The Green Forest tribune., 1893-06-15
FRUIT GROWING IN ARKANSAS.
Telling Facts and Figures Collected
by the Arkansas COmmOnw ealth.

"Ibe Seol0gfcal 1ofmatlon OF
Northwestern Arkansas is precisely
that which IS required for the grow
ing of perfect and we'll favored
fruit of the apple variety. The
best apples of the United States
and the world grow in localities
where the carboniterous, suhcarbon-
iferous and the silurian rocks make
up the composition of the soil, and
in northwest Arkansas, from the
Missouri line southwark to the Ar
kansas river, we find these condi-
tions and have limestone Of the
cherry, finty and cave character
in the Ozarks that are peculiarly
we'll adapted to the growing and
maturing of these fine fruits, and
have secured to them the premiums
in all competitions.
The rock formations especially
fitted for the culture of the peach
are somewhat different in character,
for peaches und other stone-fruits
require more iron in the soil and
being of semi-tropical habit need
a light, sandy, ferruginous soil 10
mature them to perfection, and
this condition is met with in Ar
kansas south of the Arkansas river
in the quartz belt of the State, and
there it is where the peach thrives
and fourishes.
While the pear is similar in It's
geological requirements to the ap-
pie it thrives best aud is more free
from disease in we'll sub-drained
sandy loam, and its natural habitat
being under more temperate con-
ditions than the apple it will grow
anywhere in Arkansas where sub
soils are not Of an impervious ma
ture.
There is no part of the State
where berries and grapes are not
indigenous, and they can be culti-
waited successfully anywhere with
the result of a good yield. There
is, therefore, no reason why every
home should not be provided with
the luxury of a grape arbor and a
straw berry, raspberry, and black
berry patch.
The growing of fruits for profit,
however, depends mainly upon the
markets you can reach with your
products, and it is in this that Ar
kansas has advantages of no mean
import, Denver, St. Paul, Kansas
City, Lincoln, Sioux City, Chicago,
ST. Louis, even Salt Lake City
being prominent among the pur-
chasers of Arkansas apples and
small fruits; and the larger cities of
our neighboring State, Texas, draw
their supply OF fruits of all kinds
mainly from the northwest part of
Arkansas.
This advantage has been early
recognized by some of the more
enterprising of our agricultnrists
and to such an extent has little be-
ginning of horticultural industry
grown that, while five years ago
only twenty-five crates per day
were shipped to St. Louis and wes-
tern markets, from five to ten car
loads are now sent in all direct
ions.
The green and manufactured
fruit products of two of the north
western counties amounted last
year to nearly two million of dol
lars.
Texas and the far west are the
most ready markets tor nearly all
the fruit that is raised in the north
western part, and st. Louis, Chica-
60 and the city of Little Rock are
the markets for the central and
southern part of the State. While
the acreage of our fruit is annually
increasing, the supply has so far
never been equal to the demand,
tor we are so located that we get
our early fruit into the northwest
ern markets ahead Of any other
fruit-growing sections and our
late fruits are especially called
for by our sister states, Texas,
Louisiana and Tennessee.
Arkansas apples have carried off
the principal prizes in the COM
petive exhibitions at New Orleans,
Louisville, Philadelphia and Riv-
erside, and stand now at the head
of the list and are inquired for ev-
erywhere; the peach interest also
has been growing steadily during
4 L. IL, RI koo Il