Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-23
WAY nor IN eEoRelA9

As Georgia has come to be known as the
banner peach growing state OF the SOUTH
50 Virginia has become the banner apple
state OF the entire country, the laurels
once held by New York, then by Missouri
and later by Arkansas. having easily
passed to the Old Dominion within the
past few years.
Il Is estimated that the value Of this
years apple crop IN the Shenandoah
Valley. the great apple growing section of
Virginia. Is fully a million and q half dol
lars, and individual fortunes are being
made in this highly profitable industry.
While apples have been grown In VIZ
Einia from the earliest days Of the COM
monwealth. just as peaches were grown
IN Georgia for generations without any
attempt at making peach culture an In
dustry, It was scarcely fifteen years ago
that some far-sighted virginians went In
to apple culture on a large scale.
Like the experience OF the Georgia peach
growers. results more than repaid their
confidence and enterprise. When 1t Is
stated that every tree will yield from u
10 IS each season and that there are usual
~ from 80 TO 40 trees TO the acre. a falr
idea OF the enormous profits Of the busi-
ness may be secured. Especially when
one takes into consideration the fact that
the main expense OF the apple industry
Is IN packing and marketing the fruit
A prominent Virginia grower. telling OF
the development of the industry in that
state declares that on an orchard Of about
eight acres one OF his neighbors raised
800 trees. which this year yielded 1,lO0
barrels OF first-class merchantable fruit.
II sold for $3.50 per barrel in the orchard,
the buyer furnishing the barrels and de-
fraying the expenses Of packing.
A loo tree orchard on an adjoining
farm cleared $500 one year and 5000 two
years later. This is an average OF IS a
tree, so that It VIII be readily seen that
a good crop is a very lucrative investment.
Truly an attractive and profitable in
dustry, one which IL given the proper at
tention in Georgia would develop as rapid
ly as the great peach industry which has
made this state famous throughout the
union. Like everything else, the peach
industry has its limitations. and there are
those who seriously question II 1t will not
soon be overdone in Georgia. At any rate,
IL is well for our farmers in sections which
are peculiarly adopted to the purpose, to
turn their attention, IL possible, to other
things; and. certainly, no one viii dispute
that apple growing is as attractive as
anything in the entire field Of horticulture.
What Virginia has done. Georgia can
do; at least IL can be done in the fertile
valleys OF north and northeast Georgia.
Practically the same soil and climatic
conditions as exist in the famous Shen-
andoah Valley exist in the glorious Ma
coochee and the other valleys OF north
Georgia. and there is scarcely a farm
house in those sections whose family ap-
pie tree does not bear witness to the fact
that the apple viii thrive as well in that
soil and climate as anywhere on earth.
In view OF these facts. facts known to
everyone. even the casual observer, and
urged by our Agricultural department
after a thorough study Of the subject,
does it not seem strange that no more
attention is paid to the development of
this industry In Georgia. Some day we
may wake up TO the Importance OF peach
growing on large scale. and then Geor-
gia may rival Virginia as an apple grow
ing state and another million year may
be added to the value OF Georgia's annual
products.