Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-08-12
eliminated many others to follow their

stimulated many others to follow their
example. and now the county OF Ber-
kelley contains not far from 3,00e acres
of apple orchard and probably 1,5eo OF
peach trees. These are in the main
young orchards, SO that while the an
nual product of the county at present
is only So 900 or 10000 barrels. yet in
1899 alone over 5000, 900 came into the
county as a result of the industry. Tho
time is not far distant when the out
put will exceed that of the Hancock
county region II the growers OF these
two regions were to come into closer
contract zach would be mutually bene-
fitted. The Hancock county growers
would find valuable suggestions in the
! cultural methods of Berkeley county.
while the harvesting and marketing
methods of the Hancock county
o~rchardists would increase the
profit on the Berkeley county proruct
10 per cent.
The fruit products Of our State are at
! once suggestive and encouraging when
viewed from a commercial stand
point. The apple output is remarka-
BILE. considering the small area devot-
ed to it. The crops are regular, large,
made tp of long keeping varieties OF
high quality. With orchards of this
| character in the State, the wonder is
that the area devoted to this industry
is so limited.
In fruit growing the skill and taste
displayed by the shipper counts for
more in making a market for his pro-
duct thar In any other branch of agri-
culture. Uniform, neat and appropri-
ate shipping cases always add to the
value of the product, and %slovenly pack
ages invariably detract from the sale
of an otherwise high grade commodity.
In our own State no one factor has had
more to do with the tardy growth of the
! fruit business than the 'indiscriminate
planting of a great many varieties. The
lists which are made a part of this re-
| port are the best proof of this state
ment. The influence of this style OF
| planting has been to retard commercial
, development by catering to home de-
mand. This was usually limited, and
the surplus fruit vas not such as to at
tract the apple buyers. The varieties
offered were as numerous as the indi-
viduals offering them; in fact, in most
localities where a thousand barrels of
| apples could be purchased it would be
necessary to accept at least thirty diff
ferent sorts to make up the lot.
In apple growing sections generally
the great apple crops are not the pro-
Grated by companies and corporations,
but, On the contrary. the great mass OF
this product m from the farm or
chards, which usually consists of 5 to
Is per cent of the area of the farm. A
farm of 100 acres will have from eight
to fifteen acres in orchard. The fea-
ture of this planting is that while there
is usually a sufficient assortment, by
far the greater bulk Of the product con-
sists of Baldwins. Greetings, Kings or
Spys. In our State orchards are no less
numerous, but the varieties are often
not well selected, and they are too
many.
Buyers are attracted to localities
where large quantities of standard sorts
are grown. 1t is a good rule in general
planting to learn what varieties thrive
best and zeal most regularly and album
dainty in your locality. Do not pur-
chase untried sorts for commercial
planting; the ideal variety is a favor
lite in the market and, at the same time
that has stood the test in your To-
cality.