The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-03-24
PROF. YATES REPORT
The Largest Peach Orchard in the
World Visited.
NINE THOUSAND ACRES IN ONE ORCHARD
Prof NJ. 8. Waite, Assistant Patholooist
Of Washington, Visited the Great
Peach Country OF East Texas.

! United states department of agriculture
who Is here carrying out series Of experi.
ments with a view to stopping pear blight
and other trouble In the way Of the sue.
| cessful culture of the pear in the coast
| country, while waiting Cor results in his
| experiments, II being necessary to wait
| until the pear, which is now In full bios.
| som, drops Its bloom, accompanied by Mr.
| John Howard immigration agent OF the
| Southern Pacific, took three days trim
| to the fruit and truck district Of East Tex.
! as. They returned Saturday evening and
| were well pleased with their trip. They
| visited the great Morrill, fruit farm, the
largest peach orchard Ia the world and
! Prof. Waite Is enthusiastic over the ohser-
vations made during the trip.
In talk with Post representative
yesterday Prof Waite said: eve went out
over the Houston and Texas Central, first
visiting the experiment at College sta
ton, at which point / was deeply inter
ested in and impressed with the fine collec.
tion of peaches grown there, and the
trees, which are at present In such prime
condition and look so promising. These
peaches have attained "A national reputation,
as result of the work on classification Of
peaches, which Prof Price Is doing. |
was also most fayorably impressed with
the magnificent body of students at the
college, the fine buildings, and especially
the new building, which is to be devoted
to the study and demonstration of agrcul-
ture aud horticulture
From College station we went over the
International and Great Northern railroad
to Jacksonville. which has been noted as
the peach growing center of that section.
This country is now becoming prominent
as n tomato growing section. The young
tomato plants are ali started in cold frames
and hot beds, and the snowy white covered
hot beds dot the landscape in every drec-
ton. The average IN tomatoes In this sec
tion this year viii be more than double
what it has been in any previous year, and
II the season is at all favorable, the ship.
ments Of tomatoes from Jacksonville and
the immediately adjacent section will be
immense. ON the trip from Jacksouville to
Alto, n distance OF twenty seven miles, we
were hardly out OF sight of these hot beds
for moment. 1t was a great sight and
1t seems to me sufficient TO euthuse any
ono.
The greatest sight. however, aud the
one which most strongly impressed me and
struck me with the greatest favor, was
the great Morrill, fruit farm. which Is just
being opened up with headquarters four
miles from Alto. on the Cotton Belt line, by
the Morrill, Orchard company. ana which
will he the largest peach orchard VA the
world under one control The original tract
Of land consisted of $500 acres, and was
purchased by the Morrill, Orchard COM
pany from MIR. Edward Sells. who about a
year and half previous had purchased 1t
from the State. 500 acres additional were
purchased, making the entire tract as 1t
now stands. 5000 acres, all of which Is 10
be converted into one vast fruit farm. The
land was originally covered with heavy
growth Of large pines, with some hickory
and some oak. The State had stripped the
land completely. with the exception Of
about 1000 acres and had burned the wood
into charcoal Great roads Of the old char
coal pits extend acress the entire tract.
Tho grading for the tra-nway line used IN
this work Is still plain e be seen 1hcs,
rucda are used as roadwaYs to haul out The
product Of the farm.
Since The land has been stripped of the
heavy timber. It has been covered with
eight or ten years second growth Of pines
and scrub oaks, which are generally from
two to six inches in diameter. About 1000
acres OF this land hal been cut by Mr..
Sells, so that the new company have
tract very much more easily nd quickly
cleared than It could have beer with the
original timber on il, ior the reason that
the large Stumps are in a great measure
ruttpd ont
"'rhe new company took hold Of the land
last December, and has made wonderful
advancement. considering the time IT has
been at work. The president of the cont
pany Is w. w. Mcfarland; secretary, IL.
n Fisher; treasurer, n Baker and vice
president al general manager, Roland Nor
rill of Benton Hatbor. Mich. the first
three gentlemen are from Chicago. and are
commission men, while Mr. Morrill, Is one
Of the largest and most successful peach
growers Of Michigan His orchards at Ben
ton Harbor arc among the hneSt, " NOT
the finest in this country; thus COMBINING
Messrs Waite aud Howard were unior-
tunate in not meeting MI Morrlli, Dut they
met Mr.. r. G. Miller, the general superin
tendent, on the ground: Mr.; Waite being
deeply interested and after all the Informs
tion possible hal the following interview
with tho superintendent:
"Ilog many acres OF peaches nave you
We put out 12o acres this spring"
Are you going to grow anything be-
sides pea chen this spring.
Yes We are planting big truck CROP
between the Young trees, and are putting
out quite an acreage Of cantaloupes' water
melons. tomatoes and Irish potatoes, we
have plants in cold frames. for ninety
acres Of tomatoes and cantaloupes under
glass for thirty acres, and expect 10 plant
outside about thirty. acres moro IN canta,
tonnes We have planted 1900 bushels OF
irish potatoes and are clearing land with
a view to putting out at least nifty acres
of watermelons.
pug bout sixty. Thirty arc grubbing and
clearing lands. about ten are carpenters
twenty are tenmsters and general farm
helm working around the truck farm ana
''' How much fertilizer are you using on
I'VE applied 500 pounds per acre, and
will use about the same on our toma-
How much land do you expect to clear
this season.
iThe company expects TO go ahead con
tinuously with tho clearing, and expects
to have $50 acres additional cleared by
aHow many horses and mules have you
"At The present time we have seven
s'How many acres do you expect 10 put
ia peaches next spring.
eve expect TO put in 900 or more n we
have the land ready.
"Huw many acres does the company
cxppct 10 plant altogether
'.No one Knows They have 9oOD acres
OF land and expect 10 continue planting
until Il Is all IN"
prof Waite continuing. said
'eThe tract + The largest single tract
OF reach loud under one control IN the
world and the company doubtless Intends
TO have he biggest peach orchard In ex-
lstence '.he largest peach orchard at pres
emit in the world Is that belonging tn the
Hale Georgia Orchard company az Fort
Valley. Ga Of which the leading spirit
Is J. H. Hale OF Connecticut This or
cbard consists OF 2S50O0 trees aud has
sNipped trainload Of twelve cars OF
neaches 90 one day at the height Of the
season. Mr. Morrill, probably looks for
yard 10 eclipsnc this record.
~ was very favOrabiy impressed with
the excellent aud nne selection OF tools.