Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-10-11
A BIG FRUIT FARM.
1t Embraces s,aO4 Acres on Battle
Ground.

Ground.
Just across the line which divides
Loudon County, Va, and Jefferson
County, w, Va, and located in the
latter, is fine fruit farm, said to be
one of the largest In the United
States east of the Rocky Mountains.
This estate comprises a little less
than 2, 400 acres and is situated on
the far-famed Loudon Heights, noted
for the many interesting events which
occurred there during the late war,
and rising about 1000 feet above
Harper's Ferry, which was famous in
history before and during the war,
and where there is scenery Of which
President Thomas Jefferson declared,
at is worth trip across the Allan
tic Ocean to see." All along the
Blue Ridge Mountains, to which
range Loudon Heights belongs, are
foothills on which are fine flowing
springs,
The present owners of the estate
are Messrs, Charles and Louis Beck
err. In the spring Of 1887, while
looking for investments, the Messrs.
Becker purchased a farm Of 500 acres
in this belt, and the first season set
out peach orchard Of 49,, trees
Since then eight other tracts have
been added, and now the Beckers'
fruit farm comprises 1894 acres in
one continuous tract, and is one of
the largest fruit farms in the world.
The orchards contain As, 600 peach
trees, $500 ounce trees and about
$4,000 apricot, plum, damson and
pear trees. OF the peach trees, 3d.
900 are in full bearing ripening from
July to November.
The method adopted in these or
chards of heading in" the peach
trees close to the ground is followed.
The strength that would go to main
tain or feet Of branChlcss trunk
by other methods is thrown into the
very fruit-producing branches. This
results in producing a pyramidal-
shaped tree, with strong, robust
branches that are capable of sustain
ing a large yield of fruit without
bending or breaking, as would be the
result of a like yield on trees Of ordi-
nary growth. Another important
consideration is the fact that these
trees are much less affected by the
high winds, a feature Of much i'm
portance when the fruit commences
to get ripe enough to pick.
1t is a rare thing to find a peach
tree on this large farm with trunk
six inches long from the ground to the
branches The pruning is done with
the main object of letting in sunlight
to the center of the trees and to
slightly check too free growth of
some of the highest branches The
plan has been to plow and harrow
the orchards early in the spring.
Some orchards have crops Of corn and
potatoes growing therein, and Others
have received regular cultivation
without being planted with any other
crop.
Extensive as are these peach or
chards, they are not the only fruit
trees that are planted in large num-
bers. There are also orchards con-
tanning /, 800 plums in variety, 1000
damsons, 400 apricots, 500 Japan
persimmons, 1000 ounces, and cher
ries, nectarines, English walnuts,
Italian chestnuts and paper-shell
almonds.
The vineyards cover sixty acres,
which are to be extended to contain
100 acres. They contain 10000
vines, 5000 of which are in full
bearing. The grapes grown on the
Blue Ridge Mountains mature from
ten to twenty days earlier than those
grown in the Eastern States