Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-01-12
Jefferson County's Great Fu-
ture as a Fruit Belt.
d Visit to Becker Bros. Great Fruit
Plantation on the Western Slope
ofthe Blue Ridge Mountains,
Near Charles IoScn.
Vest Virginia.

We we're met at Harper's Ferry |
by Mr.. Charles Becker, who escorted
us across the Shenandoah river in a
ferry boat. Where the ascent of the
mountain commences the road is a
fairly good mountain road. Arriving
at the top of the foot hills we come to
a new hotel, lately erected by G. w
Green, certainly grand situation for
a summer resort. We continue along
the mountain for about two miles,
passing quite number of fine flow
ing springs, when we come to the
of the great orchards.
We here alight and send our team
ahead by the road while we take it
afoot, as Mr.. B. seems to prefer foot
ing it; we thought ourselves a pedes-
trian of fair average. We were now
in the Smock orchard of 1000 trees;
we next passed through the Salvay or
chard, 5 900 trees; HilI's Chilli, 900
trees; Wheatland, Yellow and AL
berege WiIIett's of l 900 trees each;
we next come to the old Nixon
Wager and Mt. Rose, 1000 trees
each. These trees are in their fourth
year and are marvel of health and
vigor. The Messrs. Becker Bros.
have adopted the low-heading sys-
TEN of training. We can hardly
realize how they cultivate So close to
the trees, the branches start from the
ground, we did not see q tree that
had scratch from the pillow the or
chards were perfectly clean. We
now enter thirty-acre vineyard, con-
sisting of Concords, Pocklington,
Delawares, Brighton, Worden and
Wyoming: certainly q vineyard in
perfection. We now come TO the
Heath Cling orchard, 5000 trees;
they are wonderful. Next comes 900
trees Alexander, and 1000 Foster,
all as fine as any we have seen. We
are now at the Cottage and we are
not sorry, as we had sadly missed our
team several hours ago. At the cot
tage we were met by their general
superintendent, Mr.. Peter Snidcr,
who after a few moments chat, an
nounces dinner. After partaking of
a sumptuous meal we were enjoying
fragrant Havana on the veranda.-
Mr.. c. B. invited us for short walk
back of the house TO take a look at n
small ounce orchard of 800 trees and
25O soft shell almonds, in their third
year. We were especially delighted
to see soft shell almond orchard,
and such grand, vigorous trees was
beyond our expectation to behold
Mr.. Becker expects them to come
into hearing next season. The Lam
guedock outgrow the peach. The
result of this orchard, if successful,
will he the beginning of a new de-
parture in fruit growing in this eli
mate. If we take the condition Of
the trees in consideration. success is
sure to follow. The ounce orchard
is also wonderful. We next come TO
the English walnuts, they are not up
to the balance, no doubt owing to
them being planted in newly cleared
ground and not sufficiently cultivated,
they had no chance. Mr.. Becker
now proposed if We intended going
through all the orchards this after
noon 1--WE had better grease our
boots and START" SO we bid Mr.. and
Mrs. SEider goodbye, and passed
through another thirty-acre vineyard
near the cottage, consisting of Goethe,
Moore's Early, Niagara, Triumph,
Vergenese, Catawba and Concords; a
specimen vineyard of some fifty va
rietes adjoins this vineyard. This
vineyard as whole is not quite up
to the one seen in the morning, on
account, as Mr.. B. stated, of re-
planting some 1000 Isabella and o.
600 Cataw ba with Niagara and Goethe,
which makes this vineyard rather I'M
even. The great advantage in grape
culture here is the early ripening of
the fruit. Moore's Early ripen about
August 12; Triumph and Goethe
Sept. 10; Catawba Sept. Is. We
next come to plum orchard of 4,
900 trees. About forty varieties of
pIums, including all the japanese va
rieties and 1000 Shropshire damsons.
We now come to grand peach or
chard, consisting of 1000 Clair's
Choice, 1000 Globe, 5000 Wheat
land, 1900 Bilyeer's Late and 1000
Albright's Late October. This or
chard is in the third year, a grand
show of trees. We now come to the
apricot orchard of 5000 trees in their
third year Such trees must be seen
to be appreciated. Pictures cannot
do them Justice; branched to the
ground they look more like ornamen-
tals-a fairy garden. We now enter
the japanese persimmon orchard, 800
trees in their third year-grand little
trees. Mr.. B. states that great
many froze to the ground the first
season, but now seem to be accli-
mated and have borne some fine fruit
this season. Nextis the young ounce
orchard of 6 900 trees, Champion and
Meechcs-grand trees. This ends
the orchards. We certainly have
been we'll paid for the trip through
this immense plantation of 2,4OO
acres, owned and operated by Charles
and Louis Becker, Tobacco Mer-
chants, of 419 E. Lombard St.. Bal
timore, Md. Mr. Charles Becker is
she general manager.
The Messrs. Becker Bros. certainly
have shown great knowledge in Sc
lccting this property for the under
taking, The soil and climate will rank
with the very best in the world. The
market for the Blue Mountain peaches
has been thoroughly tested, as they