the South the period when it is at its best is comparatively short. Elliott says winter and spring.
Uses
Primarily a market and shipping apple, valued for its keeping and carrying qualities rather than eating quality. Warder lists it for market and kitchen use. Some find it acceptable for home use after the Baldwin season has closed, but it is generally regarded in New York as not good enough in quality for home use. Nurserymen favor it because of its free-growing habit and the ease and rapidity with which trees of marketable size can be grown. Thomas calls it "one of the most profitable winter apples for market" in the West.
Subtypes & Variants
Beach (1905) notes that some assert it is possible to recognize as many as four distinct types or strains of Ben Davis, though so far as was then known none of these types was being kept separate under propagation. Ben Davis shows great variations in fruit in different parts of the country, in some cases so much so that those unfamiliar with it would not recognize fruit of it from different regions as being of the same variety. Various seedlings of Ben Davis introduced into cultivation show more or less resemblance to the parent and to each other. In the case of Gano and Black Ben Davis a notable controversy arose among nurserymen and fruit growers as to whether these are distinct varieties or identical; Beach states that Gano resembles its parent Ben Davis very closely in the nursery but is unmistakably distinct from it in fruit, and seems better adapted to New York conditions than Ben Davis. Rutledge, Arkansas Belle, Etris, and Eicke also belong in the Ben Davis group.
Book Sources
Described in 6 period pomological works
Nursery Catalog Sources
Found in 53 catalogs (1881–1925) from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Virginia, Washington
- Hutchison Nursery , James Hutchison, Oakland , California — 1881
- Felix Gillet , Barren Hill Nursery, Nevada City , California — 1884
- Huntsville Wholesale Nurseries (Jessie S. Moss , Proprietor; W.F. Heikes, Manager), Huntsville , Alabama — 1886
- Palouse Nursery and Pleasant Dale Fruit Farm , Colfax, Washington Territory (situated two miles northeast of Colfax) - undated (single-page broadside flyer; "Washington Territory" suggests pre — 1889
- California Nursery Co. , Niles , California — 1889
- Missouri Nursery Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1891
- Puyallup & Yakima Nurseries , Puyallup, Washington (Lock Box 191) and North Yakima , Washington — 1892
- Milwaukie-Canby Nurseries , Canby, OR (and Milwaukie, OR) — 1893
- Oregon Wholesale Nurseries , Salem , Oregon — 1893
- Sherwood Hall Nursery Co. , Timothy Hopkins (Menlo Park Nurseries), San Francisco / Menlo Park , California — 1893
- Green's Nursery Co. (Charles A. Green) , Rochester , New York — 1894
- Multnomah Nurseries , Russellville , Oregon — 1894
- Woodburn Nurseries , Woodburn, Marion Co. , Oregon — 1894
- The Vineland Nurseries (Kelsey & Co. , Proprietors), St. Joseph, Missouri (Office: 13th and Atchison Sts., 2 Blocks East of the Citizens St. Car Line) — 1894
- The Lovett Company , Little Silver , New Jersey — 1896
- The Salem Nursery (John A. Francis , Proprietor), Salem , Virginia — 1897
- Arthur J. Collins & Sons , Moorestown , New Jersey — 1898
- Stark Bros. Nurseries & Orchards Co. , Louisiana , Missouri — 1898
- J.V. Cotta (Cotta Nursery) , Carroll County , Illinois — 1898
- Alabama Nursery Co. , Huntsville , Alabama — 1900
- The Dalles Nurseries , The Dalles , Oregon — 1901
- Washington Nursery Co. , Toppenish , Washington — 1901
- S.L. Watkins , Grizzly Flats, El Dorado County , California — 1901
- Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
- Yarbrough Bros. , Stephens , Arkansas — 1901
- Mountain Grove Nurseries (Tippin & Moore , Proprietors; Geo. T. Tippin, J. W. Tippin, J. C. Moore), Mountain Grove , Missouri — 1901
- Forestville Nurseries , T.J. True, Forestville , California — 1902
- 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
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1909
- C.F. Lansing , Salem , Oregon — 1910
- Ballygreen Nurseries , Hanford , Washington — 1912
- Vineland Nurseries Company , Clarkston , Washington — 1912
- Pacific Nursery Company , Portland , Oregon — 1912
- Washington Nursery Company , Toppenish , Washington — 1912
- Samuel Fraser , Geneseo , New York — 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
- Manalapan Nurseries , Englishtown , New Jersey — 1916
- Fancher Creek Nurseries , George C. Roeding, Fresno , California — 1918
- Oregon Nursery Co. , Orenco , Oregon — 1920
- Christopher Nurseries / John Stewart & Sons , Christopher , Washington — 1920
- Benedict Nursery Co. , Portland , Oregon — 1921
- Fresno Nursery Co. , Fresno , California — 1924
- Columbia & Okanogan Nursery Co. , Wenatchee , Washington — 1925
- North-Western Nurseries , Walla Walla , Washington
View original book sources (6)
— John A. Warder, American Pomology: Apples (1867)BEN DAVIS. CLASS III.—ROUND APPLES. NEW YORK PIPPIN, &c.
