The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-01-23
HOW AND WHY BEGAN
%THE FRUIT BUSINESS.~

almost entirely neglected until the
past few years that makes the present
activity in tree planting seem so ex-
traordinary.
The newness of the industry causes
the frequent apprehensions of over
production.
BY some the planting of immense
areas of commercial orchards which
is now going on in so many parts of
the country is regarded as a sort of
specializing mania which will result
everywhere in an Overstocked market
but the rapidly increasing popula-
ton, especially of the cities and towns,
coupled with the fact that the diet of
the people is changing somewhat
from one of meat and vegetables to
one of cereals and fruit affords good
reason for the belief that it is still a
century too soon to talk about over
production in fruits
This statement, however, applies
only TO first-clas well marketed fruit
and here comes the rub.
First class fruit cannot be grown on
neglected trees. Most of our fruits
are artificial products, grown under
artificial conditions. They have been
domesticated for centuries, and have
been nursed and improved until they
are so far above the wild state in
which they once grew that they have
lost much of their power in Compel
ing with other plants in their struggle
for existance
L have found it profitable to keep
this constantly in mind since | began
few years ago, to plant fruit trees
for commercial purposes.
| began the business of growing
fruit in Upshur county because that
is my native home and because | have
an intense liking for the care of fruit
trees and plants
| had noticed that fancy fruit al
ways met with ready sale and at
good price in my local market.
| was dissatisfied with grain and
vegetables as money crops, and had
firm faith in the fruit producing pos
sibilities of my locality
This undertaking with me is still
small and scarcely past the expert
mental stage, and yet | have demon
strated to my own satisfaction that
there is in Upshur county and many
other similar locations, more money
in one acre of well-cared-for orchard
OF apples or peaches than in five acres
annually cropped in wheat, corn or
oats.
There is, perhaps, u greater acreage
of wheat the past season and six acres
the years before, and threshed from
the two crops 222 bushels, something
more than an average yield for my
locality.
The wheat was worth in my market
$222, and the straw, $25, together $247.
The entire expense of both crops
for seed, Fertilizers, preparation of
seed bed, drilling, harvesting, stack
ing and threshing amounted to $165.
This left me a profit of $82 or 1888
per acre for the crops of wheat.
Three years ago | planted block
of peach trees. The trees were plant
ed 100 to the acre and this year bore
their first crop of fruit paying on an
average So per tree or $3.50 per acre.
The entire expenses for the three
years of planting, cultivating, prun-
ing, fighting insects and diseases,
picking and marking the peaches
amounted to $3.50 per acre, leaving a
profit of $500, or an average profit of
$106.66 per acre for each year since
the orchard was planted.
The methods which have been sue
cessful with me in West Virginia may
not at all be practical here in Mary
land. Our soils and our markets may
differ slightly, yet our physical condi-
tions are so similar that the same I'M
DERIVING and essential principles of
fruit culture apply to both
Deciding on the location of an or
chard is an important step, yet if the
soil is well drained have found this
of less Importance than the prepara-
ton of the soil before planting and
the after-care of the young trees.
After having made a somewhat
careful study of the orchards of CEN
trail West Virginia, l am convinced
that the young trees before reaching
bearing age suffer more from care
less and unscientific methods than
any other agricultural interest.
1t is of the utmost Importance that
the soil intended for an orchard be
well plowed and narrowed before
planting. In digging holes in which
to set the trees, make them large
enough to accommodate the roots
without twisting or bending them;
cut off all bruised and broken roots;
cut the top back to correspond with
the loss sustained by the trees in dig
ging. Don't ask a tree with two
fhirdk of ifS roots Y,iSS;no RI o,,Oror%