The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-24
HE PEACH PARADISE.
THE
FORT VALLEY WILL CONTINUE TO
LEAD IN PEACHES.

Has the Largest Orchard and the
Greatest Number of Large Or
chnrds of Any Section of the
WorId-The Famous and Delight
full EIberta-An Orchard of 375,OOO
Trees.
Fort Valley, Ga, Feb. 22.-For years
Fort Valley has been, is now and the
present indications are that it will
continue to be the center of the peach
industry, not only of this state, but
o, the entire Union. 1t claims, and
justly, too of being the Peach Par
adise."
The assertion that Fort Valley will
continue to be the leading place in the
production of peaches is reasonable,
for in no section is the climatic influ7
ence more congenial to the successful
growing of this luscious fruit, but the
general topography Of the country
hereabout seems peculiarly adapted
for horticultural endeavOr. Then again
the nature OK the soil seems just what
is needed for peach trees.
Another reason why Fort Valley Will
continue to lead the van is chat it is
the birthplace Of organized effort in
this direction. and the success that has
attended almost every venture along
this line has been so phenomenal and
proven so much more remunerative
than any other effort of the agricul-
tural and land-owning classes that
they find an incentive for increasing
their orchard acreage while those who
are slow to adopt new ideas are be-
coming inspired by the prosperity of
their more progressive neighbor and
have begun the setting out of peach
trees with the firm belief that in few
years they will be in more comfortable
circumstances than ever before.
A fact worthy of mention is that
Fort Valley has the largest orchard
and greatest number OF large orchards
TO be found in the world. Not only
that but nowhere are orchards more
intelIigently cultivated and fuller fruit
produced. NJ
Few people from other sections and
not a few in this immediate vicinity
have any conception of the magnitude
of this industry, it's worth to the COM
munity IN advertising the possibili-
ties of this God-favored section, and
the regular employment, al good wages,
it gives to many who otherwise would
find it difficult to secure steady work
and then at a price much less remuu-
erative.
OF course. it is well understood that
Samuel H. Rumph. the original dis
coverer and propagation of the famous
'Elberta,' is the pioneer nurseryman
of this section; his famous Willow
Lave Nursery and orchard is situated
about six miles a little east by south
from here. He has been giving his
entire attention to this work for some
twenty years, and his labor has been
crowned with wonderful success.
The orchard boom proper did not
strike here until some ten or twelve
years ago. wnen Capt. j. B. James of
this place, several well known citizens
of Dayton, o., became interested in
the prospects of the peach business,
proving a paying industry, and the
Albaugh- Georgia Fruit Company was
organized. a large tract of land pur-
chased and the planting out of an inn
mense orchard at once determined
upon and Immediately begun. Ere the
success of this venture of Northern
capital in an uncertain project was
assured the prospects were so promis-
ing that other moneyed men from Ohio
organized other companies and large
orchards begun to dot this beautiful
tableland. which previously had been
devoted almost exclusively to the grow
ing of cotton and corn.
What success has crowned the efforts
of these people is fully attested by the
fact that they continue to add annually
to their orchards and the original
stockholders seem to have no desire to
dispose of their stock
AS evidence that their success has
spread abroad il need only be men,
toned that people from the North and
East have now invested in peach
orchards in this immediate vicinity
more than half a million dollars and
not a season passes but what new COM
panies are organized ana other or
chards planted out.
At first the old residents here did not
take to the orchard business but one or
two seasons of yield of peaches with
such prices prevailing as to bring
handsome profits to the growers, in
cited them to a like effort with the
result that there are very few land
owners about here who have not me-
dium or large orchard now growing
and bearing.
The Hale Georgia Orchard Company,
the largest orchard in the world, is To-
Gated about two miles east of here. 1t
consists of more than fifteen hundred
CISCO acres, upon which there is now
planted three hundred and seventy-five
thousand (375, ,000) trees, of which 200 900
are bearing ones. The annual expense
of this one company when there is no
crop is about seventeen thousand dol
lars ($l7 000); the expenditure of which
in weekly pay rolls is of vast impor-
tance to the business element here.
When the gathering season is on this
company employs from 700 to 1000
helpers and its weekly payroll ranges
from $500 to $4,000.
The largest individual grower is DR..
w. G. Wright, who has 125,000 trees
and is continually increasing his acre