This handsome Southern apple has attained a wonderful notoriety within a few years, and its culture has been greatly extended, not on account of its superlative excellence, but because of its many good qualities as an orchard tree or market fruit. It was long cultivated by Yerry Aldrich, in Bureau County, Illinois, and exhibited as New York Pippin, which name gave an idea of its eastern origin, but in other localities its relations point clearly to its source in the South. To Mr. J. S. Downer we are indebted for a knowledge of its present name, and for confirmation of its identity under its several synonyms.
This apple may be said to have succeeded as well in the northern parts of Indiana and Illinois as in their southern borders, where it has long been planted; though the northern orchards are still young, they are very promising. The fruit is modified somewhat by a cooler climate, and will keep later than that grown in the South.
Tree remarkably healthy and vigorous, an upright, rapid grower in the nursery, and has numerous short spur-branches along the stem. In the orchard the limbs are set very strongly, and the stems are marked by little mammillar projections or knobs, that are very characteristic.
Tree large, spreading, productive, bears early; Shoots long, reddish brown, smooth; Foliage large, dark green.
Fruit large, variable in form, round, often apparently oblong, tapering to the eye, truncated, regular, sometimes inclined, generally very true, as though turned in a lathe; Surface smooth, often polished, yellow covered with mixed red, splashed bright red; Dots minute, scattered.
Basin generally shallow, in large developed specimens deep, abrupt, always regular; Eye large, open; Segments reflexed.
Cavity deep, acute, wavy, brown; Stem medium to long.
Core medium, regular, clasping the eye; Seeds large, plump; Flesh whitish, breaking, tender, juicy; Flavor sub-acid, not rich; Quality only good; Use, market, kitchen; Season, December, January and longer.
— A.J. Downing, The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America (1900)Ben Davis.
New York Pippin. Baltimore Red. Victoria Pippin. do. Pippin. Victoria Red. do. Red Streak. Red Pippin. Carolina Red Streak. Kentucky Pippin. Funkhouser.
The origin of this apple is unknown. J. S. Downer of Kentucky writes that old trees are there found from which suckers are taken in way of propagating. The tree is very hardy, a free grower, with very dark reddish brown, slightly grayish young wood, forming an erect round head, bearing early and abundantly. In quality it is not first-rate, but from its early productiveness, habit of blooming late in Spring after late frosts, good size, fair even fruit, keeping and carrying well, it is very popular in all the Southwest and West.
Fruit medium to large. Form roundish, truncated conical, often sides unequal. Color yellowish, almost entirely overspread, splashed, and striped with two shades of red, and dotted sparsely with areola dots; Stalk medium, rather slender. Cavity narrow, deep, russeted. Calyx partially open. Basin wide, abrupt, slightly corrugated. Flesh white, tender, moderately juicy, pleasant, subacid. Core medium to large. Good to very good. December to March.
— S.A. Beach, The Apples of New York, Vol. 1 (1905)BEN DAVIS.
REFERENCES. 1. Downing, 1857:119. fig. 2. Elliott, 1859:124. 3. Adair, Horticulturist, 15:226. 1860. 2 figs. 4. Downing, Horticulturist, 16:40. 1861. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat., 1862. 6. Warder, 1867:585. fig. 7. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt., 1869:40. 8. Downing, 1872:93. fig. 9. Leroy. 1873:126. fig. 10. Barry, 1883:343. 11. Thomas, 1885:230. 12. Lyon, Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt., 1890:288. 13. Bailey, An. Hort., 1892:235. 14. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Gr. Assn., 26:170. 1894. 15. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 3:4. 1896. fig. 16. Watts, Tenn. Sta. Bul., 1896:7. 17. Amer. Gard., 18:746. 1897. 18. Waugh, Vt. Sta. Bul., 61:30. 1897. 19. Taylor, U. S. Div. Pom. Bul., 7:35. 1898. 20. Woolverton, Ont. Fr. Stas. An. Rpt., 6:36. 1899. 21. Waugh, Gardening, 7:278. 1899. 22. Alwood, Va. Sta. Bul., 130:130. 1901. fig. of tree. 23. Waugh, Vt. Sta. An. Rpt., 14:288. 1901. 24. Hansen, S. D. Sta. Bul., 76:29. 1902. fig. 25. Stinson, Mo. State Fruit Sta. Bul., 3:24. 1902. 26. Ont. Fr. Gr. Assn. An. Rpt., 34:108. 1902. 27. Powell and Fulton, U. S. B. P. I. Bul., 48:38. 1903. 28. Budd-Hansen, 1903:45. fig. 29. Beach and Clark, N. Y. Sta. Bul., 248:112. 1904.
