Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-12
ALBEMARLE PIPPIN.
ONE or THE PROFITABLE PRODUCTS
OF AFEW PIEDMONT COUNTIES.
An Apple That Is worth Raising and Eat
ing and Commands . Ready sale
at Good Prices.
"How we apples swim ?"

IfOW w blfPAf5 SWIM
But none like the Albemarle pippins, Tor
they goat on the high tide of popular favor
and rise high above all competitors. IL IS
hard to find them on the Richmond mar
ket at this time, though they are dearly
priced here for fine flavor, juiciness. and
sweetness OF meat. Learning that Mr.. W.
ii. Boaz, member of the House OF Dele
gates, was the particular representative %
that section of Albemarle which sends the
pipnins forth to the world. and is himself "A
great grower Of them. a DisTy1fcs man yes
terday sought him IN the midst OF hisle-
eislative duties TO inquire something. OF
the history Of this delicious fruit, and IL
possible 10 ascertain why greater crops arc
not made.
In what part Of Albcmarle do you re:
side? insinuatlngly asked the reporter Oh
MIR. Boaz.
In the southwestern part of Albemarle
county. at Covesyille, said he.
THE PnE-EMrxRyT PIPPIN SECTION.
Is that the section of country in which
the celebrated Albemarle pippin IL
raised?
1t is prominently the pippin section
answered Mr. Boaz.
How manv acres of land do You think
are covered by orchards of this fruit?
Some five or six hundred acres.
is there any other county in the state
successfully competing with AlbeInarle In
raising the pippin!
The contiguous portions Of Nelson pro-
duce just ~ good pippins. A line drawn
westward from North Gordon depot, on
the Richmond and Dnnvillc railroad, 10
Crozet. on the Chesapeake and OHIO rail-
way, thence southwark along the Blue
Ridge TO the head-waters of 1ye river, III
Nelson county, thence eastward 10 AIRING
ton depot, on the Richmond and Danville
railroad, thence along the Richmond and
Danville railroad back 10 North Gordon
will include about all the land that VIII
produce pippins. And within the terri
tory bounded by these lines not more than
one tenth OF the land will bring them, so
that the soil adapted TO pippins constitute
a very small number of acres,
HISTORICAL.
What is the origin OF this apple and how
long has IL been raised in Albemarle?
Both Albemarle and Nelson. said Mr..
Boaz, claim TO be the birthplace of this
apple, but their claims have never been
definitely settled. There is no doubt the
pippin originated somewhere within the
territory named above. There are orchards
i'll Albemarle sixty or seventy years old.
How many years does " itht lOr u tstc W
get in good bearing condition!
Twelve or fifteen years, according TO the
care bestowed upon the trees. he answered.
In what soil does this tree flourish best !
In the black mountain soil found IN the
counties OF Albemarle and Nelson, on
which the so-called calico rock" "a spe-
cies of granted abounds.
THE ORCHARDS.
Are the orchards of long life, and is any
cultivation about the trees necessary?
An orchard wall lest some fifty or seventy-
five years. The trees require cultivation,
pruning, and fertili2ing from the time they
are planted until they arrive at the age OF
ten or twelve years.
About what time of the year is the pippin
ready 10 be gathered?
The pippin is usually gathered, said Mr..
Bosz, about the Goth Of September, put IN
pens in the orchard and packed II barrels
about the 20th of October and marketed.
PERSONAL.
Though too modest to say so for him.
self, it ia known that Mr.. Boaz is himself
a great and successful grower of the pip
pin, and probably there is no one in the
State better informed on the subject.
What he speaks of as the Richmond and
Danville road is the Virginia Midland-a
part OF the Richmond and Danville rail-
road system.