Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-22
EDWARD STEVENS,
Pa, Ave. and 9Th ST.
WHERE APPLE rs KING
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS LEADS IN
THIS PRODUCTION.
Clay County Will Harvest Over One
Million Barrels Country
Known as Egypt"

From the Chicago Chronicle.
There is to be a repetition this year Of the
story of the going down into Egypt" but
instead of going for corn, as Joseph's breth-
rem did of old, the people Of northern Illi-
nois will buy apples of their southern
neighbors
Egypt is the name given to the extreme
southern portion of the state by the more
fortunate people Of the north, and for years
the thrifty people of the corn belt have been
slyly po1ing fun at the Egyptians" but
apparently that day Is over, for with one
county 100000 barrels OF apples and the
corn crop almost equal to the central Sec
ton a new era has apparently dawned for
southern Illinois. One million barrels Of
apples! Large, red apples whose qualities
in the market make them the peer of any
fruit in the world. This is the crop CT Clay
county for 1900.
Veritable Apple Orchard.
With an area exceeding 10000 acres set to
a total exceeding 1000. 900 trees, half Of
which bearing this year. this locality
resembles one large apple orchard, and one
could ina CINE himself in the Garden Of Eden
| with apples enough for Adam and his pos
terity for all time. This immense acreage Is
conferred about the little city Of Flora, tho
metropolis of the county.
Possibly in a radius of fifteen miles will
area. The southern Illinois fruit belt claims
$4,000 acres. scattered over ten counties and
the ono county Of Clay has more than one.
half this total acreage.
The average age Of the apple tree Is posi-.
bly, twelve years, and the present year ls
the first general crop since the trees be.
came of a bearing age. The country seems
peculiarly adapted to the growing of an
Ideal apple tree and the production of q
perfect apple. According to the best au-
thorities some of the finest orchards In the
United States are located on the outskirts
of the orchard CITY," as Flora is common
" known.
From an eminence just north of town nav
be seen 1000 acres of apple trees, now load.
ca with nult The varieties grown IN this
section are those well known in the mar
kets as standard fruit. Color, flavor ana
Keeping qualities are the requisites which
are needed to give an apple flavor IN the
eyes of the buyer and later please the APP
petite of a critical people The Ben Davfs
predominates as to the other varieties In a
proportion of three to one. The Jonathan,
with its sleek glossy coat of deep red is tha
prime faYorite. These apples bring fancy
prices and there is an unlimited demand for
this splendid variety.
Harvesting is a Problem.
The harvesting of this enormous cron ,s a.
problem which the growers have yet to
solve. This Is the first general crop since
the trees have reached the age of maturing,
and the handling Of such a vast amount Of
fruit within comparatively short time Is
likely to tax the abilities of the horticul-
turists Preparations are under way, and
every one Is hustling in order to meet the
rush which is now at hand
One representative of a large commission
firm said to your correspondent yesterday
that he had purchased 10000 barrels This
means $50 carloads or fully ten trains of
apples. The magnitude of the Industry is
not apparent until the figures are consid-
cred
In order to care for the grades of fruit
other than first-class nine large evaporators
have been built in this locality The plants
when running at full capacity will use 15.-
600 bushels daily. They are a marvel with
In themselves Not only do they dry the
body Of the apple, but the cores and peeIinS
are also evaporated, and they find a ready
market
These institutions turn out carloads Of
good clean stock and the quality is attested
by the prices the product brings In the mar
ket. The apple-growing industry is as yet
In Its infancy, and those horticulturists Of
an optimistic turn of mind see great posi-
bilities In store for this immediate locality
when later years test the permanency OF the
business. 1t has opened up new industries
and quickened the pulse OF a section where
the wheels OF progress had not turned for
two decades. An instance is shown by the
location of a $45 900 cold storage plant In
this city and still another where one of the
evaporators, when the apple season was
over, used pumpkins and found a ready
market for this fruit