SYNONYMS. Baltimore Pippin (8, 9). Baltimore Red (8, 9). Baltimore Red Streak (8, 9). Carolina Red Streak (8, 9, 11). Funkhouser (8). Kentucky Pippin (8). Kentucky Streak (11). NEW YORK PIPPIN (3, 4, 5). New York Pippin (6, 8, 9, 10, 11). Pepin de New-York (9). Red Pippin (8). Victoria Pippin (8, 9). Victoria Red (8, 11).
The Ben Davis reigns over a much greater extent of country than does the Baldwin. It is unquestionably the leading commercial sort and the most popular apple grown south of the Baldwin region. Generally speaking, it is the most important variety known in the apple districts of the vast territory which stretches from the Atlantic to the Pacific between parallels 32 and 42. It is preeminently successful in the Virginias, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and portions of adjoining states. In the more elevated and more northern portions of New York it is not usually regarded with favor, but in Southeastern New York the planting of it for commercial purposes has extended until, in many sections, it now ranks in importance next to Baldwin and Rhode Island Greening. It is grown to a considerable extent in various other parts of the state, but in many cases less successfully because too often the seasons are less favorable to the best development of the fruit. Some find it acceptable for home use after the Baldwin season has closed, but here it is generally regarded as not good enough in quality for home use. It is often criticised disparagingly on the point of quality. When grown in the South or Southwest, at its best it is but of second rate quality, and unquestionably in most portions of New York state the seasons are usually too short to mature the variety properly. When grown in the South, the period when it is at its best is comparatively short. As fruited in New York, it ripens later and keeps later than when grown farther south. It often keeps here in ordinary storage till May, and in cold storage till June, or often till July. In the Ben Davis belt the fruit becomes large and handsomely colored, but in many portions of New York state it does not range much above medium in size and color. The fruit is thick-skinned, does not show bruises easily, and presents a good appearance in the package after being handled and shipped in the ordinary way. Nurserymen like it because of its free-growing habit and the ease and rapidity with which trees of marketable size can be grown. In the orchard the tree is very hardy, healthy and vigorous. Although it does not appear to be as long-lived as Baldwin, it comes into bearing at an early age, and usually bears annually and abundantly. Often it makes a good growth, even while bearing good crops. The top is rather dense, and in pruning, particularly in the case of young trees, especial care should be taken to keep it open and spreading so as to give the best possible opportunity for the fruit to color well. Its habit of blossoming late in the spring is an advantage in some regions because the weather is then more apt to be favorable during the pollinating period, and the result is that Ben Davis in such cases often bears good crops, when with other varieties there is more or less of a crop failure.
Historical. The origin of this apple will probably never be definitely known. It has been variously credited to Tennessee (16, 19), Kentucky (1), and Virginia (7, 16, 19). It is supposed to have originated about the beginning of the last century. This view is supported by the fact that before the Civil War it had spread throughout the states just mentioned, and following the routes of migration had been carried into Southern Indiana, Illinois and pretty generally disseminated throughout Missouri and Arkansas. Downing does not mention it in his first edition, but it is described in the first revision (1) of his book on The Fruits and Fruit Trees of America. Warder (6) refers to it as a comparatively new sort in Ohio and the Northwest but common in the South and Southwest. During the last quarter century it has been disseminated extensively through all the apple-growing portions of the United States.
TREE. Tree medium in size, rather rank-growing, especially when young, forming coarse strong wood which seldom breaks under heavy crops; branches strong, with numerous rather short laterals and spurs, often inclined to bend or droop. Form upright becoming roundish, and in old trees rather spreading. Twigs long or very long, straight or slightly curved, moderately stout; internodes long. Bark bright, rather dark brownish-red, continuously mottled with fine, thin scarf-skin, pubescent. Lenticels scattering, round, sometimes oblong, raised, of a clear straw color, moderately conspicuous. Buds medium to large or broad, obtuse, appressed, sunken in the bark, very sparingly pubescent. Leaves large, long, rather broad.
