The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-22
AN APPLE KING.
His Name is VIM. N. White, of
London, England.
RumOred That He Wants to
Control WelIhouse, Output.
HAS LITTLE TO SAY.
Greatly Worried by American
Newspaper Reporters.
Talks OF Progress Made in
Apple Raising.
HAS LITTLE TO SAY.

William N. White, London's noted
fruit expert, the man who introduced
California fruit in England. and for
the past 80 years the largest auctiOneer
of fruit in the British metropolis, spent
a few hours in Topeka today discuss
ing the apple situation with Fred Well
house, of 1925 Topeka avenue. the apple
king OF Kansas
His visit here was ostensibly to learn
Mr.. Wellhonse's opinion of the best
grades of Kansas apples for packing
and storage purposes. He, however,
refused to say whether he was success
fu1 in gaining control of the output OF
Mr.. Wellhouse's orchards, which cover
hundreds of acres.
While it is given out that Mr.. Whites
trip across this continent is only q
sightseeing tour, it is in reality to
come in closer touch with the basis of
supply for the fruit shipments to Eng
land, which are increasing with each
succeeding year.
Last year about 100000 bushels of
apples were exported from this coun-
try to England. The Armour Packing
CON pany last year dipped into the apple
business. Carloads of the product were
shipped to the cold storage plants IN
Kansas City and Chicago in refriger-
ator cars, from which points they We're
distri buted. The venture proved sue
cessfuls and this year the same COM
pany Is going deeper into the industry
The yield of apples in the United States
is too large and scattered for any one
concern to absolutely control, or get a
corner on it.
The Armours it is claimed are behind
the project for the expectation of al
most the entire western crop of apples,
and Mr.. White comes west after a con-
ference with representatives of the
Armour company at Chicago. From
here he win return to Kansas City,
where after further conferences with
representatives of the apple business
and the cold storage concern he viii
continue his journey to the Pacific
coast, where he Will look over the fruit
situation in California and Oregon.
Mr.. White explained that the demand
for American apples was steadily in
creasing in London. and that he in
tended to handle as much of this trade
as possible He refused. however. to
discuss what part in the big apple
scheme the Armour company would
take.
Mr.. White is distinctively English.
He is large. weighing in the neighbor-
hood of $50 pounds, and walks with q
small mincfng step, swinging his arms
slightly He carried a neatly wrapped
I'M brella in his left hand He wears
sideburns. in which may be found the
faintest trace of red
Hi shall nevah wegistah as coming
from Lunn0n again" said Mr.. White
as he took a seat on Mr.. Wellhouse's
veranda and began wiping the per-
SDfTafiOn rom MS FACE WITH a large
handkerchief, after being introduced
to a State Journal reporter
why" he continued. las soon as
Hi wegistered from England. Hi was
surrounded by mob of about a dozen
reporters. doncn yer know. Hits about
the worst Hi evan went against"
After delivering himself of a TRADE
against the persistent American news
paper reporter. ne settled down to the
more serious business which was the
occa sion of his visit to Mr.. Wellhouse-
The Armour company viii cd a great
factor in the apple industry of this
country this year said Mr. White. IF
everything goes right it win probably
continue to be a powerful factor Last
year the company tried purchasing and
storing apples. and It was found that
by reason of the big cold storage plants
and the refrigerator cars the business
was profitable. The bulk of the apples
used in England came from this ccs1n-
try. and what is true of England is true
of the countries of the continent"
Mr.. White says there is big money to
be made in fruit raising in the wheat
sections of the United States If the
farmers viii only consent to give up
portion of their wheat lands for or
chards.
s.An experience of years in handling
all kinds of fruit" said he, has con-
WINGED me that good wheat soil is bet
ter fruit soil If the wheat farmers
would realize this they could make
more money raising fruit than wheat
In my opinion the California soil is
suitable for any fruit that grows, and
predict that within a few years the