FRUIT. Fruit usually above medium to large. Form roundish, varying from somewhat conic to somewhat oblong, broad, rounded at the base, often somewhat elliptical or slightly irregular, sides sometimes unequal; pretty uniform in shape and in size. Stem medium to long, rather slender. Cavity acute, moderately deep to deep, of medium width, nearly symmetrical, often partly russeted or with outspreading rays of thin greenish russet. Calyx medium, closed or sometimes partly open; lobes rather short, of medium width, acute. Basin abrupt, medium in width and depth, varying to shallow and narrow and rather obtuse, sometimes furrowed, usually oblique. Skin tough, waxy, bright, smooth, usually glossy, clear yellow or greenish, mottled and washed with bright red, striped and splashed with bright dark carmine. Dots inconspicuous, small, scattering, light, whitish or brown. Prevailing effect bright deep red or red striped. Calyx tube varies from short and cone-shaped to rather wide and funnelform with rather long cylinder and frequently with fleshy projection of pistil point into its base. Stamens median to marginal. Core medium, axile, closed or partly open; core lines clasping when the tube is funnel-form, meeting or slightly clasping when it is cone-shaped. Carpels rather flat, roundish or inclined to obovate, very emarginate, mucronate. Seeds large, long, irregular, rather wide, plump, acute, dark brown. Flesh whitish, slightly tinged with yellow, firm, moderately coarse, not very crisp, somewhat aromatic, juicy, mildly subacid, good. Season January to June.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEN DAVIS. Some assert that it is possible to recognize as many as four distinct types or strains of Ben Davis. So far as we know none of these types, if such exist, is being kept separate under propagation. It is certain that Ben Davis shows great variations in fruit in different parts of the country, in some cases so much so that those unfamiliar with it would not recognize fruit of it from different regions as being of the same variety. Various seedlings of Ben Davis which have been introduced into cultivation show more or less resemblance to the parent and to each other. In the case of Gano and Black Ben Davis a notable controversy has arisen among nurserymen and fruit growers as to whether these are distinct varieties or identical. The Gano is known to some extent in New York. It resembles its parent Ben Davis very closely in the nursery, but it is unmistakably distinct from it in fruit. So far as we have tested it, it seems to be better adapted to New York conditions than is the Ben Davis. Rutledge, Arkansas Belle, Etris and Eicke also belong in the Ben Davis group.
— Granville Lowther (ed.), Encyclopedia of Practical Horticulture (1914)The Ben Davis is perhaps as widely distributed as any other variety of apples grown. It is not very successful in the extreme northern part of the United States, but from the Atlantic to the Pacific, between the parallels of 32 degrees and 42 degrees it is the most important variety grown. It is preeminently successful in the Virginias, Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and portions of the adjoining states. Its great popularity seems to be largely on account of its good keeping qualities, its good shipping qualities, the vigor of growth of the tree and its regular heavy bearing.
Historical. The origin of this apple is not definitely known. It is supposed, however, to have originated about the beginning of the nineteenth century. This view is supported by the fact that before the Civil War it had spread through the states of Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee, and following the routes of migration had been carried into Southern Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas.
Tree medium size, rather rank grower, especially when young, forming coarse strong wood which seldom breaks under heavy crops. Branches strong with numerous rather short laterals or spurs, often inclined to bend or droop. Form upright becoming roundish, and in old trees rather spreading. Bark bright, rather dark brownish red, continuously mottled with fine scarf skin, pubescent.
Fruit usually above medium to large. Form roundish varying from somewhat conical to somewhat oblong, broad, rounded at the base, often somewhat elliptical or slightly irregular, sides somewhat unequal; rather uniform in shape and in size. Skin tough, waxy, bright, smooth, usually glossy, clear yellow or greenish. Season from January to June.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Ben Davis.
From Kentucky. Tree, vigorous grower, constant and abundant bearer. Fruit, large, roundish, striped and splashed with red and yellow ; stem, short ; cavity, narrow, deep, uneven ; calyx, closed ; basin, angular ; flesh, white, sometimes tinged with red, mild sub-acid, pleasant flavor; core, medium ; seeds, large, dark brown. Winter and Spring.
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Ben Davis. (New York Pippin, Kentucky Streak, Carolina Red Streak, Victoria Red.) Large, roundish-ovate, slightly oblique, regular, smooth, striped red on yellow; stalk long, deep set; basin deep, wrinkled; flesh whitish, tender, with a mild, good, but not rich, sub-acid flavor. Fig. 409. Succeeds well at the West, where it proves one of the most profitable winter apples for market; does not mature well at the extreme North. An early and abundant bearer. The leading commercial variety of America to-day. Kentucky.